Not hard to find examples of dumbing-down in U.S.

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Did you know you can have “inaccurate factual statements?” That is what our own state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said when he withdrew from making oral arguments at the state Supreme Court’s review of Sound Transit using the wrong tables to assess vehicle taxes because his written arguments had included those pesky “inaccurate factual statements!” Oxymoron, anyone?

This statement goes along with a New York Times headline that stated that “two airplanes took aim at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.” I certainly had no idea that planes could do that!

And even better yet for all who never conquered writing, some professors at major universities are claiming that grammar and punctuation (probably includes spelling as well) is “racist” and should not be taught nor should students be graded on their abilities to use proper grammar and punctuation. I am not sure how anyone will be able to read, comprehend or grade essays any longer, if that is the case. And, what standards will be used for future letters to editors?

I don’t know about you, but I am baffled by these obvious examples of our education system and personal systems having been “dumbed down” to this degree. When I read the “Dumbing Down of America,” I thought it was more sarcasm than what might really happen. I was wrong!

Catherine Paxton

Arlington