Europe has its problems, too. The UK did one of those type surveys last year, and an astonishingly low number of their high cschool students even knew who they fought in WWII, knew about the Holocaust, etc. People who say things like Kilmer did say it because they want to believe that perspective, not because the US is less educated than the world. There is a reason the world comes here to get an education, rather than the other way around.
yeah i had read about some of the appalling issues in UK education as well. It certainly doesn't excuse issues here, but apparently basic stuff simply isnt being forcibly taught anymore. My biggest pet peeve is calculators in the classroom, personally, though i am sure if I had kids in school the list would grow.