LETTER: The sad state of American public education

The U.S. public school system continues to fail many of the nation’s children. American students rank 25th worldwide in math, science and reading, far lower than No. 1 China. And today’s progressive “woke” culture is working hard to dumb down standards.

The Virginia Department of Education is moving to eliminate all accelerated math courses before the 11th grade as part of an “equity-focused” plan. In Oregon, a debate has emerged over the topic of racism in math instruction. Democrat-controlled school boards and teachers unions kept schools closed in many cities. Remote learning was a failure, especially for students who did not have access to a computer.

Americans have allowed politicians and unions to control the public education system. It is time for parents to demand that the system focus on the basics (reading, writing, arithmetic), challenge students by offering a few array of accelerated courses and hold back underperforming students until they master the basics.