On Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:24:08 -0700, John Smith
wrote:

Could have some relationship to the accelerated "dumbing down" of
schools and students which has been underway for decades ...


Not for decades - forever. Each generation is dumber, has poorer
values, and is in every way worse than the previous generation - as
defined by the previous generation. Everything good peaked at the
previous generation after millennia of improvement, but is now going
down hill.

For any value of "now" that you wish to use getting its previous
generation to make the valuation.

--
"In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found,
than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace
to the legislature, and not to the executive department."

- James Madison