Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) national assessments in mathematics and reading were recently released. Suffice it to say, these results were not inspiring. In fact, they were flat out depressing, embarrassing, and abysmal.

The gap between low and high performing eighth grade students widened significantly. The 2024 NAEP assessment for reading and writing found the worst 8th-grade literacy rate in U.S. history. One in every three 8th-graders does not meet basic literacy standards. Translation: one-third of students who are scheduled to enter high school in just one year cannot read or write at grade level.

Eighth-grade math scores are just as bad, the average score being 8 points lower than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 and an incredible 11 points lower than in 1990. Not one state in the U.S. increased its NAEP math scores between 2019 and 2024. Forty-eight states saw their scores decrease. Talk about going in the wrong direction! And fast!

There are millions of 8th graders who are "below basic" in reading, which tells us they cannot extract meaning from words on a page. They have little comprehension or retention, so putting a textbook in their hands is a virtually useless endeavor. A taxpayer-funded Kindle won’t help, either.

According to ‘the Nation’s Report Card,’ one in three eighth graders are functionally illiterate. In cities such as Detroit, Cleveland, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, and Baltimore, less than half of 8th graders can read any but the most basic text. “See Harper. See Harper run. See Harper try to read. See Harper cry.”

Far too many of today’s ‘educators’ care far more about indoctrinating kids into what to think than they do about teaching them how to think. Screw reading, writing, and arithmetic, teaching them to be left-wing activists is a higher priority. And, of course, many of today’s teachers got into the profession to be close to kids so that they can have a crack at having sex with them. Many more get their jollies by referring youngsters for hormone treatments and genital mutilation procedures … and keeping that information from their parents.

Of course, a significant percentage of ‘educators’ are Marxists who simply want to impart their hatred of America and capitalism into their young charges. Many are also zealous supporters of the LGBTQI+ community and have Pride! flags adorning their classrooms in place of American flags. Some are pro-Palestine and/or pro-Sharia law. Many support demonstrably false curricula such as the 1619 Project and critical race theory. Countless college professors teach women’s/Black/Gender/Sex studies, and eschew American history, economics, or STEM courses.

In the not-too-distant past, teachers were almost universally thought to be heroes. And most were. Now, all too many are anti-heroes. Malevolent indoctrinators, accessories to evil, fomenters of insanity, promulgaters of prevarication.

And all that may be understatement. If you and your ilk tell some students that they are oppressors because of their skin color, and others that they are victims because of their skin color … and that there is nothing either group can do about it, if you deliberately attempt to damage children -- physically, intellectually, and emotionally — while preposterously claiming the high ground … you just might be one of the worst people on the planet. Period.

Assess that.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
 

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