I know this is a meta OP; but ...

[1StrongBlackMan]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Lone_Star_Dem (a host of the Editorials & Other Articles forum).

I think much of the angst displayed in DU, these days, is an indictment of the devolution of an educational system that teaches WHAT to think rather than teaching HOW to think.

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. I have been here since 2001 and am shocked at the lack of critical thinking ..

that as been displayed here in the past week.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. I found DU ...

a little later; but I agree ... the level of anti-thought is strong these days. However, I would pin the shift to about January 2012.

[femmocrat]

3. Wait a minute!

That is a pretty broad-brushed indictment of our educational system. Have you ever been to the Education Group here at DU?

If not, please enlighten yourself: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1124

There are good schools, great schools, and struggling schools. There is no "system"--- but there sure is a part of the country that is too ready to jump on educators for all of society's shortcomings. Democrats need to support schools, not blame them.

[1StrongBlackMan]

5. Yes ...

it is.

Yes, there are good and great schools out there ... and even better teachers. I don't blame the teachers; however, with the shift to "teaching to the test" (as directed by the administration ... to improve school "performance ratings" ... in order to keep their jobs; rather than, suffer poor performance ratings and hold public education over to the for-profit education industry), the teaching of critical thinking skills is getting short cutted.

[femmocrat]

6. I agree with you about testing.

However, I don't believe that many DUers would have been affected by the emphasis on standardized testing, which has really cranked up since NCLB under bush (2001). Do we have that many recent HS grads at DU? (The test is given in grades 3, 8, and 11.)

JMO, but I think people don't read much anymore! How many times have you read through a lengthy link and then returned to the OP to see additional comments that are obviously ill-informed? Way too many times I have seen people respond to posts with a short "sound-bite" instead of a well-thought-out position.

Whether this has anything to do with education, I really don't know. We still teach reading comprehension! In fact, it's on
"the test"! Why not just blame the media instead. They are a better target than the schools.

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. Frankly ...

it seems like it.

[GeorgeGist]

4. Blinded by the light

from that "shining city upon a hill".

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Don't be too down, all you need are a couple of good creative writing courses to learn

how to spruce your material up a bit.

[1StrongBlackMan]

9. Why are you stalking me ...

I have asked you to place me on ignore; yet you follow me around like some love-sick puppy.

Stop it. Find another hobby.

[mzteris]

10. True.

They don't teach how to think anymore. Just memorize what I tell you and color in those little bubbles nicely. Nope. No asking questions. No outside research. No opinions allowed.

(And people wonder why increasing numbers of liberals are homeschooling. . . )

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. I'm going to go ahead and lock this now.

This does not meet the SOP for Good Reads.

SOP:

Statement of Purpose

Post excerpts from articles, blogs, and other recently-published material related to politics, issues, and current events. No posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports unless there is really big news. No conspiracy theories. No whining about DU.