Children from single parent homes are at double the risk of dropping out. Children with never-married mothers score worse than children with divorced mothers. Across the world, regardless of race or creed, children living in a normal household with a father and mother performed better in school than their counterparts.
As a general rule the intelligence of the child mirrors that of the parents. Add that to the above and it is a dismal picture.
Totally disagree! There have always been single parents and disfunctional families in society, but children have managed to learn once they are exposed to good teaching and good educational content whether by a tutor or classroom or experience. Just read an old Horatio Alger novel - which are fiction, I know; but that is the point. The expectation of the novel is that poor city kids can do great things if they put their will and mind to it.
It is the assumption that children from lower classes or disfunctional families cannot learn and the educational methods twisted to fit that model that have imprisoned most of American children today into becoming barely literate after 12 years of mandatory public education.
Not so much intelligence as initiative. If the parent or even caretaker relentlessly instills initiative instead of victim mentality, much can be accomplished.
Look at the story of Dr. Ben Carson for just one such example.
This whole article is spot on. Many of our so-called educators are what I call "hyper-educated". They think so highly of their own fancypants accomplishments, but they are sadly lacking in logic and reason and the ability to instill a passion for learning.