I have a high school education. It is no secret. I didn't want to go to college. When senior year students were asked what they were their goals for the future mine was not a typical answer. I wanted to be a mother and a wife. I wanted to be what they call today a homemaker. I am pretty good at it these days too.
The reason I mention my level of education is because I am in fact just average. I don't consider my self worldly or scholarly. I think I am a reasonably intellegent person. I am still learning things today, so my mind is not stagnant. For someone not to know first grade basics as an adult still floors me, even though I know it is out there, but a WHOLE FAMILY OF THREE GENERATIONS? But wait, let me explain before I get ahead of myself.
I would not expect someone from another country to know or really care how many states there are in the United States, nor would I expect them to know and name each and every state. I would expect someone that has been raised in the US and is a typical American to know these things. Especially how many states there are.
So what am I talking about. Well, on the way back from the fair we stopped at Broadway Diner in Stockbridge. It is a very nice diner that has any kind of food you can think of from Breakfast food toGreek to American to Mexican cuisine. A very unique place. Ian, Shelby and I were sitting there at our table eating our meal when a family caught our attention in the corner booth. You just about couldnt help but hear their conversation because it was just so....well, DUMB. There was Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, and a girl, a teenager. Out of all these folks, there was a thirty fourty minute conversation that went something like this.
How many states are there in the United States?
I don't know, lets see I think there are fifty two.
No, no, I think there are 48.
No, there are fifty states.
No, I know there are at least 52.
Okay well lets name them all then...someone write them down as we name them.
(Now I will spare you the headache of listening to them all try to name the states.)
Isnt Puerto Rico a state? (WHAT??????????)
Yeah yeah, I think it is.
What about Hawaii? Is it a state?
Wait, what about Mexico, isnt it part of the United States? (?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?)
What about those islands, you know...down there...Cuba? Or something? Are they part of the US?
(Waitress comes) Hey lets ask our waitress, she will know. How many states are there in the US?
Waitress: Umm fifty.
(There is more debate, so much that the waitress starts to doubt her own answer, says she will have to go back to the back and ask some of her coworkers)
Now I hope she didnt go back there and ask. I am thinking she went back there to tell what a bunch of nincompoops were at her table.
This went on and on...Ian and I kept raising our eyebrows at each other and laughing quietly.
Finally they get up to leave and the Grandpa starts to ask me. I looked at him with a small grin and said,
"Well sir, there are fifty states. I better know these kinds of things as I teach my daughter, she is homeschooled."
He tried to debate with me, but I was having none of it. I told him there were in fact fifty states. I knew at one time Puerto Rico had tried to become part of the US, but it didnt happen.
So Ian goes to pay the check. We wait about ten or fifteen minutes for these ninnies to straighten out who was going to pay what and squabbling over what who was going to pay and who was not going to pay for this...on and on. Finally our waiter came up and took Ians check and got us out of there.
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Now I would expect that SOMEONE would have known how many states are in the US out of that whole bunch...but no.
Makes me glad I homeschool. Good grief. What are they teaching in school?
Now if I sound snooty or self righteous I am not trying to come off like that at all. I just could not believe that basic information about where you live is not known by people that live here. Even immigrants coming into the country legally have to take a test...and I bet that is probably one of the questions they have to know.
Okay...so hope you all got a laugh, or a cry, or whatever emotion this evoked out of this entry. For me, I had to pick my jaw up off the restaurant floor when I heard it.
12 comments:
Well, now I feel pretty smart!
well..everyone knows there are 53 states///Mexico, puertorico and them there islands! LOL
Becky
Oh I know Mexico is not a state. Am I correct? Paula
It's hard to believe there are people like that, but I know they are out there. It's scary!
Hollie
KELLY,
THIS WIDESPREAD IGNORANCE IS'NT REALLY NEW. IN THE 1950s I WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE AT WHAT WAS BEING TAUGHT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SPRINGFIELD WHERE FOUR OF MY SIX CHILDREN WERE ATTENDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
NO GEOGRAPHY. VERY LITTLE HISTORY IF ANY. READING WAS SO POORLY TAUGHT THAT WE WERE TEACHING THEM AT HOME.
I BELIEVE THAT THE TEACHERS KNEW AND JUST DID NOT CARE, JUST PASS THEM ON. THIS WAS A TREND AND ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.
WE COACHED THE CHILDREN IN ENGLISH AND READING AND MATHMATICS. IN READIND THE PUPILS WERE NOT TAUGHT PHONICS. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO LEARN WORDS BY SIGHT.
A LOT OF THAT NONSENCE HAS BEEN CORRECTED THOUGH THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT HAVE TEACHERS PROTECTED BY THE TEACHER'S UNION AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE NON-EFFECIENT ONES TO BE FIRED.
HOWEVER THIS AREA OF COLORADO HAS TOP NOTCH SCHOOLS AND MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE DID WELL.
I DO THINK THERE IS MONEY SPENT ON SPORTS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE. (GOLF, TENNIS, OTHERS THAT REQUIRE HIGHLY PAID COACHES AND TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO COMPETE).
KIDS COULD GET A GOOD EDUCATION AT HOME USING THE SAME PROGRAMS THAT THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO WATCH ON THE SCHOOL CLASSROOM COMPUTERS. ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS HERE IN THE FACULTY INFORMED ME THAT THE CLASSWORK IS NOW GRADED BY COMPUTER.
SCHOOL TURNS OUT AT 2:30 COMPARED TO MY BOYHOOD SCHOOLDAYS, WE TURNED OUT AT 4:00 PM.
WE KNEW THE DIFFERENCE IN WASHINGTON STATE AND WASHINGTON D.C.
IN JEFFERSON COUNTY HERE IN COLORADO (DENVER AREA), JANITORS ARE ON THE SAME PAY SCALE AS TEACHERS AND WHEN RETIRING THE PENSION KEEPS ON PAYING THE SAME AS BEFORE RETIRING.
CHECK KEYWORDS DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS IF INTERESTED TO LEARN HOW OUTRAGEOUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND POLITICS ENTERTWINE. sam
I don't consider this a snooty post at all - it is laughable but actually very sad thinking this has been passed on through generations and most likely will continue to do so. What a shame, what prospects would a young person have in life being so....stupid, for lack of a better word. I think you are doing the right thing by home schooling.
Lisa
I'm 31, I have a doctorate.... and I sit home with the kids, just like you do (minus the chicken farm, of course). Tobe honest... Ilike it better this way.
Well how interesting what you hear just sitting around.
Take care, Chrissie
I got you one as good. In AP American History our teacher passed out a map of the US and had us fill it. The girl sitting behind me could only identify the New England states (we lived in Massachusetts at the time), California, Texas and Florida. so sad...
Traci
Sound like a real bunch of ignorant people there... Linda
LOL....when we were in Puerto Rico in May they were talking about whether or not they wanted to become a state. They do not want to have to give up cockfighting as the national pastime! But they want to be able to get more federal money...I love homeschooling, myself...
I homeschooled my three daughters for simple things like that. They haven't taught geography in school and haven't for years, nor do they teach American history correctly as they leave out so much. You are making the right choice to get her a 'real' education. My husband rights a journal too and his is very political. I read him this entry and I think he may do an article on the dumbing down of America. His journal is: The First Ammendment/Not Politically Correct. What he says isn't politically correct but it's the truth.
What was so appalling about this story was the man stood there and wanted to argue with you!!! GEESH!!!
Nelishia
http://journals.aol.com/nelishianatl/PrayingandBelieving/
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