I did a Google search of 'US + lag + math science' and found thousands of articles. Here are just a few quotes from those articles:

CNN News:

"In the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, U.S. eighth-graders trailed students from more than a dozen other countries ..."

Washington Post:

American high school students have a poorer mastery of basic math concepts than their counterparts in most other leading industrialized nations ...

CBS News:

The United States is losing ground in education, as peers across the globe zoom by with bigger gains in student achievement and school graduations, a study shows.

Tom Brokaw, NBC News:

The United States ... scored lower than nine countries in science, 20 nations in math, and in some areas ranked just ahead of Iran, Portugal and Kuwait."

American Psychological Association:

" ... Latest data on cross-national differences in math, science and reading literacy among fourth- and eighth-graders and 15-year-olds peg U.S. students close to the bottom in math."

Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers:

"Compared to other industrial countries, Americans students are far, far behind. They don't read as well, they don't write as well. They don't know mathematics as well."

It is no wonder Asian students at Monta Vista High School appear to be leaving other students way behind in math and science. This is the way it's done elsewhere, and many of the parents of those Asian students are immigrants from countries where this kind of focus is standard.

America is in an educational crisis of devastatingly epic proportions yet remains in denial.

John Stossel, 20/20, Stupid in America:

A Gallup Poll survey showed 76 percent of Americans were completely or somewhat satisfied with their kids' public school.

Other nations have passed us by educationally and soon will technologically and economically. So wake up, America; the world is quickly passing us by as we compliment ourselves on our great educational systems.

Frank Geefay

Cupertino

Education has reaped youth without basic skills

Joseph DiSalvo's education column "Disproportionate funding is at the heart of the achievement gap" in the Jan. 18 issue of The Sun suggests going back to all the old failed fantasies: mandatory preschool (even for privileged children for whom preschool is a step down); more discriminatory affirmative action; higher salaries for teachers regardless of merit; professional development through the ingrown and self-serving education lobby; more research money (to find out what?); restore pre-Proposition 13 levels of spending (will I lose my home to taxes as my grandmother did?)--increase, increase, increase. Not a word about how we can weed out the drones and incompetents.

Until the consumers (the parents) have direct control over their children's education and the money that pays for it, the teachers union will continue to serve itself.

DiSalvo's photo makes him look old enough, I think, to remember the War on Poverty and the Great Society of President Johnson. Estimates vary, but most fair observers agree that we could have supported all the poor for 50 years on the trillions of dollars that were poured into federal coffers and out into bureaucracy and waste.

The same could be said for California education. We have generously supported education as we were told to, only to reap two generations of youth without basic skills. Money helps, but only when the consumers have direct control, in my opinion.

Beth Erickson

Sunnyvale

There are some ways to
help prevent burglaries

Thanks to Capt. Hirokawa from the sheriff's substation and the Courier for reminding residents of ways to reduce the risk of home burglary. After attending the sheriff's community forum in November and reading articles in the Courier, I offer a few suggestions in addition to those mentioned in the recent Courier article on Jan. 4:

* Make some time to get to know your neighbors and their vehicles to help you notice suspicious activity.

* Call the sheriff's 911 number to report suspicious people or cars loitering in your neighborhood. You might prevent a burglary in progress.

* Store valuable items in hidden or secure places in your home, or in a secure location away from home.

* Photograph and engrave valuables to aid in recovery, in case you unfortunately become a burglary victim.

There are no simple solutions to preventing or solving crimes. By being informed and alert, each of us can help protect our families and neighbors.

Charlie Ahern

Cupertino

Kids on bikes break the law, endanger selves

Every morning before dawn, I see kids riding their bikes to school, heading toward Kennedy Middle School and Monta Vista High School.

Too many of them are wearing no helmet or unbuckled helmet, have no lights on and/or ride on the sidewalk.

I can understand small children riding on the sidewalk, but at 7 a.m. it's not small children I see. I wonder if the parents have ever talked to these kids about the responsibilities of bicycle riding and if they are aware of the transgressions.

No doubt the parents realize that it's still dark outside when their child is leaving the house; they all missed an opportunity to give bike lights for Christmas. I wonder if these kids realize they're breaking the law and compromising their own safety and that of others. Do the schools have courses on bike rules and safety? They should, starting in elementary school.

Ellen Sweeney

Cupertino