Monday, April 9, 2012

The Educated Reporter: Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?

The Educated Reporter: Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?:


Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?

A Council on Foreign Relations task force, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, claims that the poor quality of America’s public education system represents a threat to national security. But the group's recommendations for fixing schools have no shortage of detractors, including some of the  experts who were asked to serve on the task force.

According to the task force, the nation’s education system is failing to turn out enough engineers or students competent in foreign languages. And as a whole, the nation’s youth doesn’t have a deep enough understanding of the wider world.

The solutions, as laid out in the final report released in March, are: more choice (in the form of vouchers and