Posted on 11/18/2025 11:01:32 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
PALO ALTO, CA — A startling new study out of Stanford University shows almost all graduating high school seniors in the U.S. are unable to recall the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.
"The data are troubling, to say the least," study lead Marsha Mitchel said. "20 years ago, only 10 percent of seniors were unable to answer the question. Now it's near 90 percent. I don't know what's happening in public education, but something's got to change."
The study's authors said they even let kids choose between answering the airspeed of either an African or European swallow, and kids were still stumped. Many respondents to the questions just answered with "What is this referencing?" and "I think this is from a movie my dad likes."
"The question was just worded so confusingly, I don't know how anyone would have known it," high school senior Brooke Taylor said. "The question just said, ‘What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?' It didn't provide us with any background information or other data that would be useful in answering the question. I guessed 800…I have no idea. 800 what? I don't even know."
At publishing time, the answer was revealed to be 10 meters per second, or 22 miles per hour. All high school students who missed the question were launched off a bridge into a bog.
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Truely sad, cultural decline.
African or European?
I don’t know. AIIIEEEE!
Age of the swallow?
Blue,...no Green Ahhhh!
I thought that would be the first reply.
When the commuists took over the U.S. public education system, they knew EXACTLY what they were doing when they removed phonics, multiplication tables, etc.
A low-IQ, dumbed-down society that will believe anything is soooo much easier to conquer and control.
Is that an African swallows? Or a European swallow?
Only Europeans swallow...
I actually got that one right on the SAT but it was just a lucky guess.
I have always had problems with swallows
When HBO first came to our area, they gave away free service for the summer. Their selection was limited, but I watched MPATHG almost every day for 3 months
My dad always hated Monty Python and would cringe every time we watched it. We made him watch that movie with us one time and that scene is the one and only time he laughed. LOL
Em, this is a parents’ job
With firestick, there is no excuse
The kids around here are quite well versed on ‘why do you think I have this outrageous accent, you silly king!’, the Knights who say Ni! And “Burn her anyway!”
No there’s no need to be rude.
Which is why I did not use it you silly Englishman.
i had crammed every python movie on an extended VHS and was watching holy grail first of them all, my dad was on the couch when i left and returned 8 hours later the tape was finishing up, but he rose from the couch saying that was one long movie... funny, but long.
hehehe, i miss the old man... he loved mr creosole exploding.
Is this at mean sea level and calm winds?
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