The American educational system is excellent in producing scientists and engineers and doctors and even lawyers, but completely falls on its face with the majority.
My guess on this is that it comes from two things -- the lack of discipline (indeed its prohibition) and the fact that the emphasis is not on memorizing but on creativity. There is also a tendency to avoid controversial subjects because of politics (elected boards of education are a horror). The fact that publication of school texts is a profit-oriented business also doesn't help.
Because less creative people (but often with other abiliities) are made to feel inadequate and more disruptive people are tolerated and often allowed to slow everyone's progress -- they are just passed on but ignored and exit schools effectively illiterate and prey to preachers and cults and criminals. Then the bright ones get attention from good teachers and go on to great lives.
The one thing all Americans lack is the ability to memorize, and, of course, notoriously, the ability to learn languages. More balance here would be advisable.
My guess on this is that it comes from two things -- the lack of discipline (indeed its prohibition) and the fact that the emphasis is not on memorizing but on creativity. There is also a tendency to avoid controversial subjects because of politics (elected boards of education are a horror). The fact that publication of school texts is a profit-oriented business also doesn't help.
Because less creative people (but often with other abiliities) are made to feel inadequate and more disruptive people are tolerated and often allowed to slow everyone's progress -- they are just passed on but ignored and exit schools effectively illiterate and prey to preachers and cults and criminals. Then the bright ones get attention from good teachers and go on to great lives.
The one thing all Americans lack is the ability to memorize, and, of course, notoriously, the ability to learn languages. More balance here would be advisable.
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