Living in an Idiot Nation

In America, it is acclaimed that there is an education system that is considered to be one of the best, but it has been apparent that America’s education has been declining. Author, Michael Moore’s “Idiot Nation” describes how America’s education system has been failing. America, for being one of the wealthiest countries is behind in the educational system standpoint. According to Moore, America is focused on corporate financial gains rather than giving the proper education to the youth.

Moore aims his essay to people who want change in the educational system such as parents who have their kids enrolled in school and have no idea of what really is going on. Moore points out what is wrong with this nation educational system, to give parents an idea of where they’re really sending their children, and to shock parents with facts about the educational system. Because Moore sees parents as being influential in the education system he hopes to encourage this audience and to actually do something about this situation at hand.

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Michael Moore explains how this nation’s educational system is failing due to the lack of recourses that the American nation provides. In his essay, Moore penned “Walk into any public school, and the odds are good that you'll find overflowing classrooms, leaking ceilings, and demoralized teachers. In 1 out of 4 schools, you'll find students 'learning' from textbooks published in the 1980s--or earlier.” In order for America to progress it is imperative that students get the necessary materials that they need as well as getting the proper education that they deserve.

Parents should work together to improve the education system. Parents should be more involved in their kid’s education as well as maintaining adequate schools. Instead of expecting for the government to make the changes; parents should take more action to take the correct steps for a better educational system. A focus on the education system would result with updated schools, structures and teachers. Moore then goes and explains that children are now being dependent with technology that students are handed toys that do not require the use of creativity or imagination, everything nowadays is being done for them by technology. Moore narrated “There are forty-four million Americans who cannot read and write above a fourth-grade level-in other words, who are functional illiterates.”. In America were given three opportunities to gain education which are; elementary, middle school, and high school. Many take the advantage of the opportunities that are given to them, but many also don’t take the advantage or care to explore them. They are given these opportunities for America to excel and to make the nation more educated and succeed, but as Michael Moore states, “A nation that not only churns out illiterate student’s but goes out of its way to remain ignorant and stupid” this is because our nation is not being motivated or do better in life and gain greater achievements due to students relying on technology to do all the work for them. He also says that the ones that will pay the consequence will be our own children in the near future because they will live in a world where they will depend on technology and find an easy way out, they will not learn things on their own, but rather find a way for technology to do it for them. This is another reason parents should me more involved in the education system, parents are the most influential of how their kids are getting their education.

Parents need to be educated of where they’re sending their children. Moore reiterated that “our problem isn’t just that our kids don’t know nothin’ but the adults who pays their tuition are no better”. In addition, Moore describes how the schools condition and environmental status. Many of these schools are in poor condition, crowded, and have limited recourses such as outdated books and limited libraries. With that being said, children are not going to be motivated to study or put an effort in their education. Moore also explained that the national teacher shortage is so big that some school systems are recruiting teachers outside the United States. Moore states “Chicago recently recruited and hired teachers from twenty-eight foreign countries, including China, France, and Hungary”. Moore also explained that it’s not just teachers who have been neglected, but that American schools are literally falling apart. In 1999 one-quarter of U.S. public schools reported that the condition of at least one of their buildings was inadequate. Furthermore, Moore says that Almost 10 percent of U.S. public schools have enrollments that are more than 25 percent greater than the capacity of their permanent buildings and that classes have to be held in the hallways, outdoors, in the gym, and cafeteria. These are just some of the situations that happen in schools, Moore hopes that parents see what truly is going on to make changes in the educational system.

Lastly, Moore throws in statistics about corporations that are involved with the education system and how they don’t really help students education, but rather for financial gains and exposure. He elaborates by saying that Pepsi contributed $1.5 million to help build a new sports stadium, yet LAUSD doesn’t have enough money for teachers, school rooms or libraries which is absurd. He goes on by saying that these big corporations make students into billboards by buying their products. Moore stated “If turning the students into billboards isn't enough, schools and corporations sometimes turn the school itself into one giant neon sign for corporate America.” These companies only care for them and don’t really want change but rather sponsorship. These companies have even found a way by “sponsoring” their company by applying their Ads in free student materials such as free book covers, and planners. Moore explains how these companies impact students negatively and how they don’t help the education system, hoping that parents will do something about this situation.

In Conclusion, it is important that parents are involved in their kids’ education. Michael Moore gives important points of what this country has come down to. He mentions that us Americans need to learn how to find the truth by ourselves, that we need to feed our brain appropriately. Moor’s goals are to inform parents how America has become an “idiot nation” by giving technology to students. How Americans are being more dependent on technology rather then using their own brains which is keeping them close minded and lack creativity. Next, he says that the educational system is corrupted and to inform parents where there really sending their kids. Low teachers, lack of recourses can affect your kid’s education and lastly how big corporations get involved in the education system for their own benefit. To help make a change with these issues Moore is hoping parents will stand up and make a change.