Students are increasingly shielded from discomfort, failure and responsibility. They’re entering adulthood anxious, incredibly risk-averse and ill-prepared to face life’s inevitable challenges. The downstream effects: students who fear failure, lack initiative, and turn to adults to manage even minor problems. Professors report students calling parents to negotiate grades. Employers describe young hires who can’t make independent decisions without excessive guidance. The ability to cope with and endure discomfort, once considered a basic developmental milestone, is rapidly eroding. Now, another force threatens to accelerate this trend: AI. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms and everyday life, students may feel even less inclined to engage in creative thinking or struggle through complex problems. Why wrestle with a blank page when an AI tool can write the essay? Why brainstorm ideas when algorithms can generate solutions in seconds? Let students fail. Let them struggle. Let them grow.
AI, like a hovering parent, protects students from the failures they need; LA Times; 16-Jul-26; https://tinyurl.com/bdpwau4m
Education is at the base of so many of our problems and challenges..or the LACK THERE OF... To check the ability of our students to research, interpret, and understand the world..and all it's aspects, become increasingly short sighted. I agree with your statements...and you can check out most people on the streets for their knowledge of ANY subject...including knowledge of our country and its Constitution. I find, I am, at my "age" ( 83), learning so much more that either I missed in school or just I did not learn and I read A LOT!! I read just about everything I can get my hands on..It has been my education through life...and yet...I STILL DON'T KNOW BEANS...So...somehow, for the sake of our country...and the world we need to better education for ALL people and that includes all the drop outs..NO one should have to drop out!!! Damn it!!! All kids need a variety and there are certain areas that should help all interests. In talking with a person who was a socialogist, several years ago, he made a statement that has stuck with me. He said that there are at least six or seven types of students and the type that most teachers care about are type "A", ( B, C D E and F being various personality traits that either don't fit a proscribed type that can be taught a certain way.. those are the types that learn "differently" than the easiest which is type "A") ..I was rotten in school and even though I was a heavy reader even then I found that I just couldn't grasp certain ideas...even though I "tested " very well on the so called "IQ" tests. I wasn't lazy...I loved to learn, but not their way.."ADHD" was not a subject of discussion then. I dropped out of college...I almost dropped out of high school. SO after this long discourse I just think we need better ways to approach schooling for all kids!! My parents never understood why I did so badly...and now, like you say...so many more challenges, distractions and AI...YIKES Thank you for reading!! Any errors are my lack of attention span...LOL!!
Leigh, thank you for the insights and history you shared. You seem to have overcome the disadvantages life too often placed on the path before you. I am a few (not so many) years your junior and now, as an autodidact, gain more knowledge now than I did in 20 years of public education. I understand and synthesize unrelated concepts more easily. The overlooked value of librarians, index cards, book reports, e-free collaboration, and shared experiences (failures & successes) went missing with shame and responsibility. No child left behind. What about no child held back? Regression to the mean prevails.
I encourage you to compare how Finns educate their youth: https://tinyurl.com/yxzmpxfb At the core of this approach is the principle of learner autonomy. Finnish students progressively take greater responsibility for their learning, developing self-direction and problem-solving skills highly valued in modern workplaces. Teachers act more as guides than instructors, fostering independence and critical thinking rather than rote memorization. The Finnish system ... emphasizes authentic assessment through projects, portfolios, and practical demonstrations of knowledge. This creates graduates who can apply their learning in real-world contexts rather than simply performing well on examinations. Finnish employers actively participate in education through structured partnerships rather than merely receiving graduates. They collaborate with educational institutions to develop curricula, provide work-based learning opportunities, and ensure training remains relevant to industry needs. Finland’s view [is] that education should develop the whole person, not just create workers. Arts, physical education, and practical subjects remain important throughout schooling, creating well-rounded individuals with diverse capabilities. This comprehensive approach produces adaptable graduates who can navigate changing career landscapes effectively.
Which pretty much proves my point about the USA in a standing with many other countries...and I really appreciate your Country's committment to youth and their importance to the planet! I certainly wish our Educational system was as forward thinking as yours...I totally support your brilliant country and its teaching system!!! Thank you!!!
Ah well, I would not mind calling Helsinki home, but I do not have that luxury currently. As I suspect you are, I am on this side of the TSA border fence, and theoretically able to use my U-issued passport to travel abroad and home with ease. My last trip abroad was before 1/20/24. I mentioned the Finnish system because it is (in my view, anyway) exemplary. If you look here https://tinyurl.com/nuhh35zd (2026), you can see that I just as easily could have been Denmark (#1) or Sweden (#2). Finland is #4 behind #3 UK.
I selected Finland because there abundant research and literature at Google Scholar and elsewhere about how the Finns deliberately slow down the formal educational process, using the early years (until about age 7, as I recall) to allow children to become social beings, comfortable in their own skins and socially adept and active with their peers. They are functioning (mini) members of society before being immersed in the void of academia. It is a strategic process of progressive age-appropriate development, where (as a general proposition) the interests of each child individually supersede the group and the administration. I apologize for the confusion I created but I am definitely a US citizen under the 14th Amendment (as enacted and recently affirmed, somehow).
Thank you!! If I was able to travel the world I would love to travel to Finland, Sweden and Norway...Such beautiful countries as well as wonderful people. Scotland would also be among my destinations, as I am Scot , Norwegian and German and English in my geneology. I am glad you are a US citizen...but we are also citizens of this amazing planet. I am an avid plant and wildlife lover and am fortunate to live in the mountains of Oregon where I garden with wild plants...
I love the idea of letting kids "be who they are and getting comfortable in their own skins" and I think that's the most important part of any education. Kids who are self-confident will usually do better at anything they attempt.
You are not to apologise!! We only care that you are a World Citizen of this wonderful place we call "HOME" Mother Earth!!!
As usual I am bouncing around on topics..I tend to read backwards..
On the brighter side; we'll almost certainly have a democrat as president in '30, as well as a majority in the House and possibly the senate. Having the power means we can kill this initiative of cheating, as well as a lot of other things of fascist origins! Also, disenfranchising all immigrants would make for fewer representatives in places like Texas, Florida, and Arizona, which would hurt the GOP, unless they somehow plan to skip over those districts...
The only problem is the time it takes to get the census ready for creation & distribution. Hopefully we can raise enough hell about yet another desperate, racist action by these nefarious actors to nip this is the bud.
I agree we shouldn’t just sit around and assume everything will work itself out once the right people get in office. Who thought we’d have a second Trump administration, along with a MAGA house and senate? I’m not at all convinced that there’s going to be a democratic Congress or President in 2030.
I kind of like the idea that human waste management systems are managed based on the number of people pooping rather than on the number of citizens pooping.
Look. This comment is to both you and Brian. Look guys. What are the reasons Trump was so successful in getting votes was he spoke with very few intelligent words, sounding more like common man without any education than like you guys who use big words like hyperbolic and animus and other big words that the common man without an education don’t use. We already know the intellectual smart people in this country are against Trump and his agenda. You need to start speaking to the people who have no education or are not intellectual. Speak in plain language and you’ll reach more of those type of voters and that’s what’s important.
Agree. Many would-be democrats voters are confused and do not understand what they and the country have lost in the past 2 years. The DNC in all their fund raising massive mailings, voter surveys, candidates running for office focus on one thing…Trump, Trump, Trump!
Tell me, what is the Democrat platform? What are democrats doing? Why does the senate and house give in to republicans every time they have opportunity to block legislation hurting the working class Americans. Does the Democrat party still exist anymore?
Now, if you could only see fit to donate $500, $100 your donations will fund our Ministry Of Truth... Amd we will enter A Brave New World, Just like 1984, We will build a beautiful Animal Farm for you to enjoy.
But folks, please remember, some Pigs Are Better Than Other Pigs.
Imagine a handful of AI firms possess more: computing than governments; data than nations; influence than traditional institutions; The future has arrived. Dominance: The US-research; China-deployment. Europe-governance. And the actual winners may be companies, not countries. https://tinyurl.com/mr462h74
Thank you for making this available to all of us, I had no idea and, of course, Missouri is right there putting their 2 cents in. I hate Missouri and also we have two of the worst Senators around, Hawley and Schmidt.
It is vital for people to understand the importance of a correct census for the continuation of our democratic process. That includes people who would read this article for information and who need sources on that information. Please add sources to your conclusions so it can be fact checked. People who have no idea of what the census does and how important it is need a different type of writing, shorter, simpler language, facts also with sources listed . Thank you for your attention to this important topic..
Thanks for making this available to non-paying Bulwark subscribers. It's too important to keep behind the paywall.
I am sure that Goebbels in his tomb is Jealous of the ingenuity of the racism displayed in this intricate ruling…
It never stops
Students are increasingly shielded from discomfort, failure and responsibility. They’re entering adulthood anxious, incredibly risk-averse and ill-prepared to face life’s inevitable challenges. The downstream effects: students who fear failure, lack initiative, and turn to adults to manage even minor problems. Professors report students calling parents to negotiate grades. Employers describe young hires who can’t make independent decisions without excessive guidance. The ability to cope with and endure discomfort, once considered a basic developmental milestone, is rapidly eroding. Now, another force threatens to accelerate this trend: AI. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms and everyday life, students may feel even less inclined to engage in creative thinking or struggle through complex problems. Why wrestle with a blank page when an AI tool can write the essay? Why brainstorm ideas when algorithms can generate solutions in seconds? Let students fail. Let them struggle. Let them grow.
AI, like a hovering parent, protects students from the failures they need; LA Times; 16-Jul-26; https://tinyurl.com/bdpwau4m
Education is at the base of so many of our problems and challenges..or the LACK THERE OF... To check the ability of our students to research, interpret, and understand the world..and all it's aspects, become increasingly short sighted. I agree with your statements...and you can check out most people on the streets for their knowledge of ANY subject...including knowledge of our country and its Constitution. I find, I am, at my "age" ( 83), learning so much more that either I missed in school or just I did not learn and I read A LOT!! I read just about everything I can get my hands on..It has been my education through life...and yet...I STILL DON'T KNOW BEANS...So...somehow, for the sake of our country...and the world we need to better education for ALL people and that includes all the drop outs..NO one should have to drop out!!! Damn it!!! All kids need a variety and there are certain areas that should help all interests. In talking with a person who was a socialogist, several years ago, he made a statement that has stuck with me. He said that there are at least six or seven types of students and the type that most teachers care about are type "A", ( B, C D E and F being various personality traits that either don't fit a proscribed type that can be taught a certain way.. those are the types that learn "differently" than the easiest which is type "A") ..I was rotten in school and even though I was a heavy reader even then I found that I just couldn't grasp certain ideas...even though I "tested " very well on the so called "IQ" tests. I wasn't lazy...I loved to learn, but not their way.."ADHD" was not a subject of discussion then. I dropped out of college...I almost dropped out of high school. SO after this long discourse I just think we need better ways to approach schooling for all kids!! My parents never understood why I did so badly...and now, like you say...so many more challenges, distractions and AI...YIKES Thank you for reading!! Any errors are my lack of attention span...LOL!!
Leigh, thank you for the insights and history you shared. You seem to have overcome the disadvantages life too often placed on the path before you. I am a few (not so many) years your junior and now, as an autodidact, gain more knowledge now than I did in 20 years of public education. I understand and synthesize unrelated concepts more easily. The overlooked value of librarians, index cards, book reports, e-free collaboration, and shared experiences (failures & successes) went missing with shame and responsibility. No child left behind. What about no child held back? Regression to the mean prevails.
I encourage you to compare how Finns educate their youth: https://tinyurl.com/yxzmpxfb At the core of this approach is the principle of learner autonomy. Finnish students progressively take greater responsibility for their learning, developing self-direction and problem-solving skills highly valued in modern workplaces. Teachers act more as guides than instructors, fostering independence and critical thinking rather than rote memorization. The Finnish system ... emphasizes authentic assessment through projects, portfolios, and practical demonstrations of knowledge. This creates graduates who can apply their learning in real-world contexts rather than simply performing well on examinations. Finnish employers actively participate in education through structured partnerships rather than merely receiving graduates. They collaborate with educational institutions to develop curricula, provide work-based learning opportunities, and ensure training remains relevant to industry needs. Finland’s view [is] that education should develop the whole person, not just create workers. Arts, physical education, and practical subjects remain important throughout schooling, creating well-rounded individuals with diverse capabilities. This comprehensive approach produces adaptable graduates who can navigate changing career landscapes effectively.
Which pretty much proves my point about the USA in a standing with many other countries...and I really appreciate your Country's committment to youth and their importance to the planet! I certainly wish our Educational system was as forward thinking as yours...I totally support your brilliant country and its teaching system!!! Thank you!!!
Ah well, I would not mind calling Helsinki home, but I do not have that luxury currently. As I suspect you are, I am on this side of the TSA border fence, and theoretically able to use my U-issued passport to travel abroad and home with ease. My last trip abroad was before 1/20/24. I mentioned the Finnish system because it is (in my view, anyway) exemplary. If you look here https://tinyurl.com/nuhh35zd (2026), you can see that I just as easily could have been Denmark (#1) or Sweden (#2). Finland is #4 behind #3 UK.
I selected Finland because there abundant research and literature at Google Scholar and elsewhere about how the Finns deliberately slow down the formal educational process, using the early years (until about age 7, as I recall) to allow children to become social beings, comfortable in their own skins and socially adept and active with their peers. They are functioning (mini) members of society before being immersed in the void of academia. It is a strategic process of progressive age-appropriate development, where (as a general proposition) the interests of each child individually supersede the group and the administration. I apologize for the confusion I created but I am definitely a US citizen under the 14th Amendment (as enacted and recently affirmed, somehow).
Dear Kelvin,
Thank you!! If I was able to travel the world I would love to travel to Finland, Sweden and Norway...Such beautiful countries as well as wonderful people. Scotland would also be among my destinations, as I am Scot , Norwegian and German and English in my geneology. I am glad you are a US citizen...but we are also citizens of this amazing planet. I am an avid plant and wildlife lover and am fortunate to live in the mountains of Oregon where I garden with wild plants...
I love the idea of letting kids "be who they are and getting comfortable in their own skins" and I think that's the most important part of any education. Kids who are self-confident will usually do better at anything they attempt.
You are not to apologise!! We only care that you are a World Citizen of this wonderful place we call "HOME" Mother Earth!!!
As usual I am bouncing around on topics..I tend to read backwards..
Happy Day to you!!
Leigh
Dear Leigh,
From the speech given at Obama's 2nd Term Inauguration:
"We are striving to forge our union with purpose.
To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.
And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us.
We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside.
We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another.
We seek harm to none and harmony for all.
The new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it."
Excerpted from "The Hill We Climb" by Amanda Gorman, Poet Laureate, 20-Jan-2021; https://www.poetry.com/poem/60572/the-hill-we-climb
=====
PS. We're neighbors. Have a wonderful Tuesday. Kelvin
Thank you. I identify with many of your points. Early education is so influenced by what a student is exposed to outside of the classroom.
Can we please have a name for folks who love @Catherine Rampell ’s work?
Nerds of the Rampell Realm, maybe?
On the brighter side; we'll almost certainly have a democrat as president in '30, as well as a majority in the House and possibly the senate. Having the power means we can kill this initiative of cheating, as well as a lot of other things of fascist origins! Also, disenfranchising all immigrants would make for fewer representatives in places like Texas, Florida, and Arizona, which would hurt the GOP, unless they somehow plan to skip over those districts...
The only problem is the time it takes to get the census ready for creation & distribution. Hopefully we can raise enough hell about yet another desperate, racist action by these nefarious actors to nip this is the bud.
I agree we shouldn’t just sit around and assume everything will work itself out once the right people get in office. Who thought we’d have a second Trump administration, along with a MAGA house and senate? I’m not at all convinced that there’s going to be a democratic Congress or President in 2030.
Oh god we better…
I kind of like the idea that human waste management systems are managed based on the number of people pooping rather than on the number of citizens pooping.
Look. This comment is to both you and Brian. Look guys. What are the reasons Trump was so successful in getting votes was he spoke with very few intelligent words, sounding more like common man without any education than like you guys who use big words like hyperbolic and animus and other big words that the common man without an education don’t use. We already know the intellectual smart people in this country are against Trump and his agenda. You need to start speaking to the people who have no education or are not intellectual. Speak in plain language and you’ll reach more of those type of voters and that’s what’s important.
Agree. Many would-be democrats voters are confused and do not understand what they and the country have lost in the past 2 years. The DNC in all their fund raising massive mailings, voter surveys, candidates running for office focus on one thing…Trump, Trump, Trump!
Tell me, what is the Democrat platform? What are democrats doing? Why does the senate and house give in to republicans every time they have opportunity to block legislation hurting the working class Americans. Does the Democrat party still exist anymore?
So, us Rez born get excluded, because the clause excused Natives, specifically, plus we were born on what are actually soveriegn nations.
Is that the next card in the deck? Or do they have 5 more dueces and jokers left to play?
When are we gonna get back to the One Drop Theory where your raped great-great granma had a half white child?
Is geneology and race theory gonna take down what strife and struggle has taken so long to build?
Oh, shit, me, too!!!! And probably most of the population of Oklahoma, NM, etc.
Well, us western folk have always beem a little uppity and bodacious... or is that audacious?
Him Stephen Miller Russell Voight are rigging themselves straight to Hell!!!
I despise this regime. He's never going to leave the office
He will die in office or become so incapacitated that he will be removed. All this before 2028 it seems.
Your prayers matter!!!
Now, if you could only see fit to donate $500, $100 your donations will fund our Ministry Of Truth... Amd we will enter A Brave New World, Just like 1984, We will build a beautiful Animal Farm for you to enjoy.
But folks, please remember, some Pigs Are Better Than Other Pigs.
Imagine a handful of AI firms possess more: computing than governments; data than nations; influence than traditional institutions; The future has arrived. Dominance: The US-research; China-deployment. Europe-governance. And the actual winners may be companies, not countries. https://tinyurl.com/mr462h74
Thank you for making this available to all of us, I had no idea and, of course, Missouri is right there putting their 2 cents in. I hate Missouri and also we have two of the worst Senators around, Hawley and Schmidt.
The US Census only requires a count. You don't have to answer any of the other bullshit questions.
It even asks about pets-in Massachusetts a cat was summoned for jury duty based on the census.
'Bout f@mn time those cats started doing their civic duty, is your cat running for Platner's seat?
trump Hurting Red States, Too???
What a surprise?? NOPE!!
What DECADES of HISTORY have shown us ALL...
trump has NO LOYALTY to ANYONE ELSE EVER!!
trump WILL take trump Down... along with maga.
It's ONLY a matter of time now...
Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock 💣🤯
It is vital for people to understand the importance of a correct census for the continuation of our democratic process. That includes people who would read this article for information and who need sources on that information. Please add sources to your conclusions so it can be fact checked. People who have no idea of what the census does and how important it is need a different type of writing, shorter, simpler language, facts also with sources listed . Thank you for your attention to this important topic..