Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack spoke for about 45 minutes at the Journal of Gender Race and Justice Banquet in the River Room at the IMU on Friday night.  He confined most of his remarks to the mangled catastrophe that is the No Child Left Behind Act. 

Most of his criticism is old news: the Act requires schools to “teach to the test,” it’s drastically underfunded, and fails to reward progress.  Also, the law lacks guidelines for implementation.  To summarize, American students are getting left behind, way behind, especially compared to kids in other countries.  Here are some other fun facts:

• Canadian fourth graders not only understand NPR, they actually enjoy it.
• In China, children learn in English as a native language; they have to take four years of Spanish as a ”foreign language.”
• Those same Chinese kids start learning physics and chemistry in the 7th grade; by the 12th grade each one can align hydrogen and carbon ions to create ascidiacyclamide benzene solvate molecules by hand, then they can place each one in a handmade purse and vacuum-wrap it.
• Diet Coke is indeed overpriced, confirming what scientists had suspected for decades.  The only American students who ever learn of this are those who have BAs in economics.
• On a brighter note: American students rank first in global self-esteem and internet access.

Thanks, JGRJ, for putting on a great banquet.  Also note: Professors Cain and Love, former Iowa professors, were in attendance for the whole symposium.