How do I know this ? I know, because I am from N.Y.C. and my family went to school ( a public & private mix ) there and some have been in education, in one capacity or another,for over 100 years. At one time, getting good grades on the Regents exams ( state wide exams, which they have so watered down now, that they are just about useless, and STILL many can't pass them ) , were an automatic " GET IN FREE " card, to every ELITE college and univesity in this country. Though younger than Powell, I DO know what and how he was taught in grammar school. It wasn't anywhere near as rigorous, as what my grandmother did , in her day ; but it was still far superior to what is being taught in the vast majority of today's schools.
Instead of all of this feel good coddling, we need to go back to a point in time, when schools actualy taught subjects and demanded students learned ; or were left back.
We need to go back to ending all government involvement with schooling.