The U.S. isn’t the only developed nation bemoaning poor schools. In 1996, the Brits put out their own report about failing schools. An article in the U.K Telegraph notes:


“Eleven years on, hundreds of billions of pounds and goodness knows how many social programmes later, the problem of scumbag parents allowing – even encouraging – their children not just to ruin their own lives, but also those of other people, is still with us.


“In a statement of the blindingly obvious, Mr Balls said: ‘Schools can only do so much… parents have to be responsible for instilling right and wrong, too.’ …


“It’s difficult to sympathise with serial truants whose idea of a rewarding chemistry lesson is finding out which glue works best when sniffed.


“But what about the vast majority of youngsters who do attend schools and colleges, especially disadvantaged children who win an important battle simply by turning up on time? Have 10 years of Labour delivered for them?”


The piece goes on to say that it is so much easier to teach children to feel good about themselves than to teach language, science, and math. There has also been “an enthronement of philistinism.”


Sound familiar?