I would have responded sooner but I was not aware that TBF was upset by my post. By the way, I stand by my previous analysis of the teaching (actually the lack thereof) of English grammar in the public schools (TBF, you may want to note that "English" is capitalized).
My purpose should have been clear to anyone not looking to start a dispute. I am confident that I know many more public school teachers than does TBF. I support them without reservation and I also know what they face each day from "the system". In fact, I am a former public school teacher. My "shot" was at KERA and not at all at them. Nevertheless, facts are facts. I must point out that English teachers graduating from Kentucky colleges in recent years are not taught grammar nor how to teach it. In fact, proper use of the English language and the art of writing and speaking correctly have been discarded by our venues of "higher education". Since our public schools, because of KERA, are handcuffed by all of this portfolio emphasis (just write, write, write and don't worry that you don't know a noun from a verb- let alone a gerand), the writing achievement of most students is lots of quantity but absolutely no quality.
The fact that TBF, now a superior, says he has never been called upon to diagram a sentence while on the job indicates his lack of knowledge of communication. In fact, TBF, if you communicate in a correct and effective manner in your position as "superior" you do indeed (or at least should) mentally diagram each sentence as you write it or as you speak it. This discipline in proper use of the language should be an imperative for all who wish to gain real success and respect from other properly educated individuals. Your argument reminds me of the people who say they don't know why they had to take algebra because they never use it in life. In truth, most of us use algebra in some manner each day (ex: "if 4 cans of beans cost a dollar, how much does each can cost" is really "4x =$1.00 therefore X=25 cents").
We have pretty well "dumbed down" all of our disciplines- educational and societal- and we are reaping a meager harvest. Do I blame public school teachers? No. For the most part I blame the present system of education. On the other hand, I know that teaching English grammar requires much more effort than teaching literature (just read the next chapter and answer the questions on page 33) and portfolio writing (see above). But we should also remember that English grammar is not covered on the reward tests so we better keep in mind the goals of our administrators- both in individual schools and down at the central office.
No, TBF, my friend, I will not retract anything that I said before because those in education, those in communication, and those in the professions (not professional football or basketball but the true professions) know that I am correct.