'It's Clear That We've Got a Problem That We've Got to Address'

It seems scaring the daylights out of kids and focusing on nonexistent global warming/climate change has had the desired effect: Americans kids are extremely confident yet aren't all that bright when it comes to math and science. But they certainly know global warming is the greatest crisis facing mankind or something. Don't worry, though. Al Gore is coming to the rescue.

The United States educational system is failing students in the areas of science and math, according to former Vice President Al Gore.

"When you look at math and science education, it's clear that we've got a problem that we've got to address," Gore said during a recent online conference sponsored by Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds program.

Based on a worldwide assessment of teens' math and science, the U.S. is currently ranked 29th in science and 35th in math compared with the rest of the world.

"We're not in a position we want to be in today; that's the facts," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Nearly 6,000 people logged onto the Connect a Million Minds town hall from countries such as the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and more.

Ironically, according to the recent theatrical film "Waiting for Superman," the U.S. ranks No. 1 in confidence. Yet research shows many students here tend not to worry about school, so those who do are called nerds.

Of course we rank No. 1 in confidence. Keep building that self-esteem and tell kids how great they are without showing any results. That ought to help. Oh, and let's ignore actual math and science and let's go on a decade-long campaign to indoctrinate them with junk science, like Gore has done. Then have him come fix the problem. Sure, that'll work.