Forum Moderators: open
Read the article [iol.co.za]
But this one does not surprise me in the least, grelmar.
About a year ago, one of the Networks (like 60 Minutes perhaps) ran a program devoted to the textbooks used in American Schools these days. Unbelievable.
Ms. Monroe got more page space than did the Vietnam War.
Parts of The Statue of Liberty was encapulated in bronze, and not copper.
We bought The Statue of Liberty from the French, rather than having had it gifted to the people of The United States.
[austinreview.com...]
January 16, 2002
On one page of an environmental textbook, students were told that water vapor was the most important greenhouse gas. On the facing page, students were told that carbon dioxide was the most important greenhouse gas.
[teenink.com...]
Often, teachers inform students of obvious mistakes in textbooks, but inexperienced teachers may not know to warn students. Last year, a substitute teacher gave my class an assignment that many students failed to understand. Students who followed the textbook's information scored poorly and failed to understand the material. The textbook was outdated and full of mistakes, but the students held no fault in using their "reliable" sources. A student should be able to use a textbook with confidence that the book is reliable and its information accurate.
And, of course, there is always Jay Leno's "Jaywalkers" if you ever want to see just how ignorant some folks are in this country, catch his show.
Did you know that Little Joe, Adam and Haus were the folks who invented the airplane? Mind you, the Wright Brothers had nothing to do with it. But the Cartwright Brothers did.
What really mystifies me is how these innaccurate publications even become part of the process.
Who approves them?
Do they even read them, or is the kick-back more important?
Naturally, all of it contributes to the Dumbing of America [google.com].
Perhaps the United States is NOT the only country with this problem...
Dumbing of America
A great book! :) And sadly, oh so very true.
Dan Blocker was his name and he passed some years back. His son did do some TV and perhaps a few movies though.
As I recall, there were only three regular sons to Ben Cartwright whose charachter was played by Lorne Greene. Perhaps better known to the younger generations for his starring role in BattleStar Galaxtica.
Perhaps you may be thinking of David Canary who played Candy Canaday. He was not sired by Ben, but welcomed into the family and still stars on a soap opera I'm told.
And sadly, oh so very true.
<nodding head emphatically>
As I've only graduated with my BS in Criminology in December '02, I can personally attest to both the corrections made to some College texts by my Professors, but also the student perception of the World and life in general. Stunning.
I was 53 (Senior ranking - last year type) when in a particularly heated classroom discussion, a young African American man actually said that all the old people should know their place and not take up valuable funding (Grants, Loans, Scholarships) that could/would be better served being used by more youthful folks like himself.
Not being one to shy away from a good learning experience, I immediately asked him how he felt about "...being sent back to Africa".
After his anger passed, he was able to recognize his own inherant bias, in this case, with repect to ageism.
better served being used by more youthful folks like himself.
I've seen enough youthful folks waste the resources affored them to know that that guy obviously was clueless. ;) And I'm still on the outer edges of "youthful".
I personally think college is wasted on the young. I dropped out when I was 20, under much protest from my parents, to get a "real world" education. Went back at 24 (still young but a whole lot less stupid) and was appaled at the uninformed opinions and attitudes of my 20 year old classmates. While they whined at how tough it was, I breezed through and wondered (on the doubting side) if college had been as tough as I remembered it. If 4 years made that much difference in me, I can't wait to see what the next 30 years will bring.
Give education to those who really want it.
I know who Hoss Cartwright was. Hadn't heard of Haus Cartwright though.
My girl found this link containing some of the questions asked of the students.
You'll find it has many typos and grammatical errors.
[thesmokinggun.com...] and then click on Student Workbook and Information Booklet.
As it goes, the company who is responsible for setting up these schools wants to do so in all 50 states with or without injunctions.
Given that they are now calling this entire episode fraudulent High School Diploma Mill-ish, I don't know if they'll be around to do more dumbing.
Unfortunately, someone else will give it a whirl...you can be sure.
As for young folks an College. I tend to agree with that statement. They need to 'season' some before they take their memorizational knowledgebase out into the world.
Some students used to complain that the old folks are the ones who have screwed-up the World. I counter with my opinion that it's those who have cheated their way thru the educational system and now hold positions to which they are NOT qualified. Like, uhm their parents.
Youth (and higher education) really are wasted on the young... hehe
As it goes, the company who is responsible for setting up these schools wants to do so in all 50 states with or without injunctions.
Eh? What about the other three?
But what were the original 50?Come on - the entire "book" was only 54 pages long. They surely wouldn't have space to actually list them.
Well if this is the direction American education is going, you're welcome to un-add Alaska. ;) I'm not the only one up here who wouldn't mind.
Reminds me of the long-distance operator who said a call to Alaska would be billed at international rates, because Alaska wasn't part of the US... and I won't get into how many websites have screwed me around on shipping because they said "$X shipping within the Continental US" when they really meant "Contiguous US". Half of them have seen enough US maps showing Alaska floating off the coast of California (right next to Hawaii) they don't realize we're attached to the N. American continent, the other half just don't know what contiguous means.
<added> Wait a minute, I forgot . . . Canada is the 50th state. </added>
