Education in America

Education in America

In America, the people are all in agreement that everyone needs to receive a free education. After this free education is completed, high school graduates are encouraged to go on to college. This leads authors such as, Michael Moore, John Taylor Gatto, Jonathan Kozol, and Horance Mann to believe that it will help our country reach the goal of becoming a smarter nation.

However, in this essay "Idiot Nation" by Michael Moore argues that the opposite is occurring. We are becoming a nation full of idiots. In the United States, the school system is corrupt meaning that children are not getting the proper education that is needed, Moore says that American waste their time learning about pointless information instead of focusing on learning about things that really matter. In Michael Moore's essay not only is he pointing out what is wrong with this nation but it is trying to get the reader to do something about it. Also, he implies that we are becoming a nation full of idiots. Moore proves his point by claiming that "Only 11 Percent of the American public bothers to read a daily newspaper, beyond the funny pages or the used car ads" (Moore 129). I believe that Moore wants America to rethink their standards when it comes to education. Also, if we do not get any knowledge we will not get any smarter, and will continue to be a nation of idiots. Moore convinces me that our Nation is becoming full of idiots. He gives an example "If you live in a country where forty-four million can read--and perhaps close to another two hundred million can read but usually don't--well, friends, you and I are living in one very scary place. A nation that not only churns out illiterate students BUT GOES OUT OF ITS WAY TO REMAIN IGNORENT AND ..." (Moore 129). Moore is pretty much implying again that the majority of citizens in America are idiots and choose to be that way. The majority of the people in this country are, truly, idiots. This is due to the nation's poor educational system and the people's lack of motivation.

Moore is very blunt and expresses his opinions on this topic very strongly. He strongly argues that a nation like us should not be "running the world." This is a very big deal because education is what finds and makes the leaders of our nation. If we are not educated correctly we cannot run the world.

Every year, the U.S government spends money to give out tests to rank the students' academic level. Since most students do not do well in those tests, the government has set some standardized tests that students must pass in order to graduate. Now, what are these tests for? It is not going to make us any smarter by passing it, and yet the government is spending millions of dollars for this test. The US Government cuts federal spending on schools and libraries and the schools are forced to use old and out-dated materials. Schools are forced to find money in corporate sources to help them out from budget cuts. "Colorado Springs, the district will receive $8.4 million over ten years from its deal with Coca-Cola-- and more if it exceeds its "requirement" of selling seventy thousand cases of Coke products a year. To ensure the levels are met, school district officials urged principles to allow students unlimited access to Coke machines and allow students to drink Coke in the classroom (Moore 180). This statement to me does not have to do with education at all they are just using the students to keep on buying products from the company that is giving then money. School districts are in it for the money not the education. Would it be better if schools were poor?

For many Americans schools are supposed to get students to better themselves as individuals