I will probably get banned for this but here goes my understanding of the kernel of the education mess we have in the USA.
The elephant in the living room is that there are huge disparities, even controlling for household income, number of degrees attained by birth parents etc, between average IQ AND Achievement scores across racial lines.
This means that any attempts at tracking like ability students gets reflexively shot down for perceived lack of diversity.
It means that standardized test ceilings are brought down to a level at which it is impossible to distinguish the brilliant from the just-above-ok.
It means that the focus is on forlornly trying to get the LHS of the bell curve 'camel' through the high achievement 'eye of a needle' let alone up to average.
When intelligent children have to wait for the others to catch up then, naturally, this inhibits their ability to soar.
Why as a country we cannot have civil debate on this important topic that concerns the competitiveness and ultimately the quality of life of the entire country just leaves me flabbergasted.
N.B.
While there are notable exceptions like the Ashkenazim, the Igbo and the Russo-Finns, they are exceptional and relatively minute populations.
Well goodbye everyone - this post will undoubtedly OFFEND someone which will cause me to get banned.
I learned a lot from you all here and you have all helped me to better deal with raising an extremely bright and sometimes quirky beautiful daughter - THANK YOU!
