> Kids are learning in high school what they should have learned in elementary school, and in college what they should have learned in high school. But we've dragged that dead horse through the mud already; let's not go there again (unless you really want to!).

Slightly of topic: Last year I got top of my age division for my state (west australia) in a (voluntary) english exam. It wasn't an essay-writing type exam, more a vocabulary, grammar and basic comprehension type thing. It was supposed to be hard enough that 50% who took it would fail. I got 78 out of 80. (Please don't think I'm boasting...)

How does this relate at all to anything other than my ego?

I learnt nearly everything I needed to get that kind of score in the grades 9-10 division in *primary school*.