h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have read this book by Carl Sagan and was impressed by his thoughtful insights. I believe as he does that Americans are dumbing down. What a tragedy this fact is! Part of the problem lies in our educational system. Here in Alabama, where I am living now, teachers are inadequately trained to teach science. I have found inaccuracies so many times in what they are teaching my children. I also, when I find an inaccuracy, attempt to correct it by submitting some sort of reference to the teacher. A lot of difficulty arises with their attempts at teaching any form of genetics. They just do NOT know what they are talking about. What do you think?? Anyone else seeing this trend in other states??

Here in Tennessee the situation is similar. I went to the University of Tennessee to study Physics (they have a very wonderful department), but soon found that high school had inadequately prepared me to think analytically enough for such an endeavour. Luckily I've got history as a fallback, considering that I was consistently the worst student in my physics class.

Admittedly I was probably just to lazy to work hard enough to do well, but that's life.