March 01, 2006

Sad State Of American Education

Not surprising given the monopoly of teachers' unions:

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Most Americans have an easier time naming members of the cartoon Simpson family than listing the five freedoms granted by the nation's founders, a survey by a museum released on Wednesday said.

Here's a hint: one of them is not the right to own and raise pets, an error committed by one in five respondents.

Half of 1,000 Americans randomly surveyed by the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum could name at least two of the five members of Fox Television's Simpson family, the stars of the network's long-running show.

But just 28 percent of respondents could name more than one of the five freedoms listed in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment -- about the same proportion that could name all five Simpson family members or could recall the three judges on Fox TV's top-rated "American Idol."

Just 8 percent could recall three First Amendment freedoms.

Two-thirds of respondents did remember freedom of speech as one of five rights in the First Amendment, but just one person accurately named all five.
One! One?!?!?!?!?--out of 1000 respondents. It makes it much more difficult to wage an intellectual battle with those who would take our freedoms when only 8% of Americans can name at least three rights granted in the First Amendment.

Unbelievable.

It is frustrating to try to explain the nuances of freedom of speech, press, and religion, or to argue against a right not to be offended when over 90% of our fellow Americans can't even place them in the right Amendment. The triumph of liberal ideology turning every alleged grievance, privilege, or perceived entitlement into a "right" and the concomitant notion that should these "rights" even exist (which they don't), they come without responsibility. There is no "right" to universal health care, "right" to work, or any other silliness.

For review:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Note to liberals--that is the right to petition for a redress of grievances, not a "right" to be granted compensation based on a sense of grievance.

Let us hope that this is simply just another horrible poll, skewed in favor of liberals/democrats!

3 Comments:

Blogger Soccer Dad said...

Teacher's unions are the problem? Come on!
Sure education funding outpaces inflation, but not by enough to make a difference.

Fri Mar 03, 01:19:00 AM  
Blogger The Scrutinator said...

My wife quizzed me after reading this on La Shawn Barber's corner. I got them all. (Hadta brag a bit.)

Keep up the good work.

Teacher's unions are sure part of the problem, in my humble opinion.

Sat Mar 04, 05:46:00 PM  
Blogger David said...

With all due respect, American public education has always been mediocre. IT was designed for conformity, hence the battle between the left and the right for the, "young minds". Compare the cirriculum of the typical American High School/University to European and even Latin American schools, and it will be, "self-evident"

Mon Mar 06, 03:36:00 PM  

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