Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:24     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
He's not wrong so what's the problem you hate his honesty or you hate the truth?
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:24     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:Part of this experience is an opportunity for you to learn about his culture, right? Well, I do think Germans are more direct. I also think, as an American, that he is absolutely right about the American public education system. It is sad, but true. Perhaps you could show an interest and learn what the German schools and parents are doing right, and perhaps we could learn to do better for our kids over here.

To the PP above who says AP levels are "actually reasonably good," sadly this is not true and it really depends on the school. At our local public school, anyone can take AP classes, there is no requirement for the school to demonstrate proficiency by making students sit for the exams. I believe this is why we now have college students who lack basic middle school math abilities, despite the fact that some of them have taken AP Calculus! A study in the UC system actually found this to be the case, and they have had to adapt and offer remedial basic math courses for college students.


I didn't know that AP level difficulty is dependent on school district. It makes sense. In our HS, only top students are allowed in the AP classes (WA state no less) and most kids sit for the exams. I think they tried to change this, but parents were against. I'm actually very happy with our school district. I've read that some students in the UC system are now sent to take remedial math courses in college. Students like this would never see a university in Europe (at least not the state universities, which are paid for by taxpayers). If it's "rude" to point it out, so be it. This is what happens when the university education is "free", only the top students get to go.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:22     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:He’s from Germany. He 17 and has quite an ego. His English is formal, but excellent and he also speaks German and Spanish fluently.
He’s not taking any math or science classes while he’s here because he doesn’t like those subjects.
He comes home from school every day telling me how the Americans can’t read, don’t know geography, history etc. I’m really tired of hearing it.
Help me survive this until June!


"He’s not taking any math or science classes"
Doesn't he have to?
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:21     Subject: Re:I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He’s not wrong.


But he's also from a system where only 31% of 16-year-olds would continue with formal academic education, as opposed to 100% of students here. So of course the general high school population seems skewed to him. Two-thirds of the students he's in class with here would have dropped out of academia by this age in Germany.


While this is true, if you compare only the subset of kids who are college or university bound, the American system is showing a lot of problems right now, because kids are showing up to college here way more underprepared than they used to be.


This is confirmed that current college students are lacking math skills, it’s the COVID effect from trapping our kids at home for so long. Thank you teachers and democrats for the disservice you’ve done to a generation of kids
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:19     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Part of this experience is an opportunity for you to learn about his culture, right? Well, I do think Germans are more direct. I also think, as an American, that he is absolutely right about the American public education system. It is sad, but true. Perhaps you could show an interest and learn what the German schools and parents are doing right, and perhaps we could learn to do better for our kids over here.

To the PP above who says AP levels are "actually reasonably good," sadly this is not true and it really depends on the school. At our local public school, anyone can take AP classes, there is no requirement for the school to demonstrate proficiency by making students sit for the exams. I believe this is why we now have college students who lack basic middle school math abilities, despite the fact that some of them have taken AP Calculus! A study in the UC system actually found this to be the case, and they have had to adapt and offer remedial basic math courses for college students.


To be fair the kids at UCSD who test into elementary or middle school math were not reporting AP scores. They had As in Calculus at their high school.


At our school kids take AP calc all the time without even having to take the AP calc exam. They can have AP Whatever Class on their transcript and get by with grade inflation. No need to demonstrate real AP skills.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:19     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
So no one in the entire school is smarter than him? Is he only taking regular classes vs honors or AP? Ask him to tone it down.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:19     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He’s from Germany. He 17 and has quite an ego. His English is formal, but excellent and he also speaks German and Spanish fluently.
He’s not taking any math or science classes while he’s here because he doesn’t like those subjects.
He comes home from school every day telling me how the Americans can’t read, don’t know geography, history etc. I’m really tired of hearing it.
Help me survive this until June!


He is right 1/3 of this country is stupid it is called the cult of MAGA stupids.

How do you not understand this?

We have a country of idiots singing confederacy songs still and NAZI criminals running the government.



Op where do you live and why are you on DCum?
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:18     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
I would ignore. He is German, so very direct, and probably a little bit homesick. Just redirect the conversation.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:17     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:Part of this experience is an opportunity for you to learn about his culture, right? Well, I do think Germans are more direct. I also think, as an American, that he is absolutely right about the American public education system. It is sad, but true. Perhaps you could show an interest and learn what the German schools and parents are doing right, and perhaps we could learn to do better for our kids over here.

To the PP above who says AP levels are "actually reasonably good," sadly this is not true and it really depends on the school. At our local public school, anyone can take AP classes, there is no requirement for the school to demonstrate proficiency by making students sit for the exams. I believe this is why we now have college students who lack basic middle school math abilities, despite the fact that some of them have taken AP Calculus! A study in the UC system actually found this to be the case, and they have had to adapt and offer remedial basic math courses for college students.


To be fair the kids at UCSD who test into elementary or middle school math were not reporting AP scores. They had As in Calculus at their high school.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:14     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
First of all, this is true about Germans being very direct.

Secondly, what he says about American education is spot on. Remember what Alexis de Tocqueville said about the banality of American education.

My kids go to a public school, and my high schooler is taking many APs in the humanities. These courses are absolutely terrible and would have turned me off of writing and history altogether.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:10     Subject: Re:I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He’s not wrong.


But he's also from a system where only 31% of 16-year-olds would continue with formal academic education, as opposed to 100% of students here. So of course the general high school population seems skewed to him. Two-thirds of the students he's in class with here would have dropped out of academia by this age in Germany.


While this is true, if you compare only the subset of kids who are college or university bound, the American system is showing a lot of problems right now, because kids are showing up to college here way more underprepared than they used to be.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:09     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Doesn’t Germany track students early on (10-11) where you need to test in order to be on the advanced degree track? If so, let him know he’s on the easy track
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:08     Subject: Re:I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Wow are you that offended by a child you’re hosting? I feel bad for him.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:07     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
Part of this experience is an opportunity for you to learn about his culture, right? Well, I do think Germans are more direct. I also think, as an American, that he is absolutely right about the American public education system. It is sad, but true. Perhaps you could show an interest and learn what the German schools and parents are doing right, and perhaps we could learn to do better for our kids over here.

To the PP above who says AP levels are "actually reasonably good," sadly this is not true and it really depends on the school. At our local public school, anyone can take AP classes, there is no requirement for the school to demonstrate proficiency by making students sit for the exams. I believe this is why we now have college students who lack basic middle school math abilities, despite the fact that some of them have taken AP Calculus! A study in the UC system actually found this to be the case, and they have had to adapt and offer remedial basic math courses for college students.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2026 12:06     Subject: I’m tired of my exchange student talking about how easy school is here and how dumb the American kids are.
If he is not in an honors or AP class then he is in classes that are not challenging and have the lowest level of students. I’m guessing he’s in the lowest level classes, so his flex is laughable. Let him keep believing he’s so smart while languishing with the bottom third