American children continue to fall behind in education

Orwell · Post by **Orwell** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:28 am

The video report.

Zarxrax · Post by **Zarxrax** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:49 am

What a bunch of dumbasses we are.

JaddziaDax · Post by **JaddziaDax** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:36 am

I guess I was above the curve when I was a kid O.o at least the AMERICAN curve

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:25 pm

It's hard to find smart kids with real drive too. When you realize you don't have live up to your potential (or barely try in many cases) to do better than 95% of the class, there's no incentive to foster your intellect.

I've always thought most people in this country were stupid anyways - all these reports that back it up make me feel slightly better about my job prospects and security.

As for the Onion link... We have some pretty good gangs in certain parts of the country. Not enough credit is given.

Kitsuner · Post by **Kitsuner** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:43 pm

JaddziaDax wrote:the AMERICAN curve

That'd be a cool band name.

Serv0 · Post by **Serv0** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:47 pm

No Kidding! I learned how to kill a man with a machete when I was ten, and I consider myself pretty successful today.

CodeZTM · Post by **CodeZTM** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:19 pm

BasharOfTheAges wrote:It's hard to find smart kids with real drive too. When you realize you don't have live up to your potential (or barely try in many cases) to do better than 95% of the class, there's no incentive to foster your intellect.

I've always thought most people in this country were stupid anyways - all these reports that back it up make me feel slightly better about my job prospects and security.

As for the Onion link... We have some pretty good gangs in certain parts of the country. Not enough credit is given.

Meh. Agreed. That's how I feel sometimes. I've always made straight A's in high school (even in my AP classes!) because they are too simple. So I've gone extra-curricular whoring to make up for my free time. That way, I'll know what it's like to work hard. I'm also trying to get ready for college studying.

Meh. This study classifys over 3/4 of my class. X_X

Beowulf · Post by **Beowulf** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:53 pm

I failed Highschool but thats because I'm brilliant and didn't give a shit.

Tsunami Jones · Post by **Tsunami Jones** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:42 pm

Beowulf wrote:didn't give a shit.

Perhaps this sums up the whole thing right here.

I didn't give a shit either in highschool, ended up failing a bunch of classes my Junior year, and then dropped out. I'm now in college, do give a shit, and have excellent grades.

jasper-isis · Post by **jasper-isis** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:03 pm

krzT and I went to TJHSST, which was recently rated the best high school in the nation by US News and World Report. Even above private schools, it seems. It's pretty surreal.

I never attended a regular high school, so I can't really compare. "Normal" or average for me was what I experienced every day at TJHSST. Looking back now, I know there were tons of crazy smart people and the workload was rather intense for high school (to say the least). But back then, nothing seemed impossible when you're around 1,700 other people working just as hard, knowing they'd get there with enough effort.

Learning environment makes a huge difference, though the TJHSST environment isn't for everybody. I've met plenty of brilliant people in college who wouldn't want to - nor need to - touch the school with a 100-ft pole.