Do you know we are considered 14th -40th overall? The United States?

Yes, I knew. I keep up with multiple-country testing results like those reported by PISA.

Here in the US, the important thing to know is that the public school educational system is oriented around the needs of the teachers' unions. Actually educating the children is not the unions' principal concern.

So, the purpose of the system is to look after the teachers first, and then to worry about educating the kids. For example, try firing a teacher in a large city for cause. That verges on impossible to do, ESPECIALLY if you wish to fire the teacher because she or he is a poor teacher.

Hmm! Thanks obama - last day at last