The unpopular truth that is spoken of in teaching circles is cultural. America is a diverse nation and the people entering it right now don't value the Prussia

The unpopular truth that is spoken of in teaching circles is cultural. America is a diverse nation and the people entering it right now don't value the Prussian style education system we have or more aptly don't see the value in it. Couple that with public school administrative politics (as in office politics) and you see why high performing teachers flee out of those districts and into more highly rated ones. Education starts at home and if that isn't there for whatever reason then the whole system falls apart. What's even worse is devaluing an education to get failing students out the door. Whether intentional or not the implications are the same. You now have a massive under educated poverty class that can be cajoled by populatists and others into votes. This is how democracy dies.