Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Defiant Heretic · 03-23-2003, 10:44 PM

Not only that, but they get elected to political office.

mikester · 03-24-2003, 09:08 PM

the clip makes me shake my head in dismay, and i feel ashamed to be the same species as some of the ignorant fools.

i really want to bitch-slap some sense into a great many number of stupid Americans. some of them need it so badly its almost pathetic.

whatever, pass the remote.

235 · 03-24-2003, 09:23 PM

I spent a couple of years teaching in an extracurricular reading skills program, and the level of literacy and critical thought that I saw displayed (or should I say NOT displayed) was atrocious. Comprehension and retention overall in the hundreds of students I saw were abysmal, and reading rates were generally at about 50-120 words per minute-- try reading that slowly one day and see how much you retain....... In the non-fiction segment of the class we used a text on the American Revolutionary War for the junior high classes, and one on WWII for the high school classes. When I asked the classes which countries fought in the American Revolutionary War, I could generally count on getting America as one of the answers, but many many children seem to think that we gained our independence from France or Spain. I even heard Russia. The most horrifying, however, was talking to the high school kids and in trying to establish background info on WWII, I would ask students what country Hitler was from , and I am so so so not joking when I tell you that I got many many wrong answers. Russia, France, Italy........ I am appalled at the state of education in our country.:banghead:

mhc · 03-24-2003, 10:56 PM

I'm don't deny the sad state of education in our land, but in all fairness, I wonder how many Aussie skater-kids, housewives and punks would answer those questions correctly!

And I found the typos in the site's introduction almost too ironic to bear:

Are American stupid? You decide!
By Julian Morrow

Alot of people give Americans a bum wrap.

American can't be a plural noun, as used here.
Alot isn't a word in English.
"Bum wrap" sounds like a weight-loss gimmick.

oy vey.

ApostateAbe · 03-24-2003, 11:18 PM

Did anyone notice anything unusual in the phrase, "But the reality couldn't be further from the truth"?

Stupid Aussie hypocrites.

Godless Dave · 03-25-2003, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jackalope
Was she in a very rural area?

Yes, she was in a small town.

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03-23-2003, 10:44 PM	#21
Defiant Heretic Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,288	Not only that, but they get elected to political office.

03-24-2003, 09:08 PM	#22
mikester Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 813	the clip makes me shake my head in dismay, and i feel ashamed to be the same species as some of the ignorant fools. i really want to bitch-slap some sense into a great many number of stupid Americans. some of them need it so badly its almost pathetic. whatever, pass the remote.

03-24-2003, 09:23 PM	#23
235 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 16	I spent a couple of years teaching in an extracurricular reading skills program, and the level of literacy and critical thought that I saw displayed (or should I say NOT displayed) was atrocious. Comprehension and retention overall in the hundreds of students I saw were abysmal, and reading rates were generally at about 50-120 words per minute-- try reading that slowly one day and see how much you retain....... In the non-fiction segment of the class we used a text on the American Revolutionary War for the junior high classes, and one on WWII for the high school classes. When I asked the classes which countries fought in the American Revolutionary War, I could generally count on getting America as one of the answers, but many many children seem to think that we gained our independence from France or Spain. I even heard Russia. The most horrifying, however, was talking to the high school kids and in trying to establish background info on WWII, I would ask students what country Hitler was from , and I am so so so not joking when I tell you that I got many many wrong answers. Russia, France, Italy........ I am appalled at the state of education in our country.:banghead:

03-24-2003, 10:56 PM	#24
mhc Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: CA Posts: 124	I'm don't deny the sad state of education in our land, but in all fairness, I wonder how many Aussie skater-kids, housewives and punks would answer those questions correctly! And I found the typos in the site's introduction almost too ironic to bear: Are American stupid? You decide! By Julian Morrow Alot of people give Americans a bum wrap. American can't be a plural noun, as used here. Alot isn't a word in English. "Bum wrap" sounds like a weight-loss gimmick. oy vey.

03-24-2003, 11:18 PM	#25
ApostateAbe Contributor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MT Posts: 10,656	Did anyone notice anything unusual in the phrase, "But the reality couldn't be further from the truth"? Stupid Aussie hypocrites.

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