My son is a graduate assistant in the English Department at The University of Oklahoma. He is teaching Comp II this semester and all the Comp II classes had to do a paper on 3rd world workers. One of the papers he received on this topic was how the French started WWI and WWII and somehow this led to the 3rd world problem. The student not only missed the topic of the paper but got his history wrong along with that. My son had one paper last semester with so much foul language that it was tossed out -- still don't know what the kid was trying to say in that paper.
Our high schools are doing a louzy job in some areas. I am thankful all three of my kids attended high schools that stressed English and writing -- both in Texas and here in Norman as I am learning that is not the norm across the Country.
Sadly, your experience is not the norm.
lousy