Posted on 04/30/2003 6:37:27 AM PDT by yankeedame
Survey Says
A National Geographic study released [in November] found that only about one in seven Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 could find Iraq [on a map]. Although 58% knew that the Taliban and al Qaeda were based in Afghanistan, only 17% could find that country.
The survey asked 56 geographic and current events questions of young people in nine countries.
Americans got an average of 23 correct answers. Mexico ranked last with an average score of 21. Topping the scoring was Sweden, with an average of 40, followed by Germany and Italy, each with 38.
Other findings: When asked to find 10 specific states on a map of the U.S., only California and Texas could be located by a large majority. Only 51% could find New York.
On a world map, Americans could find on average only 7 of 16 countries in the quiz. Only 89% of the Americans surveyed could find their own country.
Only 71% of the surveyed Americans could locate the Pacific Ocean.
--Paul Recer, Associated Press
(And, while we're on the subject this from USA Today/Forbes)
"No idea in politics has hurt children more than the false and misleading idea that the quality of education is determined by how much we spend.
"More than 35 years after Congress passed the first Elementary and Secondary Education Act, public school spending per pupil has more than doubled--even when adjusted for inflation--from $3,331 in 1965-1966 to $8,194 in 2000-2001.
" In fact, the federal government has spent more than $321 billion on education programs since 1965. Every year, spending on K-12 education by all levels of government exceeds $400 billion.
"Yet, citizens must ask, what have we gotten for all this? Fewer than a third of fourth-graders can read proficiently.
"No, the problem isn't--and never has been--money alone. This is just the most tired of all excuses. If there is no account-ability, or schools use unproven fads for instruction, it doesn't matter how much money is thrown at a problem; it will be wasted."
--Rod Paige, Secretary of Education
My kids are in public school and know geography pretty well ---partly because they learn map reading on family trips to different states. If these kids don't know where the Pacific Ocean is, it's very doubtful their parents know where it is ---also these kids are the kids likely to have children quite soon themselves ----homeschooling only works in the families whose kids would do okay either with homeschool or public school. I can't imagine what homeschooling would do these kids.
Since I am traveling with a bus load of Jr. High kids this weekend, I might pull this out and test them. All church kids, half from urban south Dallas, half from suburbs.
Might have interesting results.
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