Knowledge of basic science is appallingly weak. Junk science, mythology and ideology are pervasive. In my view, this negatively affects new job creation and impairs our individual ability to feed ourselves among other things. These are societal problems that we all need to address as parents, students, teachers and business entities.
Tom Friedman is a far more eloquent commentator than I. Read his recent column on the subject. It is titled Swimming Without a Suit.
Just a quick review: In the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. dominated the world in K-12 education. We also dominated economically. In the 1970s and 1980s, we still had a lead, albeit smaller, in educating our population through secondary school, and America continued to lead the world economically, albeit with other big economies, like China, closing in. Today, we have fallen behind in both per capita high school graduates and their quality. Consequences to follow.