How many states are in the United States? 50, 51, 52, 53? Any takers?
Yes, this was the question and the replies I overheard in the nail salon just earlier today. For a few awkward minutes, I felt like Jay Leno when he walks the streets of L.A. for his The Tonight Show “Jaywalking” segment. Of course, both my answer and the Vietnamese nail technician’s answer were 50. He knew the answer because he “took the U.S. citizenship test about 25 years ago,” and I knew the answer because …
… I’m from the U.S.
… I made it past the third grade in school.
… There are 50 stars on the American flag.
… I was the only educator present.
When the four non-blondes asked “Are you sure?” I had to clarify that Washington, D.C., is not a state and that the U.S. Virgin Islands are a territory. Hence, that is why local TV stations announced that Mayor Oscar Goodman welcomed 52 contestants to town for the Miss America Pageant this weekend.
Now, for a more important question: Are we failing America’s schools, or are America’s schools failing us?
One opinion about our country’s schools is that they are designed to keep young people in waiting until it’s their turn to join the labor force. In that sense, I’d say they were successful…
Where are you? Your email bounced.