How Dumb Can We Be?

I've been noticing something lately, we in America have become far to illiterate. Some days back a guy reading something out loud for my Spainish class had trouble with town names, one of them being San Diego, a very large, well-known city. Someone in my history class asked me about a very common word, not knowing the meaning (this was a honors class). She further went on to assult me for reading at least part of the section before we did the worksheet, then I was quick to point out that she had barely got a C on the last test, (I got 107/100) that silenced her quick. Many students have struggles naming state senators and representatives, I warrant most could not name the state Secretary of State, and very few know who has been nominated to replace Judge. Sandra Day O'Conner (thats one of two Supreme Court Justices who was a sway voter. The Supreme Court is one of our three brances of government responsible for making sure the other branches act in accordance to, and pass laws that abide by the Constitution).
We have got some serious problems with education here, and believe it or not the senate had to recently vote down a bill that would cut funding for schools. I'm sick and tired of poor education,students and teachers need to get on the ball.

Just to back up my accusations, here are the percentages of eigth graders who scored BELOW national proficiancy levels in reading alone, state ranking on top, %'s on bottom.
United States 29%
45
Alabama
37%

34
Alaska
30%

43
Arizona
35%

35
Arkansas
31%

48
California
40%

21
Colorado
25%

26
Connecticut
26%

7
Delaware
20%

42
Florida
34%

39
Georgia
33%

50
Hawaii (worst)
42%

19
Idaho
24%

21
Illinois
25%

28
Indiana
27%

12
Iowa
21%

14
Kansas
22%

21
Kentucky
25%

44
Louisiana
36%

5
Maine
19%

35
Maryland
31%

1
Massachusetts (best)
17%

28
Michigan
27%

7
Minnesota
20%

48
Mississippi
40%

19
Missouri
24%

3
Montana
18%

7
Nebraska
20%

45
Nevada
37%

7
New Hampshire
20%

7
New Jersey
20%

47
New Mexico
38%

21
New York
25%

35
North Carolina
31%

1
North Dakota (best)
17%

14
Ohio
22%

31
Oklahoma
28%

26
Oregon
26%

17
Pennsylvania
23%

32
Rhode Island
29%

39
South Carolina
33%

3
South Dakota
18%

32
Tennessee
29%

35
Texas
31%

28
Utah
27%

12
Vermont
21%

14
Virginia
22%

21
Washington
25%

39
West Virginia
33%

17
Wisconsin
23%

5
Wyoming
19%
*Child Trends Data Bank