Dear Editor:
Not long ago, our youngest boys came home from public school with outstanding report cards. However, they seemed to be lacking knowledge in many areas that their older siblings didn’t at that age. And their new math system seemed to over-complicate the entire process. Obviously making a multi-step sequential nightmare solution out of a basic arithmetic problem seems superfluous, to me.
Concerned with the state of their education, I began to investigate. We homeschool the older children and plan to eventually do the same for the younger ones but wanted them to learn some basics from elementary school, just as the older kids did. The problem was that it seemed they weren’t progressing as they should.
Understanding that I may offend people by asking certain questions or with the answers that I uncover, I proceeded without caution.
I found studies that showed the public school system in the U.S. is not testing among the best of the world, compared to other developed countries. Additionally, this trend isn’t new. Studies of higher education showed that only 25% of college educated students in 2003 scored high enough to be considered proficient in literacy (www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/12/16/graduated-not-literate). This illustrates to me that they got through the education system without achieving literacy.
According to the Nation’s Report Card (www.nationsreportcard.gov), the children from all grades and subjects tests declined from 2019-2022. Unfortunately, poor performance can be found across a larger time frame as well as many other subjects. This tells me that for years, despite the technology and resources available, the public education system is failing.
As a cantankerous and outspoken parent and advocate for my children, I could hardly keep quiet. While many may seem invested in artificial intelligence, I plan to cultivate real intelligence on our homestead and foster an environment where intellect and imagination act as a guide for understanding the world around us.
Unappeased with the current state of education, I am demanding more. I want my children to be faster at math, proficient in their reading and write without grammar software. I want them to explore music and play instruments with curiosity and study the sciences with a high level of discipline. This is why we’re going to take over their education ourselves.
I couldn’t imagine graduating my own children if they couldn’t read or write. Likewise, I can’t imagine that our country would sponsor an Olympic team if they couldn’t win a medal.
While we may not be competing internationally to be the best educated. We at least have conferred the most degrees to illiterate people… and we have the most Olympic medals.
Eric Keller
Randolph, Ohio
