I heard a scientist on NPR talking about the deplorable lack of scientific education in the American school system.

There are schools in Mississippi that are not hiring teachers and working on a shoestring because there is no money. Right on up the line, a local university let go of several tenured professors because of budget cuts. But sports programs, i.e. football--would never lack funding.
Who needs an emphasis on science when a new arena needs to be built or football coach needs a salary?

Oh America, you're dumbing down. How low can you go? On Jay Leno's show he went on the street to ask a passerby how many stars were in the American flag? The woman said "I don't know. The wind is moving it around so much I can't count." Well, go watch a football ball game and forget about it, while other countries do the hard stuff like study science--and everything else.

susil