re: There's a skills gap coming that will reshape the economy

I live in a "3rd world country", visit secondary (high schools) often. There are two schools juxtaposed to one another.

They are both in poor/violent areas. One the kids are as expected, smart arse for the most part. Tear up the school, troublesome for all involved.

The other is an oasis. You walk in and security is strict, the place is immaculate, the trophy case is full of academic awards. The kids walking down the hall ALL greet you.

They wear uniforms and you catch one of the kids chastising another for his tail hanging out, etc.

They have standardized tests across the country and every year a student or two ranks in top 10 for the country.

I asked the principle about it and she said its the home, not the school. If I had one kid playing the arse, I would have 20 parents here that week demanding I discipline the kid or get rid of him.

My point is, both are public schools, the difference, the parents. And its reflected in their children. And the school administration adapts what is acceptable.

In the states how does a school in Baltimore, where the district spends 20K a year per student, have not a single child in a graduating class, yes they graduated, not have a 10th grade education? The parents put up with that shat.

Heck I worked with a guy in the 9th ward in New Orleans and watched a 3year old in a diaper cuss out a store owner. The child was by himself. The store owner told me little Johnny's mother was pregnant with him at 12 and now he is staying with who knows, running around in the street by himself, with who knows doing what to him....and we wonder why he is a gangster a few years removed?