In A Word...

Hello.
This posting is concerned with the extraordinary fact that the majority of Americans use the most deplorable grammar imaginable. For example, ending sentences with a preposition seems to be a chronic condition in this country; even among supposedly better educated types, such as authors, reporters, playwrights, script writers, etc. These people earn tons of money, annually, yet they don't seem to know how to construct simple sentences. Pity.
The trouble seems to originate within our educational system. American high schools, have become mere diploma mills; cranking out a steady stream of minimally literate or even functionally illiterate graduates who then require remedial reading classes, on the college freshman level, in order to be able to further their educations. These programs are patches designed to 'fix' what should have been done right in the first place; the teaching of proper grammar and sentence forms, from the word go, in childrens' elementary school classes. We, as a nation, should re-examine these 'quick fix' measures and ask ourselves if they are really what is best for our children. Wouldn't it be preferable to actually teach good grammar and reading skills to younger children in schools rather than having to 'fix' our mistakes later?
The worst thing is sending these young people, with their inadequate reading and grammatical skills out into the public sector, trying to find decent jobs. That proposition is difficult enough when one has an adequate grasp of the basic principles of good linguistic skills. For those who do not, the task can be particularly daunting. The best for which most can hope is doing some minimum wage, dead-end jobs for the rest of their lives. What other hope do they have? That is a question which only our school systems can answer. If the educational system would only stop and take stock of itself and its problems, perhaps the future would hold more hope for literacy and good grammatical practices for future generations.
Parents can also help by encouraging their children to want to learn and do well academically. This would ensure that future generations would at least be able to construct acceptable sentences and perhaps those writers, etc, among them would not end their sentences with prepositions. Dare to dream. Thank you.