Editorial AMERICAN EDUCATION — 1990

Much has been written of late on the p resen t state of Am erican education. There is a consensus of concerns about shoddy education in genera l and its effect on our country’s competitiveness. In the G eneral M otors ’ recen t study, Perspectives on the State o f American E d u c a tio n,1 it was p o in te d o u t th a t approximately 13 percent of 17-year-old s tu d e n ts s till in h ig h school in th e United States are functionally illiterate, and that ano ther 44 pe rcen t are only m arg in a lly l i t e r a te. A h ig h schoo l diploma today too often is little more than a certificate of attendance. As the perspectives of G eneral M otors point out, most high school graduates are p re cluded from pursu ing a career in sci ence. An activity for reform is taking place across a broad front from scientific soci eties, from industry, and from govern m ental com m issions concerned w ith education. C u rre n t anxiety over the fu ture supply of scientists is rife. Dr. Paul G. G assm an, P re s id e n t of th e American Chemical Society, stated, “We can tell you plus or minus 50 how man