THE DUMMYING OF AMERICA

 The dummying of America.  Yes, it has happened.  As compared to the rest of the world, we're not as smart as we once were.  A good deal of that can be laid at the feet of our educational system.  A good deal can be attributed to the emphasis place on education by our families - and to root into it further, to our decaying family structure.  

That's easy to figure out.  Here's my reason - Here's my blame.  We screwed it up when we gave women the right to vote.  You heard me . . . well, I'm jesting of course.  Here's the point.

You see, when I grew up and especially before World War II, a woman was slotted into one of three work careers;  Secretarial - Nursing - Teaching.  In many cases, the best and brightest women became teachers.  The talent pool for teachers was large and the best could be chosen. They educated the masses in the first half of last century.  

When I went to university in the 1960s, the Teachers College was known as "Ding-Dong School".  It was not for the best and brightest; it was for the dedicated or the "can't-do-anything-else" group.   Not enough were dedicated.  Today, the talent pool for teachers has shrunk.  It is difficult to find the best.  Teachers unions protect all and all are not the best.  

What's the answer?  Elevate the value of the teacher in the mindset of the public.  I'm afraid that is a very difficult thing to do.  Elevate the value of education.  I'm afraid that is a very difficult thing to do.  They go together.  It will take a clearer delineation between good a poor education and it's result for everyone to see.

What do we do if people refuse to pay the right cost for a good education?  Public shaming?  Concerted effort by all.  If there were an easy answer, someone smart would have come up with it by now.