Discuss two major problems in U.S. education

Question

What will be an ideal response

Answer 1

Two major problems facing the U.S. education system are mediocrity and violence. Mediocrity results in falling standards, functional illiteracy, and social promotion. Social promotion is the practice of passing students from one grade to the next even though they have not mastered the basic materials. The consequence is functional illiteracy. Some people have difficulty reading and writing even after graduating from high school. The consequences for the individual are significant. Some high school graduates cannot fill out job applications; others cannot figure out how to make change or whether they receive the right change at the store. Although school violence, specifically school deaths, is not on the rise as the media suggests, it is still a major concern to parents and educators. School violence includes aggravated assault, rape, robbery, and other acts of violence that do not necessarily result in death. Children are sent to school to be educated and it is assumed the school authorities will not only nurture them but protect them. Even students not directly involved in school violence are traumatized by it and suffer the inconvenience of the measures schools take to reduce it such as metal detectors, locker searches, and police inspections.