The American education system is not outdated. My point is that when I hear people blaming the public schools for a supposed decline on the world stage in education, I can't agree. These studies base their findings on which country's 12th graders get higher test scores.
Education is more than calculus scores.
It is also being able to hold onto a job. Education is how well people are employed and enjoy the life they look to lead. I say that if people know how to take advantage of the education offered by the public schools, they can learn the necessary skills to get them on the right track. Whether or not people know how to take advantage of a free education usually stems from what their family encourages. What it comes down to is education has to be valued by the family and by society as well.