Back To Basics: What Parts Of Discussion Seems To Be Valid

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Problems in The American Educational System
Introduction
In the essay “Back to Basics: Test Scores Don’t Lie” by Diane Ravitch, a lot is discussed about the American educational system and its deficiencies. Ravitch goes to great lengths to offer a deeper insight into what really plagues this system. She points out to peer pressure as the main reason this is the case. According to her assertions, increased youth appreciation for peer pressure has resulted in a skewed perception of what really is, or should, be taken as a role model. Instead of youngsters taking a leaf from doctors and other learned experts, they take models and actors as their role models. While a few of the sentiments in the essay might be slightly debatable, the most valid points brought out by Ravitch is the contribution by permissive guardians to the rot, and the overarching impacts of the same to the nation as a whole.
Discussion
The continuing failure in the American education system is as a result of a chain of events that starts at the lowest level of upbringing. As Ravitch clearly notes, permissive parenting is a major breeding ground for the poor culture that later on translates into the educational scene. Permissive parenting encompasses both the guardians at home, in the society and in the school environment. The impact of this permissiveness is that they fail to exert authority and control over what these youngsters access on media. “Permissive parents and permissive educators don’t help the situation by leaving adolescents adrift i...