It is true that on International tests, the US performs dismally, especially considering how much more advanced we are, economically and technologically compared to many other places.

And the problem is NOT in the amount of money spent on education. Biggest myth in the world.

Has anyone else seen John Stossel's "Stupid in a America?" It's pretty good. It's about the problems with American education.

Seriously, this is why in my family, here's the low-down. You can be homeschooled or go to public elementary school. That's the choice. Junior High, you're homeschooled. No questions asked. High School, you go to International Baccalaureate (big long, unspellable word of French origin...anyways). That's a highschool diploma that's run off International Standards.

You're not against other Americans. You're against all types of students. So, it's superior. YES IT IS.

On International Tests, Fourth Grade Americans were 12th in Math, 3 in Science.

Eighth Grade Americans were 28th in math, 17th in Science.

Twelfth Grade Americans were 19th in math, and 16th in Science.

What's this telling us? Not that the Americans themselves are stupid, but the American Education system is stupid.

For the averages, the Fourth Graders are above average in Math and Science. As school goes on, the test scores get worse comparitively.

Fourth Grade Math:
-International Average: 529
-American Average: 545
----------That's good for those who can't interpret the data--------

Eighth Grade Math:
-International Average: 513
-American Average: 500
----------This is bad----------------------

Twelfth Grade Math:
-International Average: 500
-American Average: 461
----------This is DISMAL----------------------


Fourth Grade Science:
-International Average: 524
-American Average: 565
---------This is good-----------

Eighth Grade Science:
-International Average: 516
-American Average: 534
--------This is still good---------------

Twelfth Grade Science:
-International Average: 500
-American Average: 480
------We've suddenly dropped---------

This doesn't encourage me.



http://4brevard.com/choice/international-test-scores.htm - Source

Is there any race that has never been made fun of?
Any country never ridiculed or judged?

Every group has people who would be idiots in others' eyes.

quote:

Originally posted by pigeonman:
Is it possible to launch pre emptive strikes against countries that are cleverer than us or countries we haven't heared of?

2 weeks later and that sentence still makes me laugh my ass off

stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes!!! oh phooey.....

Question: most of you YNers are Americans (to the best of my knowledge) - are you ALL stupid???

From what i've seen on these here threads, I don't think so.

Do you all think your fellow Americans are all duncie - bats? again, I don't think so.

While you all may not be too smart re electing a gr8 president, **cough-cough**, which country is? And when did you ever see a country that actually elected a president or prime minister that was perfect, or even anything close???

Aint nobody perfect, so get over yourselves!! Cant believe you all have a thread up re the impending doom of "clueless" americans!! OMG, what a major catastrophe, maybe we should call in the infantry...

I think probably all this attention y'all (or rather y'all's gobierno) has been getting lately has finally gotten to your seperately average and (hope I'm right here: )somewhat smart heads. Maybe I should start a thread re Americans being too conceited???

Aah!!! Feels good to be Jamaican, but then, there are some who say we're too violent, too cocky, too vibesy, too music oriented, too stupid, too this, too that,too blahhblahblah.... I wonder if I should be worried too???

True risk, however I'd generally say that if you don't know the geographical location of the place, odds are what you do know about it isn't a real accurate picture.

quote:

maybe the stereotype of americans exists because theyre all so loud and when they say something dumb everybody hears it.

I really hope you are kidding, ha. See, the world needs to look at Americans abroad like I look at Japanese tourists. You only ever notice the ones who are loud, obnoxious, and constatnly trying to get thier comically out of place family into some sort of senic picture spot. Are most Japanese yapping, poorly dressed, foaming at the mouth photographers? No. Are most Americans gum chomping slobs with loud mouthed attitude and constantly wearing hawaiian shirts and baseball caps? Also no.

i agree ignorance and stupidity is everywhere, speaking from the middle eastern technical university in Ankara however, i have realised that it is general opinion that Americans are ignorant of the outside world, although i am in a country that is largely anti american at the moment. As for placing cities on a map...it doesnt really prove intelligence, knowing something about those cities and the countries they belong to does. im not saying for a minute that you dont know anything about them dr, i know you do but many from many countries dont...maybe the stereotype of americans exists because theyre all so loud and when they say something dumb everybody hears it.

quote:

Originally posted by wkorir:
I have had the opportunity to interact with people from variuos countries and question of stupidity is not seculsive to one country, still What I do not understand here the measure/indicator to an extend you say a whole coutry is stupid.
I have been to coutries like India, China,Japan and many african coutries and in every country there People who do not know their own geography to an extend where someone froma different coutry know their country better than them.

I can vouch for this. The wide range of forgieners I've encountered seem to be equally as prejudiced and ignorant as Americans.
Why surprised me was that graduate level students who I interacted with over in England didn't know jack about geography. They couldn't place New York or D.C. on a map if they tried.

Now I'm not expecting them to know where every American city is but come on. I can place London, Moscow, Beijing, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, Mexico City, Tokyo...
And these people were several years ahead of me in education. They weren't some random bum on the streets. Ignorance is everywhere. Gah!

quote:

Originally posted by ampmaster:

quote:

Or if the first female chancellor was elected in Germany

so what? just means the right lady for our top job has not shown up yet

That has nothing to do with what I said. I just meant that some people(americans) wouldn't care if the first female leader was elected in another first world country. And therein lies the ignorance. You can't honestly try to argue that that's a good thing, even if this only concerns a minimal number of Americans.

That was not something that I was implying.

Her name however is not Hillary Clinton

quote:

just means the right lady for our top job has not shown up yet

Neither has the right man (lately).

As history has proven, the president elected is often not the right man.

The right lady has shown up, just not yet in an election campaign.

quote:

Or if the first female chancellor was elected in Germany

so what? just means the right lady for our top job has not shown up yet

quote:

but why must you claim war on that country?

sometimes force is the only way to expell a dictator like Saddam

I have had the opportunity to interact with people from variuos countries and question of stupidity is not seculsive to one country, still What I do not understand here the measure/indicator to an extend you say a whole coutry is stupid.
I have been to coutries like India, China,Japan and many african coutries and in every country there People who do not know their own geography to an extend where someone froma different coutry know their country better than them.

When you have time too visit our Website and assist the poor but not stupid, it is www.nelbem.org

I just have one question about this Post article: was that comment the opinion of one reporter/journalist?

quote:

Apparently we feature as one of the worst countries in the world for Geographical knowledge of places outside of our own country

And where did this person get this information? Is there some kind of poll floating around out there?

I however do believe there is a certain ignorance amongst a number of americans given that these people have never even left there state. So they understandably think they have nothing to do with the rest of the world and in turn wouldn't care less if aids started killing off every fifth person in the republic of Kongo (hypothetically speaking). Or if the first female chancellor was elected in Germany (not hypothetical). But I do agree that schools should at least play a small part in informing kids about the world, whether in History, politics or Social studies class in elementary/middle school. All I remember from 6th grade social studies was learning about the native americans, a whole year. and in 7th and 8th we had the conquerers of north and south america and the history of the states. I unfortunately never went to high school as I started german school, which has a different system alltoghether. Nobody is stupid, people grow up differently and focus on their own lives. As for the U.S. assuming they must fix the problems of other countries, the idea is wonderfully compassionate but why must you claim war on that country? Because it's the only way? come on. And this is for those select few on this thread: The U.S. wasn't seen as a superpower until after WW1. that gives us 90 years. England was before and Germany was getting there between WW1 and Ww2.

You guys can sit here and complain about an opinion that a news article said, but if we think about it, there are stupid people everywhere.. Sure there are many here tht are ignorant (ex: about religons, race, etc.) but we should educate ourselves and be proud of who we are. I also agree tht recently, one could say Americans are getting dumber, based on our actions or the sctions from the GOVERNMENT (esp. to other countries), but lets get better then! Remember one thing, people would mostly call us stupid for being IGNORANT. So don't say a word about something tht u are unsure of! It could be about anything! Religon, other countries, etc.. Please shut up!! lol, if u are just saying wht u hear in the media or giving out a stupid opinion based on ONE thing or from another person (negatives).

So remember, our IGNORANCE is wht they call our STUPIDITY!(for the most part..)


How many times have u heard someone asking a Canadian if they live in an igloo, or any other thing bizarre like tht?? Or based on one ceratin tramatic event, you think all of the plotters' race are bad like tht.. I'm soo ashamed if anyone does these things in America>>

quote:

Americans are very self-centered, all we think about is ourselves and our countrie

which is why we blow the crap out of a country because they mistreat people and then spend billions of dollars rebuilding them to better than before. Americans are the most compassionate people. Why else would troops be giving candy out to little children? For the cameras? I don't think so.

quote:

all we think about is ourselves and our countrie

and other nations do what exactly? that's the point of a nation to do what's best for that nation

quote:

but htere are countries out there that areran by the worst government ever

and we are solving that with operations like Iraqi Freedom and Just Cause(freeing Panama for it's dictator) and so forth.

i completely agree with the Washington Post. Think about you guys, Americans are very self-centered, all we think about is ourselves and our countrie. We think we have problems but htere are countries out there that areran by the worst government ever. Where girls cant show they're face or go to school. they can tevn fallin love and marry they marry who they are told. And this right here proves my point. Read all thses comments...Those of you that are shocked or outraged, you see what I mean. a little commment is mad eand you freak out. At least they arn't killing us for our stupidity or how we are talking back to what they said about us. thye arnt putting us in jail for not agreeing. think about it. A comment by the Washington Post is nothing. It's there opinions. Just as this is my opinion you dont need to take everything I sayin. Just listen and understand, think about it before you flip out. Maybe you will see truth behind my words or any others.

thanks for the vote of confidence superfly

My goodness!!!I am sooo angry!!!All of this is NOT true!!!I spent a year in the US as an exchange student from Russia.I graduated Brookings-Harbor High School in Oregon and I studied for several months in Bremerton High School,Washington.And I KNOW THAT AMERICAN PEOPLE AREN'T the stupidest!!!there are stupid ppl in EVERY country.There aresome stupid people in Russia and in America,well,everywhere!!!Nobody can judge a whole country by some particular ppl!!!!That is so rude......