Government Schools Provide Poor Education Base For Universities

"An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic." & "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was & never will be." --Thomas Jefferson, Father of the University of Virginia.

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In addition to learning about the bad publicity the University of Maryland (UMD) received this spring regarding Muslim students' resistance to the planned showing of the film American Sniper on the College Park campus I also received this URL of a video regarding UMD students unable to identify President Reagan from a famous photograph.  It is safe to say that the problem with showing the film on campus prompted the making of the uncomplimentary video regarding the Reagan photo – a case of piling on.

 

I worked with a UMD contact I have known for years & a Professor of Government & Politics @ UMD to get some insight into this latest matter. 

 

My longtime friend @ UMD told me "if one wants to criticize anything it should be the state of American high school political education in general. The university isn't in the business of teaching these students past presidents, that's the job of K-12 schools and parents."
 

This point was substantially echoed by the G+P professor who wrote to me "the recent recession, and the pressures it has put on higher education to focus on career-oriented skills and knowledge, has been very hard on the disciplines that focus on material considered less germane to securing immediate employment upon graduation.   As a result, the social sciences and humanities are arguably even further in the back of the bus than they have ever been.  I do not see this emphasis changing anytime soon.  Nor do I see much change coming in public secondary education, where social studies is a backwater in the curriculum in most places."

 

My colleagues make a valid point regarding K-12 & parents but they miss the point that students are a reflection & product of the university they attend.  The countless videos found all over the internet similar to the ones presented in this post are an embarrassing expression of young Americans & their schools.  See this video that was a precursor to the above UMD video.   

 

I suggested to both of my colleagues that in light of their responses regarding problems with K-12 schools & parents that universities should offer a remedial civics class, @ no credit, much like they do for students who need a refresher course in math. 

 

Along with a note saying we really didn't need more evidence of ineptitude, the professor also sent me this URL – of a video of Texas Tech students answering general questions.  It is obvious we have this ineptitude & incompetence from one university to another like a plague & until the education system in America improves significantly, from K through graduate school, our country will continue its slide from apathy to dependence back into bondage.

 

Just look @ the young people interviewed in all of the above videos – how long can a country exist when its youth is not any more enlightened than shown?  Such a country is there for the immediate taking by the barbarians already inside the gate – those positioned & ready to pounce into power to confiscate the wealth of an oblivious apathetic citizenry who has been intentionally poorly educated in government schools for reasons Jefferson warned about 200 years ago.

 

Reference: The Five Points Of Citizen Control