ABC 20/20 - John Stossel - Are American Kids Stupid? - Aired Jan 13, 2006

The title of the program should have been "Wake Up America", but, it's probably too late - it would take two generations to fix the educational mess we have in this country. I had the fortunate opportunity to go to a private school as a kid. I feel that I have cheated my own kids by not letting them have the same experience. Although both of my boys have graduated from the University of North Carolina and New York University respectively, they're probably the lucky ones.
I have to praise John Stossel and ABC for their 20/20 segment; essentially boiling the problem down to a lack of competition and the stronghold of the teachers unions. I have a ton of respect for the teaching profession, but, I think any good teacher watching that show should be introspectively analyzing its merits. Stossel was absolutely right when he pointed out that most of us who are in competitive jobs likely work well beyond a normal 8 hour day (much less a six hour day). The union teachers need a reality check.
There's only one way to fix this mess and that's through our political leaders who control how are collected tax dollars are spent. We need more leaders like the Governor from South Carolina (and his wife) who "get it". The formula is easy: tie the educational budget to the student and let schools compete for that money.
One last comment that I'll make is that parents also need to step up to the plate. My parents were uneducated immigrants who spoke little English. But, my mom spent countless nights with me trying to help with homework (even though I likely taught her more than she taught me). Although she struggled at times, the point is that she valued it. Apparently, I now value it as well.