Justin wrote:
> Danny Wilde wrote on [Wed, 29 Jun 2005 13:26:31 +0900]:
> 
>>"Vernon North" <verno@oyama.bc.ca> wrote in message 
>>news:MPG.1d2bb231b36701aa98a1d8@shawnews.vc.shawcable.net...
>>
>>
>>>"American high school students have a poorer mastery of basic math
>>>concepts than their counterparts in most other leading industrialized
>>>nations, according to a major international survey released yesterday."
>>
>>(etc. snipped.)
>>
>>Doesn't American high school education tend to be more broad than in other 
>>countries? European countries tend to specialize much earlier. The same goes 
>>for universities, I believe.
>>
>>Anyway, the level of American science is number one in the world. So common 
>>sense tells us that the education system must be doing something right.
> 
> 
> The fact that a lot of that "American science" comes from imported
> scientests tells us otherwise.

No it doesn't.  Let's imagine that primary and secondary science 
education, all throughout the world, was totally equal in all places. 
Scientists would still go to America because America spends more on 
research than many other nations.  It's like, let's say the level of 
monjayaki technology is the same all throughout the world, and you are a 
bright entrepreneuring young college graduate, having been schooled in 
the ways of monjayaki since kindergarten.  Where would you go if you 
were going to open a monjayaki restaurant?  Hint: Canadians don't spend 
so much on the monjayaki.

There is that factor, plus the factor that many other societies (not 
all!) with advanced science and technologies are more xenophobic than 
America, and the fact that the de facto language of science is English, 
which provides scientists with a big incentive to study in America, 
Austria, England, or other places where English is commonly spoken, 
because it will improve their careers.

Not that I disagree with you that there are massive problems with 
American primary and secondary education--I just think your particular 
argument in this case is pretty ridiculous.

-- 
Curt Fischer