“Whenever people talk glibly of a need to achieve educational "excellence," I think of what an improvement it would be if our public schools could just achieve mediocrity.”

Government seminaries (public schools) are fulfilling the measure of their creation (IQs are diminishing while information offering and receiving are exponentially decreasing). Mediocrity is graded on a bell curve with an ever lowering of achievements.

When we issue flat critiques, we need to quantify quality.
My dad was a damned smart man, a product of "public schools." I didn't learn half as much ... and it wasn't the fault of "the schools." Mr. Sowell, take your eye off the high-powered lens of your chosen microscope and examine other facets of "education."

For sure, the level of education being supplied by government schools is far less than what previous generations received. I have noted that the current SAT tests are not as difficult as in my day. I have an old 5th grade notebook of my grandmother's -- besides having perfect cursive penmanship, the topics covered were similar to those found in university today.

The primary problem with government schooling is that it basically has turned the school into a church, with the religion being government, and the god being collective power. When churches served as fellowships of the community, the school did not have to devote so much time to social/cultural programs. But organized education has typically been to train students to enter a world in which they will be required to obey commands until one day they may become the ones giving the commands -- maybe. Most of the great minds in history were self-taught.

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We could start with goals for excellence by public school personnel having a authentic productive relationship with every student. The teacher/student relationship is platonic relationship, can't believe I have to even state this stipulation, that last the entire life span of the participants. A clear defined mission should be incorporated into the curriculum. The curriculum should include scientific proven procedures always, always, always under respectful constant scrutiny. The students should learn their value through constant critical analysis of the school atmosphere and accompanying institutions. Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create educational effectiveness.

The student's must realize the value of initiative.  The students must realize the need for inquiry and setting goals. The students must come to realize you must be willing to change, find change, and be change. The students must understand while you face a flawed institution, you can still  reach self excellence when you present and represent your humanity.    Put your all into it, and get your all out of it.  Initiative, leadership, belief in yourself. You aren't concerned what your school or any institution can do for you, you are concerned what can do for your institution.