the claim
the claim
TOOLBOX   Resize
 Save/Share +
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
|
"Americans are getting fatter and dumber. . . . If things are going bad, just remember who put these people in power."
-- Former senator Mike Gravel (Alaska), Democratic presidential candidate, Yahoo-Huffington Post-Slate
"mashup" debate, Sept. 13
To be fair to Gravel, he made this incendiary claim in response to a question from the late-night TV comedian Bill Maher, who cited statistics showing that obesity has risen to an "all-time high," SAT scores have declined and 38 percent of fourth-graders cannot read at a basic level. Challenged by Maher to "tell Americans that they're getting fatter and dumber," Gravel obliged, adding for good measure that Americans would "get the government they deserve." But are the underlying data correct?
THE FACTS
There is little doubt that Americans are getting fatter. According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of obesity among adults increased from 15 percent in 1980 to nearly 33 percent in 2004. The "stupider" part is much more controversial. Average SAT scores have declined a little over the past two years. But Wayne Camara, vice president of research at the College Board, which administers the SAT, said the test is not a good indicator of the intelligence (or stupidity) of the overall population. Less than 50 percent of high school graduates take the test. The main reason why SAT scores have been declining is that more students are now taking the test, and the test-taking population is getting more diverse. Over the past two decades, math scores have gone up steadily, while reading scores have remained flat.
A better guide for the educational skills of the overall student population is the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which bills itself as the "Nation's Report Card" and looks at all students, not just a self-selected sample. According to the NAEP, the math skills of American 9-year-olds have been rising steadily since 1982 and reached an all-time high in 2004. Go, USA!
THE PINOCCHIO TEST
Gravel and Maher are right about obesity but wrong about stupidity. We award them three Pinocchios, to be shared equally, if they can figure out the math.
