CLAP IF YOU CAN HEAR ME

by Kelly Mitchell ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2021

A thorough examination of the ways in which American education has slid into decline, coupled with recommendations for possible solutions.

According to Mitchell, the extraordinary gains of technology, including the internet, have not resulted in a net educational gain for the current generation of American students. “The tragic irony is the same internet providing us access to education, communication, and stunning pictures of food on social media, has left us unable to communicate effectively and critically think our way out of a digital box,” she asserts. Today’s “screenagers,” she says, are impressively capable of navigating their personal computing tools but otherwise woefully underprepared for the demands of real life. They’re largely incapable of maintaining a budget, responsibly feeding themselves, or adapting to the rigors of professional life, she asserts—failings that she says have led to a nationwide fiscal crisis, an epidemic of obesity, and unemployment. Even worse, members of this younger generation haven’t been taught to be intellectually independent critical thinkers. In general, the author observes, they suffer from deep ineptitude when it comes to the basic elements of “adulting.” They also suffer from a paucity of communications skills and a dearth of “cultural intelligence”; this, she contends, has led to the current state of political divisiveness and has also contributed to the spread of racism. Mitchell makes several recommendations to improve this picture, advocating for greater parental involvement and a renewed focus on character development, a longer school year with an emphasis on civic engagement, and an introduction to the world’s religions.

This book is imminently practical in presentation and supplies readers with lists of resources, including additional reading material and information on governmental programs, for those interested in further exploring her ideas. Mitchell does succinctly capture a common complaint that older people levy at young American students—that they’re technologically sophisticated but otherwise increasingly helpless. She also lays out, with impressive clarity, the many ways in which the university system has declined in quality while its costs have precipitously risen. Her recommendations are sometimes refreshingly unconventional; for instance, she proposes a general education in religion for all students as opposed to a sectarian indoctrination in any single one of them: “Being exposed to diverse beliefs and opinions helps personal development and provides answers to social and cultural questions.” Overall, Mitchell attempts to cover a large swath of intellectual terrain in fewer than 300 pages, and as a result, her treatments of complex issues can be cursory and reductionist. Along the way, she takes some controversial stands; for example, she characterizes critical race theory, and even Black History Month, as unnecessarily divisive, and she unimpressively cites a 60 Minutes interview with actor Morgan Freeman to help back up her argument. Also, her defense of year-round schooling ultimately comes across as more provocative than convincing. Nevertheless, she does offer an accessible combination of lucid prose and unflinching argument as she presents her positions on a wide range of topical issues.

A broad but sometimes-simplistic analysis of the modern educational system.

Pub Date: March 3, 2021

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 258

Publisher: Self

Review Posted Online: April 16, 2021

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

EDUCATION | CURRENT EVENTS & SOCIAL ISSUES | ISSUES & CONTROVERSIES