APNewsBreak: Nearly 1 in 4 fails military exam

[Modbert]

APNewsBreak: Nearly 1 in 4 fails military exam - Yahoo! News

MIAMI – Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the U.S. Army fail its entrance exam, painting a grim picture of an education system that produces graduates who can't answer basic math, science and reading questions, according to a new study released Tuesday.

The report by The Education Trust bolsters a growing worry among military and education leaders that the pool of young people qualified for military service will grow too small.

"Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career — and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the AP. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."

The report by The Education Trust found that 23 percent of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed on the enlistment test to join any branch of the military. Questions are often basic, such as: "If 2 plus x equals 4, what is the value of x?"

The military exam results are also worrisome because the test is given to a limited pool of people: Pentagon data shows that 75 percent of those aged 17 to 24 don't even qualify to take the test because they are physically unfit, have a criminal record or didn't graduate high school.

Well, that's not good to say the least.

 

[High_Gravity]

Thats just part of the problem, more than half the kids than come in there are also overweight and cannot pass the physical tests, thats why recruiters have started having recruits do PT NOW before they even go to basic, they weren't doing that when I joined 10 years ago.

 

[strollingbones]

hmmm i am sorry that was directed at you....i use the word ****** ....but not directed towards anyone person...

remember it does not matter what you are called...it matters what you answer to

 

[strollingbones]

i cannot fathom what is happening in our educational system .....its really sad..when you cant do ..simple math

 

[boedicca]

And yet we are spending more than double (in constant $) per pupil on education than we did 40 years ago.

Fast Facts

What's changed - more federalized control, union activism, and nanny statism.

What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents.

 

[High_Gravity]

hmmm i am sorry that was directed at you....i use the word ****** ....but not directed towards anyone person...

remember it does not matter what you are called...it matters what you answer to

The reason I put that as my sig is because Muslims claim that Islam has no racism like in the West, but alot of Muslims do have low opinion of black people. People need to know the truth.

 

[Wry Catcher]

It's obvious on this MB, even on this page, that not only is our system of education broken, but the cultural norms and even basic courtesy has eroded to further divide our nation.
Our soldiers murder civilians, posters use racial ephitaphs, and simple solutions to complex problems are offered because the boediccas of the world can't fathom cause and effect.

 

[uscitizen]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

 

[Wry Catcher]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Identifying a problem is a first step, fixing a problem takes a bit more effort. The root of the problem is not limited to single parenting, or absent parenting by will or need.
Suggesting any single cause for the effect limits critical thinking an problem solving.

 

[uscitizen]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Identifying a problem is a first step, fixing a problem takes a bit more effort. The root of the problem is not limited to single parenting, or absent parenting by will or need.
Suggesting any single cause for the effect limits critical thinking an problem solving.

No not the single cause, but if parents took an active interest in their childs education I think they would work to resolve the other causes.
I do view parents using schools as babysitters as the main/root cause.

 

[JenT]

APNewsBreak: Nearly 1 in 4 fails military exam - Yahoo! News

MIAMI – Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the U.S. Army fail its entrance exam, painting a grim picture of an education system that produces graduates who can't answer basic math, science and reading questions, according to a new study released Tuesday.

The report by The Education Trust bolsters a growing worry among military and education leaders that the pool of young people qualified for military service will grow too small.

"Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career — and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the AP. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."

The report by The Education Trust found that 23 percent of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed on the enlistment test to join any branch of the military. Questions are often basic, such as: "If 2 plus x equals 4, what is the value of x?"

The military exam results are also worrisome because the test is given to a limited pool of people: Pentagon data shows that 75 percent of those aged 17 to 24 don't even qualify to take the test because they are physically unfit, have a criminal record or didn't graduate high school.

Well, that's not good to say the least.

my son fails, my son fails...

and I wonder how many failed because they failed the drug test
I don't know about other states but Californians would have a tough time just from second hand smoke

 

[JenT]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Identifying a problem is a first step, fixing a problem takes a bit more effort. The root of the problem is not limited to single parenting, or absent parenting by will or need.
Suggesting any single cause for the effect limits critical thinking an problem solving.

No not the single cause, but if parents took an active interest in their childs education I think they would work to resolve the other causes.
I do view parents using schools as babysitters as the main/root cause.

I took an active interest in my child's education and what they were learning

My school board is still trying to recover

 

[uscitizen]

Identifying a problem is a first step, fixing a problem takes a bit more effort. The root of the problem is not limited to single parenting, or absent parenting by will or need.
Suggesting any single cause for the effect limits critical thinking an problem solving.

No not the single cause, but if parents took an active interest in their childs education I think they would work to resolve the other causes.
I do view parents using schools as babysitters as the main/root cause.

I took an active interest in my child's education and what they were learning

My school board is still trying to recover

good for you however a handful of interested parents is not enough we need the majority of parents taking an active interest.

And not the interest that many take which is to blame all their childs failings on the school system.

 

[JenT]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Sure, the involved parents help with the five hours of homework while the public school criteria consists of social reconditioning and behavior modification. Their priorities are all about blaming humans for global warming, attacks on faith by telling them to practice worship to different gods, purposely giving children the impression that no god is any better than any other god, to role them all up and throw them all away…it is the wolf in "critical thinking." Oh they've been busy, trying to convince them that socialism is better than a free market. Somehow the academic elite decided to empower children to reject their parent's discernment, give them trash as information and tell them to think for themselves based on what these credentialed atheists believe, to act like harlots born of apes in a world without morals, just decide your own individual "values," oh and here's a condom..

Then they wonder why they have problems.

 

[chanel]

End social promotion and no more diplomas for kids who can't do basic math. Some states now issue "certificates of attendance". They are pieces of paper that say that a kid showed up occasionally, but learned nothing. Too many schools issue diplomas just so their numbers look good. It's a travesty.

NJ has outlawed expulsion under the umbrella "a right to an education". Too many educators honestly believe that means the "right to a diploma".

We also waive the state test and many of the standard requirements for handicapped kids, but give them the same diploma. It's unfair to say the least and very, very misleading to the public.

 

[Wry Catcher]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Sure, the involved parents help with the five hours of homework while the public school criteria consists of social reconditioning and behavior modification. Their priorities are all about blaming humans for global warming, attacks on faith by telling them to practice worship to different gods, purposely giving children the impression that no god is any better than any other god, to role them all up and throw them all away…it is the wolf in "critical thinking." Oh they've been busy, trying to convince them that socialism is better than a free market. Somehow the academic elite decided to empower children to reject their parent's discernment, give them trash as information and tell them to think for themselves based on what these credentialed atheists believe, to act like harlots born of apes in a world without morals, just decide your own individual "values," oh and here's a condom..

Then they wonder why they have problems.

JenT, ever wonder if you are part of the problem? I'm pretty sure given the above rant you are not part of any rational solution.

 

[chanel]

Wry - as a public school teacher, do you think I should be offended by that rant?

Jen - calm down. I work in a district of about 300 teachers. Hardly an atheist, socialist, or condom pusher amongst us. I promise hon.

 

[JenT]

Wry - as a public school teacher, do you think I should be offended by that rant?

Jen - calm down. I work in a district of about 300 teachers. Hardly an atheist, socialist, or condom pusher amongst us. I promise hon.

I live in California. You would not believe what they try to teach kids here. It's probably matched only by Massachusettes (maybe)

 

[uscitizen]

Hmm most/many schools accross the nation use textbooks from Texas...

 

[JenT]

"What hasn't changed is the kids that do well have involved parents"

Ahh now we find the root of the problem.

You can spend all the money you want on new schools and such but if the parents do not take part it is money down the drain.

Sure, the involved parents help with the five hours of homework while the public school criteria consists of social reconditioning and behavior modification. Their priorities are all about blaming humans for global warming, attacks on faith by telling them to practice worship to different gods, purposely giving children the impression that no god is any better than any other god, to role them all up and throw them all away…it is the wolf in "critical thinking." Oh they've been busy, trying to convince them that socialism is better than a free market. Somehow the academic elite decided to empower children to reject their parent's discernment, give them trash as information and tell them to think for themselves based on what these credentialed atheists believe, to act like harlots born of apes in a world without morals, just decide your own individual "values," oh and here's a condom..

Then they wonder why they have problems.

JenT, ever wonder if you are part of the problem? I'm pretty sure given the above rant you are not part of any rational solution.

Yep! For the atheist, social conditioning academic elite, I am most definately part of the problem, as are a million moms fed up with the system.

When they give out better grades for helping set up chairs or campaigning for Barbara Boxer, there is definately a reason to become part of the problem.