Every year the American government spends billions of dollars on education, increasing the funding each year. However, test scores and academic achievement continue to fall.  In America it is no secret that the education system is doing poorly; the government and the news media have been publically addressing the problem for years now, as citizens want to know why American students rank so low on international tests despite the enormous sums of money spent on education. If these poor results are unintentional and unsatisfactory, then wouldnt the government change the educational status quo?  Not if the government is getting exactly what its paying for, which is what some critics of Americas education system argue. These critics argue that the American school system is intentionally delivering a sub-standard education to Americas young people, an education which is meant to confuse, bewilder and dumb-down the people of America.  Surprisingly, to produce the sought-after poor results can be quite expensive.
Todays schoolhouse has become more of a work-training center, where students are forced to learn a required set of skills, whether or not they have interest or aptitude.  In addition, teachers must teach according to state-mandated curriculum, regardless of what they think is best for their students.  Training people is expensive and time-consuming, which can explain the exorbitant amounts spent on giving Americans poor quality education. Indeed facilities, supplies, and faculty are expensive as well, but other developed countries are educating their students for less money and achieving better academic results.  However, instead of modeling Americas education system after more successful countries, it is disturbing to note that more and more countries are modeling their school systems after Americas.
One of the greatest horrors in American schools today is the widespread use of stimulant drugs to treat very young children who do not adequately adjust to the classroom environment.  I had my own childhood experiences in this area.  At school I often had difficulty concentrating on one task and following specific instructions.  Between the ages of 8-12 two teachers recommended that I be tested for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) which was usually treated with the drug Ritalin. At the age of 5, before I had entered school, I had also been tested. At this time the doctor informed my mother that he was certain I should and would be medicated for ADD before the age of 10.  
To this day I am thankful that my mother never followed the doctors or the teachers advise to have me medicated.  Over time I was able to concentrate enough during class time to get my work done, though my difficulty in following instructions lasts to this day, revealing itself sometimes in daily life, such as my inability to follow a recipe.  However, I certainly did not have a chemical imbalance that would warrant medication.  More than likely my teachers were simply frustrated by my flightiness and constant daydreaming, as it interfered with their meticulous teaching plans.  
I believe the people of America need to seriously think about the state of education. A failure to properly educate children, to stifle talent, and to needlessly medicate our nations young people is a crime against the children and against the entire country.  The best education is one in which a student and a teacher can together uncover the talents of the individual student.  This kind of discovery is best found naturally, as a child will naturally gravitate toward his own interests and aptitudes.  Government mandated curriculum and testing are expensive and do now allow for this natural development of talent.