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The ‘Education’ Mantra (Thomas Sowell)
Jewish World Review ^ | May 9, 2011 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 05/09/2011 5:23:47 PM PDT by jazusamo

One of the sad and dangerous signs of our times is how many people are enthralled by words, without bothering to look at the realities behind those words.

One of those words that many people seldom look behind is "education." But education can cover anything from courses on nuclear physics to courses on baton twirling.

Unfortunately, an increasing proportion of American education, whether in the schools or in the colleges and universities, is closer to the baton twirling end of the spectrum than toward the nuclear physics end. Even reputable colleges are increasingly teaching things that students should have learned in high school.

We don't have a backlog of serious students trying to take serious courses. If you look at the fields in which American students specialize in colleges and universities, those fields are heavily weighted toward the soft end of the spectrum.

When it comes to postgraduate study in tough fields like math and science, you often find foreign students at American universities receiving more of such degrees than do Americans.

A recent headline in the Chronicle of Higher Education said: "Master's in English: Will Mow Lawns." It featured a man with that degree who has gone into the landscaping business because there is no great demand for people with Master's degrees in English.

Too many of the people coming out of even our most prestigious academic institutions graduate with neither the skills to be economically productive nor the intellectual development to make them discerning citizens and voters.

(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: sowell; thomassowell
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1 posted on 05/09/2011 5:23:52 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: Kaslin; abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
*PING*
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2 posted on 05/09/2011 5:25:29 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
Once again Sowell hits it out of the park!


3 posted on 05/09/2011 5:27:45 PM PDT by Emperor Palpatine (One of these days, Alice....one of these days.....POW!! Right in the kisser!!!!)
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To: Emperor Palpatine

Yes, and I like your graphic.


4 posted on 05/09/2011 5:33:01 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

5 posted on 05/09/2011 5:35:44 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
You can still get a first class education in America and many foreign students do, as Proff. Sowell points out. I knew many of them well as I attained by degrees in hard science.
6 posted on 05/09/2011 5:37:09 PM PDT by allmendream (Tea Party did not send the GOP to D.C. to negotiate the terms of our surrender to socialism.)
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To: jazusamo

“Even reputable colleges are increasingly teaching things that students should have learned in high school.”
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It seems to me more of a case of FAILING to teach things that students should have learned in high school...or even grade school in many cases. I have personally spoken with recent university graduates who majored in history but don’t know the history I learned by age twelve. I don’t think I have met one young graduate recently who could pass the finals for my high school in 1962, the year I graduated. Many of them couldn’t pass an exam to ENTER high school in that era.


7 posted on 05/09/2011 5:41:10 PM PDT by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a liberal is like teaching algebra to a tomcat.)
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To: RipSawyer

” I don’t think I have met one young graduate recently who could pass the finals for my high school in 1962, “

Some interesting reading, more-or-less on-topic....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2716113/posts

Know Your Government Test
Intercollegiate Studies Institute ^ | N/A | N/A

Posted on Friday, May 06, 2011 10:11:01 AM by engrpat

This test is not an easy one. It is a test of your civics knowledge. It is one of the better ones that I have seen. The website reports that college professors average about 55%. I find that odd. See the chart following the quiz that shows how our elected officials did.


8 posted on 05/09/2011 5:45:34 PM PDT by Uncle Ike (Rope is cheap, and there are lots of trees...)
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To: jazusamo

I’ve said for some time that a degree in today’s so-called “Liberal” Arts tends to make one less suitable for gainful employment. Who wants a lawsuit-happy whiner as an employee?


9 posted on 05/09/2011 5:58:45 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: FreedomPoster

That’s a good point. Liberal Arts degrees are a dime a dozen and ‘whiner’ is a great handle to put on a bunch of them.

I’d venture a guess that they’re not much more educated than a HS graduate of 30 to 40 years ago and most of them weren’t indoctrinated with liberalism.


10 posted on 05/09/2011 6:07:57 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

As Mark Steyn said:

A university education in America is where our most lethargic and mediocre youth spend tax payer money on a leisurely half-decade acquiring a fraudulent six-figure credential in some worthless pseudo-discipline simply because we can afford it.


11 posted on 05/09/2011 6:12:20 PM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: Uncle Ike

I missed one on that quiz. As I took it I heard different voices: my mother, my fifth grade teacher, a high school history teacher (who was a last one hired first one fired victim and one of the best teachers I had), and my intro to poli sci professor.

Not only are students getting into “soft” majors by too large a margin, too many are expecting to work for some one else rather than take a risk as an entrepreneur. I think it’s increasingly rare to find some one willing to springboard into creativity, develop something and market it from the knowledge gained.

A good landscaping/grass cutting/snow removal business makes money. If the owner has an MA in English they should have some awesome press releases and maybe English classes for any employee that doesn’t speak English.


12 posted on 05/09/2011 6:19:56 PM PDT by PrincessB (Drill Baby Drill.)
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To: RipSawyer

Many are educated beyond their IQ despite the soft (easy) subject material. Now you can get a degree about how to be a homo, or a slut, known as Gay and Lesbian Studies. There is also African American studies. What in the hell kind of job do you get with a major in GL studies with a minor in AA stuff.

I knew a guy, a white guy who happened to be Jewish (I doubt their are many rednecks taking these course) who received a degree from Emory in AA studies. I asked him what he did with his high priced degree. He was manager of a bagel shop for a couple of years.. So he went back to school and became a very respected professor with a PhD in statistics. Needless to say, he hates Bush.


13 posted on 05/09/2011 6:55:08 PM PDT by TxDas (This above all, to thine ownself be true.)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for the ping. I did not ping you because I had noticed that already posted the article :) I was late as I had to take my grandson to his baseball practice


14 posted on 05/09/2011 7:09:50 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

I wanted to warn you because you were late and went ahead and posted it. Thanks, Kas. :-)


15 posted on 05/09/2011 7:13:40 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: TxDas

As a real redneck would say, that’s plumb pitiful.


16 posted on 05/09/2011 7:36:44 PM PDT by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a liberal is like teaching algebra to a tomcat.)
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To: TxDas

“Now you can get a degree about how to be a homo, or a slut, known as Gay and Lesbian Studies. There is also African American studies. What in the hell kind of job do you get with a major in GL studies with a minor in AA stuff.”

A job in the Federal government, with a bloated pension plan and higher wages than somebody in the private sector who might have a education.


17 posted on 05/09/2011 7:57:16 PM PDT by haroldeveryman
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for the ping jaz. I saved it to file for my stepson’s next visit. Probably over his head.


18 posted on 05/09/2011 7:59:43 PM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: jazusamo; metmom

Bump; Ping!


19 posted on 05/10/2011 7:06:04 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (DRAFT PALIN)
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To: jazusamo; 2Jedismom; 6amgelsmama; AAABEST; aberaussie; adopt4Christ; Aggie Mama; agrace; ...

HOMESCHOOL PING

This ping list is for articles of interest to homeschoolers. I hold both the Homeschool Ping List and the Another Reason to Homeschool Ping List. Please freepmail me to let me know if you would like to be added or removed from either list, or both.

The keyword for the FREE REPUBLIC HOMESCHOOLERS’ FORUM is frhf.

20 posted on 05/10/2011 9:05:22 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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