[cripplecreek]

I went to a decent rural public school but I was out in 83.

Part of what made it good were the multi generational teachers who had taught my parents and in one case even my grandparents. Another was the fact that the teachers were part of the community.

[goodwithagun]

A huge problem now is that phonics are taboo and word memorization programs are in vogue. This is a deliberate, and successful, attempt to create a generation of illiterates.