From: Olga Bourlin (fauxever@sprynet.com)
Date: Thu Aug 23 2001 - 19:57:54 MDT
From: "Trask, Robert E" <TraskRE@corning.com>
>
> Olga, I'm going to try and be gentle about this. Your 'bold' (I'm being
nice) message fired up my juices. The stupid American adults you alluded to
are probably loaning your country money. If we are so crummy and uneducated
why do we repeatedly lead the world along intellectually, scientifically,
philosophically, politically....and most importantly, creatively.
But, Robert, I AM an American. I love many things about America. There are
statistics that compare Americans students' and adults' general knowledge
about math and science compared to citizens of other countries, and we don't
fare too well. (I don't have the statistics in hand at the moment, but
there were a slew of articles about this a few years ago - regarding an
inverse proportion of science/math knowledge to churchgoing - the U.S. was
down in the former and up with the latter along with Northern Ireland, if I
recall correctly.)
Hey, America is cool. America is also a "brain" magnet. Because of that,
we've profited from many talented immigrants who've helped us prosper, as
well. Even thought I was relating my experiences of going to school in Rio
de Janeiro as a child, in the travels I've done throughout my life I've
observed how many children around the world do seem to take their studies
more seriously - who knows why? For certain, children of other countries
seem to know much more about America than our children seem to know about
other countries - but that's probably because of America's popularity on the
world's stage. We're no slouches, by any means.
> I am SICK and TIRED of people bashing Americans and our educational
system! You get what you put into it, on an individual basis.
I agree with you about "what you put into it." And I am grateful that we in
America can bash, politicians, our educational system, or anything else.
Hooray for the First Amendment!
Olga
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