---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Schools are really bad now. Schools are…"
description: "\"Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in reading, writing and arithmetic, they're worse in cultural aspects, like in music and art. They..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg"
---

#  Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in…

![“Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in reading, writing and arithmetic, they're worse in cultural aspects, like in music and art. They don't teach you anything.” quote by John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg)

> “Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in reading, writing and arithmetic, they're worse in cultural aspects, like in music and art. They don't teach you anything.”

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Schools are failing to teach core academics and cultural arts, leaving students underprepared.

**In simple terms:** Schools neglect both basics and arts.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for balanced curricula.

Themes

education culture arts academics

Mood

concerned critical

Type

advocacy commentary

When to use this quote

- parent meetings
- school board discussions
- teacher training
- community workshops

Key Concepts

curriculum design public policy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can communities support arts education?
- What reforms improve basic literacy?

A Different Perspective

Limited resources and systemic inertia hinder reform.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Arithmetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [For teachers, getting annual test scores several months after taking the test and in most cases long after the students have departed for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-b-reeves/for-teachers-getting-annual-test-scores-several-months-after-taking/)

[Douglas B. Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-b-reeves/)

> [Earlier today, Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized the California school system, calling it disastrous. Arnold says California's schools are so bad that its graduates are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/earlier-today-arnold-schwarzenegger-criticized-the-california-school/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [In 1970 the top three skills required by the Fortune 500 were the three Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic. In 1999 the top three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-darling-hammond/in-1970-the-top-three-skills-required-by-the-fortune-500-were-the/)

[Linda Darling-Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-darling-hammond/)

> [If the traditional Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic) are the basics that we want our children to master academically, then reverence, respect, and responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-weil/if-the-traditional-rs-reading-writing-and-arithmetic-are-the-basics/)

[Zoe Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-weil/)

> [I went to an all-girls Catholic high school. The three things that they focused on were reading, writing, and arithmetic. My goodness, this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-went-to-an-all-girls-catholic-high-school-the-three-things-that/)

[Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/)

> [Do we really need school? I don't mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/do-we-really-need-school-i-don-t-mean-education-just-forced-schooling/)

[John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/)

> [Humans aren't as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others, be they humans or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/humans-aren-t-as-good-as-we-should-be-in-our-capacity-to-empathize/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [I mean, the piano, of course, but I think the piano should be taught in school just like mathematics, just like reading, writing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bartz/i-mean-the-piano-of-course-but-i-think-the-piano-should-be-taught-in/)

[Gary Bartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bartz/)

> [So maybe part of our formal education should be training in empathy. Imagine how different the world would be if, in fact, that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/so-maybe-part-of-our-formal-education-should-be-training-in-empathy/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Children do not learn in school; they are babysat. It takes maybe 50 hours to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. After that, students can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/children-do-not-learn-in-school-they-are-babysat-it-takes-maybe-50/)

[John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/)

> [“If a good system of agriculture, unrivaled manufacturing skill, a capacity to produce whatever can contribute to either convenience or luxury, schools established in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-munro/if-a-good-system-of-agriculture-unrivaled-manufacturing-skill-a/)

Thomas Munro

> [Private schools have been attacking public schools and really I was just a pawn in their game. I speak at schools of all ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gorilla-zoe/private-schools-have-been-attacking-public-schools-and-really-i-was/)

[Gorilla Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gorilla-zoe/)

> [We used to have superb public schools. I guess we don't anymore, but, boy, the public schools were really something and I am a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-used-to-have-superb-public-schools-i-guess-we-don-t-anymore-but/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [Well, I am producing a show that's going to be on NBC this fall. It's called 'School Pride,' and it's a reality show where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-hines/well-i-am-producing-a-show-that-s-going-to-be-on-nbc-this-fall-it-s/)

[Cheryl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-hines/)

> [I would argue that the charter schools are really good at building programming and curriculum around the issues and the interests of the kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-baker/i-would-argue-that-the-charter-schools-are-really-good-at-building/)

[Charlie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-baker/)

## More by John Kricfalusi

> [My intended audience was everybody. I just want to make cartoons for human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/my-intended-audience-was-everybody-i-just-want-to-make-cartoons-for/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [There are artists who are writers, but there was no such thing as cartoons that were written by somebody who couldn't draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/there-are-artists-who-are-writers-but-there-was-no-such-thing-as/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [Mel Blanc has been gone for 30 years, even though he's still around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/mel-blanc-has-been-gone-for-30-years-even-though-he-s-still-around/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [The generic Canadian style of illustration is different from the generic American style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/the-generic-canadian-style-of-illustration-is-different-from-the/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [If you're reading a comic strip, you can read it at any speed you want. But with film and music, the audience has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/if-you-re-reading-a-comic-strip-you-can-read-it-at-any-speed-you-want/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [I don t think cartoons are only for kids, but I think kids will love anything as long as it's visually interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/i-don-t-think-cartoons-are-only-for-kids-but-i-think-kids-will-love/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [My style is very strong poses and expressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/my-style-is-very-strong-poses-and-expressions/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [As soon as I found out how compartmentalized the industry was, I realized, Well, no wonder the cartoons are so bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/as-soon-as-i-found-out-how-compartmentalized-the-industry-was-i/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [Not very many people can draw who are illustrators today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/not-very-many-people-can-draw-who-are-illustrators-today/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [You can draw Family Guy when you're 10 years old. You don't have to get any better than that to become a professional cartoonist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/you-can-draw-family-guy-when-you-re-10-years-old-you-don-t-have-to/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [I used to watch nature shows and laugh at them. Everyone thought I was crazy. "Why are you laughing at a nature show?" Isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/i-used-to-watch-nature-shows-and-laugh-at-them-everyone-thought-i-was/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [From 20 years of experience hiring artists out of the schools, I know-they get worse every year. They're absolutely ridiculously retarded now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/from-20-years-of-experience-hiring-artists-out-of-the-schools-i-know/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [The only character I ever remember actually creating in a flash of inspiration was George Liquor. God planted that in my head in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/the-only-character-i-ever-remember-actually-creating-in-a-flash-of/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [I influenced the BG style by not being able to draw perspective. The BG artists developed cool graphic painting styles to make my bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/i-influenced-the-bg-style-by-not-being-able-to-draw-perspective-the/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [To make something look real and alive, nothing can be symmetrical because nothing in real life is symmetrical. You have to make it look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/to-make-something-look-real-and-alive-nothing-can-be-symmetrical/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

[Explore all 38 John Kricfalusi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

## More Arithmetic quotes

> [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/)

[Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/)

> [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/)

[Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/)

> [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/)

[Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/)

> [Arithmetic has began to totter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottlob-frege/arithmetic-has-began-to-totter/)

[Gottlob Frege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottlob-frege/)

> [Economics is half psychology and half Grade Three arithmetic, and the U.S. does not now have either half right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/economics-is-half-psychology-and-half-grade-three-arithmetic-and-the/)

[Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/)

> [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/)

[David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/)

> [When I was at school, I was terrible at algebra and arithmetic, but I was always the best at English and literature. And acting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/when-i-was-at-school-i-was-terrible-at-algebra-and-arithmetic-but-i/)

[Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/)

> [“A goal of this book has been to tear down in some small part these barriers to understanding by attempting to shatter the “divinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-arnell-williams/a-goal-of-this-book-has-been-to-tear-down-in-some-small-part-these/)

[G. Arnell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-arnell-williams/)

> [Man is a rational animal—so at least I have been told. … Aristotle, so far as I know, was the first man to proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-aristotle-so/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/the-mortal-enemies-of-social-security-and-medicare-are-those-who-in/)

[Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/)

> [Arithmetic arithmetock Turn the hands back on the clock How does the ocean rock the boat? How did the razor find my throat? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/arithmetic-arithmetock-turn-the-hands-back-on-the-clock-how-does-the/)

[Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/)

> [Long before I learned to do a sum in arithmetic or describe the shape of the earth, Miss Sullivan had taught me to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/long-before-i-learned-to-do-a-sum-in-arithmetic-or-describe-the-shape/)

[Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/)

> [Arithmetic starts with the integers and proceeds by successively enlarging the number system by rational and negative numbers, irrational numbers, etc... But the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-robinson/arithmetic-starts-with-the-integers-and-proceeds-by-successively/)

[Abraham Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-robinson/)

> [The loony legacy of money was that the arithmetic by which things were measured had become more valuable than the things themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-loony-legacy-of-money-was-that-the-arithmetic-by-which-things/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

[Browse all 233 Arithmetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in reading, writing and arithmetic, they're worse in cultural aspects, like in music and art. They don't teach you anything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Kricfalusi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-not-only-bad-in-reading/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Arithmetic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-not-only-bad-in-reading/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/john-kricfalusi-16893_arithmetic_schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-n_1779535.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Schools are really bad now. Schools are not only bad in reading, writing and arithmetic, they're worse in…” — John Kricfalusi",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Kricfalusi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Schools are really bad now. Schools...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-not-only-bad-in-reading/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/schools-are-really-bad-now-schools-are-not-only-bad-in-reading/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
