Simply Fucking Sad.....

[thesummerqueen]

Only one in three fourth-graders could identify the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. Less than half understood why George Washington was an important American leader. And a majority of fourth-graders didn't know why the Pilgrims left England.

This really isn't that surprising considering the way things are taught in schools by bad, unqualified, or hands-tied teachers.

I really don't think I would have discovered a real fascination with history had it not been for one very determined teacher in 7th grade who insisted on saying "fuck it" to the standardized test we were always given and making sure we made it all the way up through at least Vietnam (this was a year for American history - they switched between that and world history all the way up to junior year of high school). Most American history years we made it barely through WWII.

And even world history years were woefully deficient. There are so many gaps in my knowledge I've since tried to fill with the help of multi-national friends I've made on the internet.