US Education Reform 7-9-24

The curriculum is the problem. Students are graduated from high school without the minimum knowledge required to succeed in the US economy.  Basic skills like reading, writing and math are ignored and replaced by ideological brain-washing. Students don‘t do well when they are bored and many quit school because the curriculum is irrelevant. Many more students quit because they never mastered reading, writing or math. Students need to be able to view themselves as paying customers, not pawns trained to wage ideological warfare.

US education hit its peak in the 1920s, when most students graduated from 8^th grade with all the information they needed to function as adults. They worked and went on to trade schools to enable them to start their own businesses. The only students who entered college were seeking careers in Science, Business and Education.

In 1965, only 10% of students had college degrees and most of them had occupational degrees. The Science Students studied Chemistry, Physics Biology and Math. They entered Medical School, Dental School, Nursing School and Pharmacy School. The Business Students took degrees in Accounting and Finance and some went to Law School. The Teachers went to Teacher’s Colleges, but also had BS Degrees in Math, Chemistry, Physics and Biology to be able to teach these courses.

The US Education Curriculum has been flawed for decades. History text books covered wars, but not the economic realities that existed before, during and after these wars. Adding the economics in play at the time gives a broader picture and often gives context to what caused these wars.  Chemistry classes were limited to learning the periodic table and boiling the hydrogen out of water.  Biology classes involved scrambling a frogs brain. Nutrition was only taught in “Girl’s Schools”. Language classes other than English were irrelevant.

School was taught in 100 year-old building that were well maintained. Catholic Schools and Hospitals were dominant in the 1950s and 1960s and were owned by the Church and costs were low.  The Vatican Council of 1962 destroyed the US Catholic schools and hospitals by diverting the Church to social activism. Priests and Nuns quit in droves.

This changed in the 1970s, when the college curriculum was watered down with non-occupational courses like Black History and Women’s Studies.  Colleges focused on campus improvements to offset their watered-down curriculum. Colleges spent $Billions on new buildings and “ambiance” to attract students who couldn’t do the math.  They chose irrelevant courses. This resulted in an increase in college enrollment and the graduation of millions with worthless non-occupational Degrees. College costs increased from $1000/yr. in 1965 to $5000/yr. in 1990 to $50,000/yr. in 2024 for the most expensive colleges.

The cost increases in Education and Health Care have been absorbed by the Federal Government and these subsidies need to be reduced beginning with Education that should be funded by the States.  

The fate of the Ivy League colleges is in their hands and they will have to rely on their large endowment earnings. If they are replaced by newly-formed colleges with a better curriculum, they’re in trouble.

If the US Department of Education is removed and the subsidy reductions in Federal Government Grants are implemented, the burden of reform will rest with the State Legislatures to update the charter for the State Departments of Education. States should prioritize reading, writing and math in grades k-8, and emphasize occupational courses for State Colleges. The 9-12 Highschool curriculum should be reviewed and made more relevant and useful. The curriculum for 2 year community colleges and 1 year trade schools could absorb some of the courses as appropriate.  It is likely that Vouchers will be allowed, so that parents can transfer their property tax contributions to private and parochial schools to escape failing public schools.

Priorities are necessary. Occupational Education is the priority. Non-occupational Education should be excluded. These are hobbies and interest and should be self-taught. Non-occupational courses should be dropped.

In Grade School K-8 basic reading, writing and math should dominate. Tutoring should be included. Social activism and ideological brain-washing should be removed.

In High School, History should also cover Economics in US History and World History. Other subjects should be made more relevant and useful. Students need to know Nutrition and all other skills they will need to become self-sufficient like how to read contracts, open and manage bank accounts and file their own taxes. Good science and math students should be placed in the same classes. BS degrees in Math, Chemistry and Biology should be required for those who teach these subjects. Psychology class should include testing students so they can determine their own personalities, motivation and occupational interests. Classes on the Meyers Briggs, DISC, SIMA and Strong Campbell Occupational Interest Test are a good start. Francis Bacon wrote ”Know Thyself” and it’s the most important thing High Schoolers need to know. They need to know what they are good at and enjoy doing in order to pick the right occupations. Students who are good at building and fixing things should be able to take Shop Classes.

College Classes should be restricted to Occupational courses. Economics and Finance students need to be taught Austrian Economics that covers the Free-Market Economy. Current Economics classes are based on Fabian Socialism’s “government managed economy’ and is irrelevant and dangerous. Law Schools need to emphasize the US Constitution (as written) and move away from “case law” that perpetuates errors.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader