--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of our competitor nations around the…" description: "\"Most of our competitor nations around the world have a national education system and America is the only major nation in the world that operates off of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-glenn-12081_america_most-of-our-competitor-nations-around-th_1029939.jpg" --- # Most of our competitor nations around the world have a… ![“Most of our competitor nations around the world have a national education system and America is the only major nation in the world that operates off of local school boards. They receive very little direction from state boards of education or from the nation. So local school boards direct basically…” quote by John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-glenn-12081_america_most-of-our-competitor-nations-around-th_1029939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-glenn-12081_america_most-of-our-competitor-nations-around-th_1029939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-glenn-12081_america_most-of-our-competitor-nations-around-th_1029939.jpg) > “Most of our competitor nations around the world have a national education system and America is the only major nation in the world that operates off of local school boards. They receive very little direction from state boards of education or from the nation. So local school boards direct basically what happens and too often they're not willing to track or to do the supervision of the education system that will make it world competitive.” [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s decentralized school governance limits national coordination, hindering global competitiveness. **In simple terms:** Local control weakens national education standards. Key Takeaway Strengthen state oversight for competitive schools. Themes education governance competitiveness policy decentralization Mood concerned critical Type policy analysis When to use this quote - state education reform - national curriculum development - international benchmarking - teacher training programs Key Concepts Federalism accountability quality assurance Questions to Reflect On - How can local boards retain flexibility while meeting global standards? - What incentives encourage boards to adopt rigorous oversight? A Different Perspective Balancing local autonomy with national standards is politically challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Board of education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/board-of-education/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-system/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School board](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-board/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [School boards are, for the most part ,made up of political wannabes who see a board seat as a stepping stone for political office,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/school-boards-are-for-the-most-part-made-up-of-political-wannabes-who/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [This is an historic day for American public education and for our nation as we begin the journey to level the academic playing field…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bradley-bryant/this-is-an-historic-day-for-american-public-education-and-for-our/) William Bradley Bryant > [In the World Cup, people of many nations come together for a fierce competition. To field the best team, all the competitor nations know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-pritzker/in-the-world-cup-people-of-many-nations-come-together-for-a-fierce/) [J. B. Pritzker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-pritzker/) > [On K-12 education America has gone down, down, down compared to the other nations. It doesn't mean that we have gotten dumber. It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/on-k-12-education-america-has-gone-down-down-down-compared-to-the/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [The way I want to try and end private schools is by making our national education service so good you wouldn't want to waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/the-way-i-want-to-try-and-end-private-schools-is-by-making-our/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [What then is the purpose of national education? Rather than devise complex theoretical interpretations, it is better to start by looking to the lovely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsunesaburo-makiguchi/what-then-is-the-purpose-of-national-education-rather-than-devise/) [Tsunesaburo Makiguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsunesaburo-makiguchi/) > [The National Education Association is the al-Qaida of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/the-national-education-association-is-the-al-qaida-of-education/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [National education to be truly national must reflect the national condition for the time being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/national-education-to-be-truly-national-must-reflect-the-national/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Someone said I have had my popularity diminished by getting into the controversy of national education. Perhaps they are right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lam/someone-said-i-have-had-my-popularity-diminished-by-getting-into-the/) [Carrie Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lam/) > [ “Today, our most important and most productive task is the national education \[unification and modernization\] affairs. We have to be successful in national education… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atat-rk/today-our-most-important-and-most-productive-task-is-the-national/) Atatürk > [I envy neither the heart nor the head of any legislator who has been born to an inheritance of privileges, who has behind him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-harper/i-envy-neither-the-heart-nor-the-head-of-any-legislator-who-has-been/) [Frances Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-harper/) > [I confess that for fifteen years my efforts in education, and my hopes of success in establishing a system of national education, have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cobden/i-confess-that-for-fifteen-years-my-efforts-in-education-and-my-hopes/) [Richard Cobden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cobden/) > [In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-the-first-place-god-made-idiots-that-was-for-practice-then-he-made/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The modulating principle of “salary according to merit” has not failed to tempt national education itself. Indeed, just as the corporation replaces the factory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-modulating-principle-of-salary-according-to-merit-has-not-failed/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [I don't know if I'm a national education figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-a-national-education-figure/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) ## More by John Glenn > [If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people I’ve known are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/if-there-is-one-thing-i-ve-learned-in-my-years-on-this-planet-it-s/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [To get your name well enough known that you can run for a public office, some people do it by being great lawyers or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/to-get-your-name-well-enough-known-that-you-can-run-for-a-public/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [There are times when you devote yourself to a higher cause than personal safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/there-are-times-when-you-devote-yourself-to-a-higher-cause-than/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I think that it's good for us to be able to travel in space and do research in space, and I emphasize the research,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-think-that-it-s-good-for-us-to-be-able-to-travel-in-space-and-do/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I was sold on flying as soon as I had a taste for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-was-sold-on-flying-as-soon-as-i-had-a-taste-for-it/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I still love to fly and I'll never get over that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-still-love-to-fly-and-i-ll-never-get-over-that/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [America had an emphasis on the individual and so education became available for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/america-had-an-emphasis-on-the-individual-and-so-education-became/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I am a stranger. I come in peace. Take me to your leader and there will be a massive reward for you in eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-am-a-stranger-i-come-in-peace-take-me-to-your-leader-and-there-will/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [We used to joke about canned men, putting people in a can and seeing how far you can send them and bring them back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/we-used-to-joke-about-canned-men-putting-people-in-a-can-and-seeing/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [As far as actually setting up colonies of people who would live their whole lives in space, I think we're a long ways from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/as-far-as-actually-setting-up-colonies-of-people-who-would-live-their/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [On K-12 education America has gone down, down, down compared to the other nations. It doesn't mean that we have gotten dumber. It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/on-k-12-education-america-has-gone-down-down-down-compared-to-the/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [Exploration, of course, is going to new places, but I don't think we go to new places just solely to say: "Well, we've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/exploration-of-course-is-going-to-new-places-but-i-don-t-think-we-go/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [That was a real fireball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/that-was-a-real-fireball/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [Just because I'm 77 doesn't mean I don't have a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/just-because-i-m-77-doesn-t-mean-i-don-t-have-a-dream/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I think no matter where we go in space to me the important thing is not only getting there and getting back, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-think-no-matter-where-we-go-in-space-to-me-the-important-thing-is/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) [Explore all 56 John Glenn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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