[This commentary was published in the 25feb26 edition of The Union.  It is posted here as it appeared in the newspaper. gjr]

Over the years in these pages and on my blog I have been a critic of our nation’s public school system that has produced a workforce and electorate marginally able to maintain our democratic republic.  At every turn I have been attacked by our progressive neighbors for my undeserved criticisms and ignorance on the matter.  Nevertheless, these neighbors and their voting record give ample evidence on how this crisis in education came about and continues unabated.

Recent international assessments paint a damning picture of American adult skills. The 2023 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), conducted by the OECD, reveals that U.S. adults aged 16–65 rank a mediocre 14th in literacy and a dismal 24th in numeracy among 31 participating countries. Literacy scores fell 12 points from 2017 to 2023, while numeracy dropped 7 points. About one of three adults now score at the lowest literacy levels, and struggle with reasoning and basic numeracy—skills essential for everything from reading basic instructions to managing finances. These declines affect a workforce already lagging behind peers in Finland, Japan, and Sweden, where adults excel in both domains.

This is not a story of underfunding. The United States spends lavishly on public education—around $15,500 to $20,000 per K-12 student annually, far exceeding the OECD average of about $10,700–$11,900 for primary and secondary levels. Including higher education, per-student expenditure reaches $37,400, double the OECD norm. Yet despite this investment, outcomes remain stubbornly poor. American taxpayers pour in resources, but results point to systemic failure rather than scarcity.

At the heart of this dysfunction lies the left-wing stranglehold on public education. The nation’s two largest teachers’ unions—the National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—wield enormous influence over policy, curriculum, and reform efforts. These organizations are not neutral; they are partisan powerhouses. Over 90% of their political donations flow to Democratic candidates and causes, with tens of millions funneled to left-wing advocacy groups since 2022 alone. In election cycles, union dues—often mandatory—finance progressive agendas, from opposing school accountability to blocking merit-based pay.

This ideological dominance has prioritized social engineering over foundational skills. For decades, progressive education theories have reshaped classrooms, emphasizing “child-centered” approaches, equity initiatives, and social justice themes at the expense of rigorous instruction. In reading, methods like “whole language”—long favored by progressive educators—downplay phonics in favor of guessing from context, contributing to stalled progress since the early 2010s. Math instruction has suffered similarly, with “discovery-based” curricula encouraging students to invent their own methods rather than master standard algorithms. Critics point to these shifts as key factors in declining scores, as evidenced by flat or falling NAEP results in reading and math over the past decade.

Compounding this is a broader cultural shift within public education toward ideological indoctrination. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, critical theories on race and gender, and politicized curricula have proliferated, often diverting time and resources from core academics. Republican voters increasingly perceive public schools as promoting liberal viewpoints, a sentiment backed by surveys showing widespread concern over one-sided teaching. This leftward tilt stifles dissent, resists evidence-based reforms like expanded phonics or traditional math, and protects underperforming systems from competition.

The result? A second generation now entering adulthood ill-equipped for a knowledge economy that requires workers with skills in logic, reasoning, and critical thinking.  Absent these, we have functional illiteracy and innumeracy which hinder economic mobility, innovation, and even constructive civic participation. Poverty, immigration, and family factors play roles, but they do not excuse a system that spends lavishly yet struggles for mediocrity.

Reform requires breaking the monopoly. School choice—vouchers, charters, and tax-credit scholarships—offers a path forward by empowering parents and introducing competition to government education. Evidence is mixed, but competitive pressures have driven improvements in some contexts, forcing public schools to innovate or lose students. Without such options, left-wing interests will continue safeguarding failure.

America cannot afford more decades of ideological stranglehold. To reclaim excellence, we must demand accountability, depoliticize classrooms, and prioritize proven teaching over progressive experimentation. The PIAAC data is a wake-up call: our public education system, dominated by left-wing forces, is failing its fundamental mission. It’s past time for change.

George Rebane, PhD

Nevada County