Every once in a while, the media discusses polls which have nothing to do with politics or the president’s approval rating. Recently a survey was released highlighting a significant divide with regard to education when it comes to parents and teachers. According to data gleaned from the survey, Parents look to teachers to challenge and reward their kids. Teachers look to parents to instill manners, respect and motivation. Sounds like a natural partnership. Not always.

Many teachers have reported that they have been approached by unabashed parents asking that their child’s grade be changed, regardless of merit. Many teachers also lament the growing problem of child discipline, something parents seemingly dismiss out of hand.

In reality neither parents nor teachers are solely responsible for the dismal nature of education in America. There are quite a few teachers in this country, who hardly qualify as educators. Sadly, many colleges of education fail to impart more than a basic understanding of science, math, literature and the social sciences. Indeed, many teachers are not even certified in the subjects they teach.

Some critics, complain that education in America is in such a state because of a disproportionate allocation of resources. This, however, is a poor excuse for paltry performance in today’s schools. Education and financing have very little in common. As we have noted on several previous occasions, the US spends close to $400 billion annually to fund public education. In America over $7700 per pupil is spent every year to make sure today’s students receive a quality education. For all that money spent, this country has little to show for it in the way of academic progress.

The US spends far more on education than almost every other country in the world, this includes: Japan, the UK, or France. In spite of this huge outlay of expenses, America continues to lag behind most industrialized nations and even many developing ones. In terms of mathematical skill, US children ranked behind Hong Kong, Finland, South Korea, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Japan, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Iceland, Denmark, France, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Slovak Republic, Norway, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Spain, and Latvia. In terms of reading and science the US faired far behind most of the developed world in Europe and Asia.

The long of the short of it is this: resources have little impact on the quality of education. The major deficiency in American education are parents themselves, who look to schools as weigh stations and clearly houses for their children. Ultimately parents shoulder the preponderance of the burden for their child’s education. Children who succeed in school have parents who are committed to their education. Parents who place a low value in education have children with a similar outlook. Today’s parents take little if any responsibility for the actions of their children, much as society at large fails to take responsibility for their trespasses.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-08-poll-education_x.htm