Article Link: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/12/education.schmidt/ This article (which consists largely of an interview with Bill Schimdt, director of the education policy center at Michigan State University) argues that we fail to do well in math and science not necessarily because of a lack in funding or even because of cultural disinterest. Rather, the article argues that educational inequality is to blame. In some states (like Massachusetts) math and science scores measure up to other first world nations. However, in other states, mostly southern, math and science scores are closer to those in the developing world. Schmidt attributes this to a lack of coherent national education standards. While I agree with his generally premise that standardized curricula such as the the common core and related standardized teacher training would help I believe that the greatest impediment to educational success and educational equality is money. In the United States schools are funded directly from local property taxes, a system that, as far as I know, is used no-where else in the world. As a result nationally mandated standardized testing and teacher training standards, unless properly funded would be essentially useless as local schools do not have the money to fund them. In addition to problems with national standards Schmidt alludes to cultural problems with our education system. He seems to argue that some parents don't care about their children's success, some have given up hope that they can compete globally and some believe that despite poor understanding of science and math their children can make up ground in other areas such as reading (which the US also does poorly in). I personally believe that these attitudes are symptomatic rather than causal. Parents feel hopeless because their child's school is inadequate, not the other way around. I do agree with Schmidt's final point that the educational crisis is far more severe than many believe and that it must be resolved in the United States is going to continue to be competitive in the global economy.