The Erosion of Education in America: Foundations and the Cultural Shifts That Have Undermined It

The Erosion of Education in America, written by a veteran educator with over 30 years of classroom experience, examines the cultural shifts, both philosophical and practical, that have impacted American education. Rather than presenting a single focus on what schools themselves can do internally, the author documents the significant changes in both the content and agent of education; and discusses the roles of family, State, and religious faith in shaping the emerging generation. Education is built upon certain philosophical commitments and values, and is therefore religious in nature, to some degree, even if God is ignored or left out of the equation. In the current era, secular education has chosen the gods of tolerance, diversity, and human achievement. The coherence of truth has been suppressed in the process. Enter Technology, a welcome tool, yet it cannot overcome more foundational deficiencies which the author argues is due in part to the diminishment of the Judeo-Christian world-view in our culture. The seeds of the shifts examined in this book were sown in the 19th century, bore fruit in the 20th, and continue into the 21st century. The reader will come to understand what led to the educational revival in America's past, how divergent ideas and outlooks took root, leading to our current situation where the cost of maintaining, the values within, and the return on investment in American schools leaves many parents searching for alternatives. In the final portion of the book, some thoughts on the future and suggestions on navigating the present are offered.