Nikole Hannah-Jones Just Ran Head-First Into the Great Dumbing-Down
"In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?" tells the story of Hannah-Jones' shock at learning her then-eighth-grade daughter, Najya -- who had been earning A's in honors math -- had failed the state algebra exam.
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BellRinger
Joined 2021/02/07Visited 2026/10/02
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Nikole Hannah-Jones Just Ran Head-First Into the Great Dumbing-Down (72 comments) ...
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Public high schools are churning out barely literate, almost innumerate graduates.
POSTED BY BELLRINGER
It's a cultural thing. The same culture that public high schools exist within. The same culture MAGA prefers and elevates.
Future vaxx truthers, everyone.
Short lives and dumb ones.
#1 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-01 03:59 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
I am sure disbanding the department of education can only improve education
#2 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-10-01 04:04 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2
I'm a borderline Hall of Fame troll, Alexandrite. I easily elicit multiple responses with a single post. And it doesn't take any effort. #27 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-04-06 05:42 PM
#3 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-10-01 04:04 PM | Reply
Public high schools are churning out barely literate, almost innumerate graduates. POSTED BY BELLRINGER
Years of republican policies are paying off.
"Education is for snobs!" - Rick Santorum
"I love the poorly educated!" - Donald Trump
Meanwhile both of Trump's department of Education hires, Betsy DeVos and Linda McMahon, have defunded and destroyed public education.
#4 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-01 04:07 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 5
Ballwasher the ------- idiot
#5 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-10-01 06:31 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
- Public high schools are churning out barely literate, almost innumerate graduates.
Who are almost Guaranteed to become Republican voters.
The Republican Dumbing Down of America Program is werking really well!
The Dumbing Down of America has been a 50 year project of the Republican Party that started with, "The tax cuts for the wealthy will Trickle Down!"...
... and continued with Planned Recessions, underfunded edumacation, expensive bad healthcare, Money as Speech, Corporate Personhood, and legalized political bribery and Forever Wars.
So, they've werked long and hard for the resulting Trump voters.
Bellboy is competing with 1Nut for the coveted rwing Miss Obtusity Prize.
#6 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-01 08:55 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2
Is ol' stinkerbell complaining or bragging?
#7 | Posted by Angrydad at 2026-10-01 09:32 PM | Reply
@#7 ... Is ol' stinkerbell complaining or bragging? ...
Good question.
Around here, it seems to be the GOP politicians who want to constantly reduce the funding for public schools and, instead, try to use public funds to finance their entry-limited private schools.
And, don't get me started on the dollars-per-student spent on public schools in wealthy towns vs the same stat in the less wealthy towns.
I mean, just go to Wilton, CT (a wealthy town here in CT) and look at their high school on US RT7. It looks more like a college campus than a high school.
Wilton, Connecticut en.wikipedia.org
... The median income for a household in the town was $197,428, and the median income for a family was $217,415. Males had a median income of $190,000 versus $71,611 for females. ...
#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-01 09:47 PM | Reply
The left and Democrats dominate public education. Read the article. Hell, read HannahJones' op ed. You all built this, support it and own it.
#9 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 12:47 AM | Reply
"The left and Democrats dominate public education"
While the right and Republicans CONTROL public education.
Hence the devolution.
#10 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 12:57 AM | Reply
@#9 ... Read the article. ...
It's an OpEd, not a news article. Written by an apparent social media wannabe.
Even the link your current trolling alias provides flags it as "opinion."
Do try harder.
#11 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-02 12:58 AM | Reply
You really are a moron.
#12 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 12:58 AM | Reply
#13 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:02 AM | Reply
Sorry for the double...
#14 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:02 AM | Reply
"You all built this, support it and own it."
Yep.
Meanwhile, you SCREECH when someone points out what you built, support, and own.
#15 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:04 AM | Reply
@#10 ... While the right and Republicans CONTROL public education. ...
So, you've also noticed that the GOP drum-beating reduction of money for public schools may have had an effect upon the outcome for students graduating from those schools.
For me, if I were assigned the task of improving public schools, the first thing i would do would be to equalize the money spent upon the schooling of each student.
From what I see here in Connecticut, the difference between the wealthy towns and the non-wealthy towns is amazing.
#16 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-02 01:05 AM | Reply
... Anyone paying attention to recent education-related headlines knows that education bureaucrats across the nation are burying evidence of a widespread and unpleasant truth ...
Please provide examples of those recent education-related headlines.
thx.
#17 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-02 01:08 AM | Reply
@#12 ... You really are a moron. ...
imo, even worse than that.
It is just a reply-craving troll.
Of course, then the question may become, why does that current trolling alias seem to crave replies to its posted phlegm?
That one, I cannot answer.
#18 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-02 01:14 AM | Reply
" While the right and Republicans CONTROL public education.
#13 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2026-10-02 01:02 AM | FLAG: "
That is some epic and disingenuous trolling)g right there.
At the state level Republicans have been pushing things 8e school choice something Dems ferociously oppose.
#19 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 01:31 AM | Reply | Funny: 1
It is just a reply-craving troll
Spot on.
There was a time they'd brag about how their stupidity resulted in multiple responses. As if that were something to be proud of.
I guess any attention is good when you're lonely and miserable and desperately seeking human interaction.
#20 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 01:51 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2
@#13 ... Hence the devolution. ...
Exactly.
Republicans want to defund public education in favor of providing themselves discounts to attend their private schools.
So, instead of Republicans wanting to improve the problems they may see in public schools, all Republicans seem to want to do is make public schools even worse by defunding them.
It just fits into the uber-wealthy wanting to continue to have a whole class of people who are unable to do anything by work for the uber-wealthy.
#21 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-02 02:07 AM | Reply
"school choice"
Math proves that's where regular taxpayers subsidize the rich.
Not the only place, of course ...
#22 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 02:09 AM | Reply
Education as a whole bores Republicans. Possibly because they tend to glorify intellectual ... inactivity.
#23 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-10-02 05:03 AM | Reply
" Republicans want to defund public education in favor of providing themselves discounts to attend their private schools"
The failing schools Jones' kid attended spend over $50K per student, well above the national average. These districts are wholly run by Democrats and their union buddies. So naturally Danforth and Lamplighter blame the GOP for their failure and naturally are opposed to things like school choice they give parents options for their kids.
#24 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 08:30 AM | Reply
What explains Donald Trump's lack of education?
Yeah, I know. He went to school.
So what happened to him?
Solve that riddle and maybe we can get some insight into what happens to ordinary people.
Of far greater interest is why a frankly ignorant SOB like Trump was ever granted power.
I can only be that an eve more ignorant electorate put him there.
Maybe stupid is a bacterium or a virus.
As a disease it must feel good. Stupid people see happy being stupid.
#25 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-02 09:20 AM | Reply
What can you say about those people who voted Trump three separate times?
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Whatever intellect they have they waste on arguments that "prove" that stupid was the way to go.
I expect to hear another one quite soon...
#26 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-02 09:22 AM | Reply
Shouldn't the founding of the federal Department Of Education in '79 resulted in better results - not worse.....
As long as the majority of teachers and their teachers' unions are run by liberals, I see no 'progress' towards a better public school education as indoctrination takes priority.
#27 | Posted by MSgt at 2026-10-02 09:41 AM | Reply
#6 | Posted by Corky
The prize originated to honor GOATMAN's world class obtuseness.
#28 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-10-02 10:47 AM | Reply
#27
---- off imbecile. Nobody cares about the ---- you fling.
#29 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-10-02 11:40 AM | Reply
" These districts are wholly run by Democrats and their union buddies. "
What a riot.
As if School Boards were all run by 100% Democrats.
Republican Math is a dangerous thing, kids! Stay in school!!!
#30 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 12:32 PM | Reply
What a wild statement.
Blame the culture. Hands in the air nothing we can do.
States that have made changes, basically back to basics, have shown dramatic positive results.
No just the strong union ones. Union support does not automatically translate to better educational results. www.efinstitute.org
DeflectionDans Math is a dangerous thing, kids! Stay in private school!!!
#31 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-02 01:05 PM | Reply | Funny: 1
Hilarious!
1Nut quoting from the, "American Institute for Economic Research Think tank.
"The American Institute for Economic Research is a free-market, libertarian think tank located in Great Barrington, Massachusetts known for spreading climate and health misinformation."
www.google.com
You can't make this stuff up.
#32 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-02 01:13 PM | Reply
" No just the strong union ones."
What a farkin' idiot.
There are no workers in America who need a union more than teachers. They've got three groups coming at them constantly.
Pretending that school boards and unions are in lockstep is to completely misunderstand the situation on the ground.
Kudos to you: it takes some real bravery to expose that level of ignorance.
#33 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:16 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
#32 | POSTED BY CORKY
I can't.
But 1Nut certainly can!
#34 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-10-02 01:17 PM | Reply
"From January 2022 to April 2025, its president was William P. Ruger, who resigned to serve as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration under president Donald Trump.[7] Ruger was succeeded by Samuel Gregg in 2025"
During the COVID-19 pandemic, AIER spread COVID-19 misinformation, promoting a fringe strategy of herd immunity strategy of "focused protection" to deal with the pandemic.[11][34][35]
AIER issued a statement in October 2020 called the Great Barrington Declaration, which argued for sole reliance on this strategy, while saying that society otherwise should take no steps to prevent infection."
en.wikipedia.org
#35 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-02 01:17 PM | Reply
And speaking of ignorance ...
... Please tell me you didn't make your daughter open Cal Savers accounts for her tween workers.
#36 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:17 PM | Reply
Pretending that school boards and unions are in lockstep
Don't they sit on opposite sides of the bargaining table?
#37 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-10-02 01:24 PM | Reply
Don't they sit on opposite sides of the bargaining table? ~ DialAgain
You're like the professor in BackToSchool, or DeflectionDan, you have no idea how the real world works.
This doesn't happen by chance.
#38 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-02 01:40 PM | Reply | Funny: 1
Thank you for another completely irrelevant chart.
#39 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-10-02 01:45 PM | Reply
" you have no idea how the real world works."
Posts the guy who thought 14 yr olds require pension plans.
It's like the company writes itself.
#40 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:47 PM | Reply
COMEDY!
#41 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 01:48 PM | Reply
I'm tutoring my granddaughter and 2 of her classmates in MATH 103, College Algebra, at the local junior college. They're freshmen. She's almost completely lost. I'm helping her with basic binomial and trinomial algebraic equations and factoring which I'm almost positive I learned in 8th-9th grade, albeit 45 years ago. She got mostly B's with a few A's and C's in high school. The area I live in is about 60-65% Republican and heavily MAGA. Not Democrat run.
#42 | Posted by El_Buscador at 2026-10-02 01:52 PM | Reply
Why would any intelligent person take a job as a teacher? The pay is terrible, the kids are --------, and the parents are bigger --------.
1. teachers need to be paid A LOT MORE. That's what south korea does. Teachers are as respected in their society as medical professionals.
2. AI needs to be used so that each kid can advance at their own pace instead of being held up by the dummies in their class. Honestly AI might be the thing to save our whole education system if incorporated properly.
3. Bring back standardized testing. ---- your feelings. If you get a bad grade then you need to try harder.
4. Bring back FAILING. No more passing kids who don't deserve to pass.
5. Bring back phonics. No more "it's racist to make a kid prononouce A-S-K as "ask". It's ok to pronounce it as "AX" too"
#43 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-10-02 02:17 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
Jeff is a worthless coward
#44 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-10-02 03:45 PM | Reply
1. teachers need to be paid A LOT MORE.
100% on target. School board in my district is more concerned with bathrooms and pronouns than improving facilities and paying teachers. 88% GOP state legislature bangs their drum about school vouchers and parent choice, about not letting teachers' unions have too much influence. Who should be making decisions about the classroom? The people who've dedicated their lives to studying and delivering education, or a screaming partisan mob who thinks the liberals are turning their kids trans? The average teacher in my area, with higher entry level and continuing education requirements, makes less than the average police officer. We defeated a bond initiative for school facility improvements, but are building a new combined law enforcement center. Priorities...
#45 | Posted by El_Buscador at 2026-10-02 04:27 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
We have a rather large population of retired people around here that vote down any and every school bond our district puts up. Leaky roofs, unreliable heating, and shabby sporting facilities. Somebody donated a good chunk of money towards the auditorium which turned out nice with sound and lights.
I don't pay as much attention since my kids finished public school, but I always vote for school bonds. I think millennials aren't cheapskates like the boomers, so things are getting better.
#46 | Posted by horstngraben at 2026-10-02 04:53 PM | Reply
#43. Other than your first point I actually agree with the rest of your post.
#47 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 05:09 PM | Reply
#47 | Posted by BellRinger
Other than the most obvious one.
Let's use basic logic - what kind of people are going to apply to a hard job that doesn't pay well? Are those the people you want to trust with the nation's future?
#48 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-10-02 05:29 PM | Reply
Speaks managing to shit on all current teachers lol. Definitely don't trust these poors with our future! You can only trust people with money.
#49 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 05:44 PM | Reply
Which Abbot teacher character do you both hate the most? Jeanine who carried her deadbeat boyfriend for a season or two, the woke white guy, or the mafia connected broad?
#50 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 05:47 PM | Reply
New season of Abbot starts next week.
#51 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 05:48 PM | Reply
#49 | Posted by sitzkrieg
Have you ever heard of the saying YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR?
Teachers shouldnt have to live in misery just because they want to help kids learn instead of helping investment banks find new ways to screw consumers.
#52 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-10-02 05:48 PM | Reply
" a screaming partisan mob who thinks the liberals are turning their kids trans.."
If the shoe fits ...
#53 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 06:05 PM | Reply
" #48 | POSTED BY SPEAKSOFTLY AT 2026-10-02 05:29 PM | FLAG: "
What makes you think teachers are poorly paid?
#54 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 06:06 PM | Reply
According to AI:
" The average K-12 public school teacher salary in New York is approximately $95,000 to $98,655 per year, ranking among the highest in the nation"
That is a lot of money to work less than 3/4 of the year and with weekends guaranteed off. That doesn't even take into account benefits.
#55 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 06:07 PM | Reply
Of course you would cherry pick the highest paid location for teachers. The normal entry pay is around $45,000 per year. They dont only work during school hours, and if they want the summer off with pay they generally have to take a lesser pay per month during the school year with a level pay salary.
#56 | Posted by justagirl_idaho at 2026-10-02 06:15 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
#54 | Posted by BellRinger
Oh you know, just paying attention to the world around me instead of chugging right wing propaganda.
Nice of you to pick THE HIGHEST PAY in the nation as your counter example.
fortune.com
"The average American teacher makes $72,000, but one in three are so broke they're taking on side hustles like Uber driving"
#57 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-10-02 06:17 PM | Reply
" Nice of you to pick THE HIGHEST PAY in the nation as your counter example."
I chose NY because that is where this thread is focused.
#58 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 06:18 PM | Reply
You are unwittingly underscoring the whole point. NY dumps a boatload of money into public education yet the results are terrible. It's not a funding problem.
#59 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 06:21 PM | Reply
America spends a trillion dollars a year on defense
We run out of munitions in a month and lose to a 3rd rate power
Then they ask for a trillion and a half dollars
Maybe you should concern yourself with the education of those running the dept of defense.
#60 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-10-02 06:28 PM | Reply
Patricide Jeff champions the necrotic child rapist who started Trump U.
#61 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2026-10-02 06:36 PM | Reply
" NY dumps a boatload of money into public education yet the results are terrible"
Could it be because there are 180 languages spoken in the New York City school district?
#62 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 06:42 PM | Reply
New York ranks 1st nationally for its public school system in the World Population Review 2026 Rankings, holding the top spot for the second consecutive year.
worldpopulationreview.com
www.lohud.com
#63 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 06:54 PM | Reply
#57 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-10-02 06:17 PM | Reply | Flag:
"The average U.S. household income is $126,700, while the median household income is $87,460 according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data."
That would actually make them the breadwinner. Ever considered they take these jobs because it's better money and benefits than they'd make in other industries?
#64 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 06:54 PM | Reply
BellRinger is a fucking ignorant moron.
#65 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 06:55 PM | Reply
Could it be because there are 180 languages spoken in the New York City school district? #62 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-02 06:42 PM | Reply | Flag:
"Instruction Languages: NYC offers hundreds of bilingual and dual-language classes teaching core subjects in English and one of 12 primary languages, such as Spanish, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Japanese, and Polish"
Here in Houston they do 4 main languages for a city with 140+ spoken languages. Republicans hate HISD. In the burbs, CFISD, Katy ISD, which Republicans love, you get English or you get Spanish. That's it.
#66 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 06:56 PM | Reply
Though if you flex your school choice and get your child into the right charter school, they can learn math in Mandarin.
#67 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-02 06:58 PM | Reply
What's funny is you all thinking NY schools aren't doing well because an Ignorant Trump supporting moron has an irrational hate for New York.
#68 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 06:58 PM | Reply
Texas ranks 34th in public school quality nationally, according to the World Population Review public school rankings.
Way to go republicans!
#69 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 06:59 PM | Reply
Michigan ranks 44th to 45th nationwide for overall public education, according to recent data from U.S. News & World Report
#70 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 06:59 PM | Reply
#68. Take it up with Jones and her daughter.
#71 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-10-02 07:03 PM | Reply
Don't need to do shit.
You always reinforce my perception of you as an ignorant fool.
#72 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-02 07:05 PM | Reply
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