[June 5, 2025] I often hear that America’s education system is failing. And there is considerable evidence to support that claim, and perhaps that is why there is an effort to cut Federal funding to colleges that allow illiterate students to attend.
With the problem of college-based Leftist indoctrination to the side, colleges have lowered their academic standards so low that anyone can attend and expect to graduate.
When I was teaching basic algebra classes at Oklahoma State University back in the late 1970s, a student of mine was struggling on my exams. After speaking with him for nearly an hour, his story came out.
This young man had been recruited for the OSU football team and given a scholarship. But he eventually admitted the reason for his classroom struggles was that he couldn’t read. I was shocked because most kids can read by the time they’re six or seven years old.
There were many recent media discussions about a student attending Connecticut University who cannot read or write. She graduated from a good High School in Hartford, CT, but was totally unable to read or write.
Universities have degraded themselves so much that they are now attracting the illiterate.
We hear from politicians and academic leaders that today there are more college graduates than ever before, and we are the most college-educated generation. That may be, but we are far less educated in what counts.
Graduating from college is no longer an impressive accomplishment. A college degree means little anymore, and can be a deterrent to gaining both a formal liberal arts education and an accomplishment that helps get a job.
Universities failed when they lowered their standards and accepted new students based on race, gender, and oppressed status. They have received a backlash against their large DEI programs and upside-down acceptance criteria.
Social engineers who promised a new, wiser, happier, well-adapted, and college-educated citizen have failed to live up to that promise. Until some serious reforms are made, we will see more illiterates enter college.
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Please read my books:
“Universities have degraded themselves so much that they are now attracting the illiterate.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield
POWERFUL.
Look left.
Look right.
Look everywhere and don’t be surprised this happened.
Perfect timing with our article, Gen. Satterfield. Here is a NYPost Opnion piece on the same topic of a failed education system. “Failing on every front, is higher education still sustainable today?
https://nypost.com/2025/06/04/opinion/failing-on-every-front-is-higher-education-still-sustainable-today/
Thomas Ray observed, “Every successful system accumulates parasites.” American higher ed has been extraordinarily successful, and it has been parasitized by grifters, political hacks and outright terrorist sympathizers.
Now that it’s lost public sympathy, it can expect a stiff dose of the salts. Good. And bless their lost souls. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Great way to put it. Thanks Ursala and Pastor John.
This has been a long-time in the making and it will take a long time to undo. But before we undo this failed ideology that allows illiterate students to graduate from High School, we need to come together and admit that there is a problem. Sadly, many of the Leftists think this is all a good thing.
“The Great Dumbing Down of American Education”
https://americanmind.org/salvo/the-great-dumbing-down-of-american-education/
“America’s universities may be a disgrace, but the deeper problems with our education system lie with grades K-12. Higher education still ranks as a U.S. strength that other countries might admire—but our grade schools might even be inadequate for poor, developing countries. — Joel Kotkin
They say this is to HELP minorities and those that are “disadvantage.” But, the biggest losers are the students, particularly minorities. Go figure.
Exactly. And as much as folks like to say that teachers are working under an unreasonable set of rules, they are still part of the blame. Every teacher I’ve ever spoken to, hates that DEI is bein removed. But they also fail to see that DEI is not just racial discrimination (for them it’s fairness) but harms all students. It is a perpetuation of a racist progressive ideology that will continue to harm our nation for many years to come even if removed today.
AMAZING
Thanks Gen. Satterfield, as we continue the downward slide into irrelevance. Now with President Trump pushing back, maybe some educators might get a backbone and change course toward a better education strategy.
I’m no longer shocked at how far our educational institutions have fallen. Thanks to the Progressive mind set, we are experiencing the worst of the worst. This is what happens at the extremes of DEI. It’s here and we all lose.
Yeah, crazy. And I thought they were supposed to teach things in the university that help you in life, like to get a good-paying job. Silly me!!!!
I quit teaching mostly for this reason but also because the school’s administration would not back us up when discipline was needed in the classrooms. Plus, black kids could misbehave and nothing was done because we “wanted to give them more leeway.” You know, they were “oppressed.” What a joke our schools have become. They are some of the worst in the world. Thank goodness that some students are serious enough to do the work without “woke” teachers and professors coddling them. Shame on our politicians for also allowing this to happen. Democrats are the root cause.
Welcome Crazy Eddie and good points.
Yes, welcome Crazy Eddie.