In an earlier post, I stated that American voters are not so bright as they’re made out to be. This reflects an overall shift in our culture and is consistent with the dumbing-down of our nation.

The CIA World Factbook, published June, 2007 indicates that the United States places 27th in the world for literacy, behind nations such as Kazahkstan (#17), Cuba (#7), Russia (#20), and North Korea (#24).

According to the 2000 National Association of Educational Progress assessments, only 32 percent of 4th graders are proficient in reading, while a dismal 26 percent are proficient in mathematics, 29 percent in science, and 18 percent in history. Proficiency rates decline by the 12th grade in most subjects. Over half of all poor students fail to reach the basic level on NAEP assessments in most subjects.

No child left behind? Apparently not.

This decline in education reveals itself in the oddest of places, like television for example. For every well-written show with finely-drawn characters and intriguing storylines, there are 10 “unscripted” reality shows that offer up pathetic, desperate individuals doing something stupid for face-time on the tube. The viewer responds by thinking, “Well at least I’m not that pathetic turd. I’m better than that.”

I’m convinced that this has to do with what we have chosen to teach, and more importantly, how we’ve chosen to teach it. During the bungled Katrina response, I watched as a young African-America woman stated on camera, “I’s gon’ rebuild cuz dis is where my family is. Dey be countin’ on me.” This, as she stood in front of her demolished apartment building with her FIVE out-of-wedlock kids trailing behind her. Clearly, this young lady did not pay attention in English or Sex Ed (if she even attended school).

How we teach is just as important as what we teach. Kids are coddled, shepherded, and protected (by their parents as well as their teachers). The kids have been told, “You’re special and unique.” Guess what, kids - your parents and teachers are lying to you. Uniqueness, as it turns out, is fairly common. Let’s say you’re “one in a million”. Well, that means in the United States that are about 280 people exactly like you. Within 2 years, the largest English-speaking nation on earth will be China. The second largest will be India. Third will be the United States. The two countries ahead of us will have smarter kids who also speak more languages. Why? Because they are part of the world and it’s just good business to know more than one tongue. So, shut up about being unique and special and worry about being smart.

25% of the population in China is smarter than the entire population of North America. In other words, they have more smart people than we have people.

So, instead of trying to bolster kids self esteem and fretting about how getting a b-minus on their exam might damage their psyche, why don’t we just teach and discipline?

The schools have become entirely too tolerant of bad behavior. This is a direct result of poor parenting. How? Because so many schools have been sued, teachers and administrators have been reprimanded, and now they’re scared. Parents have all the power in this equation because they’re trying to protect little Brtiney’s self-esteem and that’s WRONG.