ON EDUCATION: Intelligence in the Classroom

opinionjournal.com ^ | Tuesday, January 16, 2007 | CHARLES MURRAY

[dinoparty]

I think it describes the median, which I believe is the most common understanding of "average" when it comes to demographics. I'm no statistician, but my understanding is that, if you take for instance the following set: 2,6,7,11,19

1. "Median" would be 7, with 2 and 6 below median and 11 and 14 above median

2. "Mean" would be 9, which is the sum divided by 5.

All that being said, I think I understand better the objection to what Murray said, now that its been explained. The IQ test is not accurate enough to know exactly who is average as opposed to a little above or a little below.

Still, I don't think Murray's point was that the measuring tool is necessarily precise, but that hypothetically, regardless of whether we can ACTUALLY DETERMINE who is above or below median, some are below average and some are above IN REALITY.

[ntnychik]

Here are the other two articles in Murray's WSJ series.

What's Wrong with Vocational School http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110009535

Aztecs vs. Greeks http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110009541

[GSlob]

Thanks. I've seen both threads.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Link to

the second

and

the third and final installment

of this series by Murray.