Saturday added to school calendars?

[Kat]

According to several statistics I've looked at regarding American literacy and education, it has made me ponder some questions...

The total school life expectancy is only 15.2 years.
Only 19% of American adults obtain a high literacy level.
49.6% of Americans have a low level of literacy. (We are ranked #9 in the World for the lowest adult literacy.)

[according to Nationmaster.com, a reputable education and literacy statistics website]

I hope that I'm not the only one who finds these statistics absolutely appalling.

My questions are, should we add longer hours to the school day? Less school holidays? Perhaps we should add Saturday to the school calendar? Should we make dropping out of school illegal, no exceptions? Create extremely high standards for those who are home schooled? Make it a requirement to hold at least a 2 year college degree after high school?

If America regulated all these things, America could very well be in the top ranks for education.

[Syxx]

I find those statistics apalling myself, but the school system themselves are not the ones to blame, it's Americans as a whole who are to blame for it. Be it teachers who refuse to teach beyond the basics, game publishers who distract students from studies with alluring games that take the basic of reading skills to understand, and television which, even though many believe is harmless, can be just as addictive as video games, plus, with crime paying more and more every year than the average entry job, kids drop out and get into a life that they'll A. Die from, or B. End up in jail.

[Kat]

The media factor isn't the student or the school system's fault, that problem lies with the parents. We are in desperate need of a raise in standards for the youth. Such as 70% or C being view as passing in schools. That needs to be raised to at least 75%. Parents are not forcing their children to do well in school. There are virtually no expectations. Parents need to stop rewarding children for simply passing, and make them strive for straight A's.

[Syxx]

Like that'll ever happen. Think of it like this, the more the parents have to punish their children for not getting an A, that means less time for themselves, and more time spent on children (more than likey) they didn't want to begin with. So, they give them rewards for doing decent so they can be pre-occupied and not bother their parents. It's a sad fact.