Why U.S. Education is Sub-Par

        The economic principle I examined was institutions in the form of public school. While studying this topic, I came upon some interesting facts. The U.S. has a very sub par education system. Our literacy rates are below that of some third world countries(post4, Gatto 11),  with alarming statistics within our country. Other countries such as Japan and Norway have adopted a more progressive, or more life based education system and their countries have prospered. (Post3, Khoo) Assuming that the U.S. would hop on the bandwagon, I was surprised to learn our literacy rates haven't moved in ten years.(Huffington post, The U.S. Illiteracy)
All of this research raises the question, if the U.S. knows of better ways to educate us, and obviously has the funds to do so, why isn't any action being taken? This is where John Taylor Gatto's book Weapons of Mass Instruction came in handy. He explained how it is actually in the interest of the government and large corporations for the mass population to be a servile one. Beyond literacy skills, how much of your freshman classes content do you remember? Was it almost like they were training you to accept doing pointless tasks? Gatto makes the argument that schools real purpose is to do nothing more than to create a fixed reaction to authority, and give us the skills and mindset necessary to work for someone else forty hours a week. Not only this, but someone who can not think for themself is the ultimate economy booster. How? They are incredibly susceptible to marketing, and will consume non stop.