Just How Flawed is the Education System

As a writer, one of the most advantages things about living in a large condo complex in Florida is many interesting news stories come to me, I do not have to go out searching for them. A large proportion of owners are older retired professionals, who have children and grandchildren visiting from all parts of the USA. The visitors comprise of well educated people with a wide range of occupations who come and go at various times of the year.

Morning exercise in the swimming pool has become the meeting place where new stories start to develop themselves. The guests speak to me freely about issues and occurrences they wish they could change in a world filled with difficulties and conflicts.

I was talking recently with a middle school teacher from Louisville, Kentucky and she was telling me all the problems that face her educating her class just to read and write. The USA education system seems to be badly flawed. In one example of many, a small child, six years old, was a big problem to her. He did not have a father at home and his mother has two other children by different fathers. The young boy was cute as a button, however, he was always seeking attention by being unruly in class and would not focus on his lessons. He was sent to the headmaster many times but just returned back to his classroom unmoved by any discipline from the principle or social counselor.

The teacher kept notes on the boys behavior. At the end of the term she handed the notes to the headmaster recommending he needs to go on the quota for possible medication and further counseling. The headmaster asked her to destroy the notes as the quota for undisciplined kids was full and any more would not be looked on as favorable by the school board of governors. The education system punishes schools that cannot keep their pupils in check so the list of uncontrollable children is kept at a minimum. The true figure throughout the USA may never be known.

One of the major problems is the food the children are given at meal times in school. It is unhealthy and filled with trans fats and sugar that will ensure hyper activity in high spirited children. As an inducement for good behavior kids are rewarded with candies filled with sugar which adds to the hyperactivity.

So, what with a pitiable upbringing at home, a poor unhealthy diet and a system that cannot teach wisdom with reading and writing, many children have an uphill battle just to make average grades. The statistics may state otherwise, nevertheless, the more I speak with teachers, the more I learn the USA education system is overdue for a major make over.... The question is who has the will and wisdom to do it?