Evidence continues mounting that government schools are failing in their most fundamental responsibilities.
One of the latest examples comes from New York City, where an incredible 81% of eighth-graders flunked the state's basic social studies exam last year.
Even worse, the scores have gone down every year since the testing began in 2001. In 2001-02 the failure rate was “only” 62%.
Across the state of New York the scores were also horrendous, though not as bad as NYC. 55% of the state’s eighth-graders flunked, up from 35% in 2001-02.
The test measures knowledge of basic history and government
A sample question:
“European Jews and other groups were killed in large numbers by Nazi Germany during World War II. Which term refers to this situation?”
1. appeasement
2. blitzkrieg
3. containment
4. Holocaust
Government education officials disagreed as to why the scores were so appalling. Some said it was due to widespread student ignorance of history and government.
But J.C. Brizard, New York City’s executive director for high schools, has a different theory. He said that the problem may be that many students, while knowledgeable about history, are simply not capable of reading and understanding the questions on the test.
"They have trouble comprehending what they are reading," Brizard said.
Well, that’s reassuring.
