From Family Collapse to America's Decline: The Educational, Economic, and Social Costs of Family Fragmentation

by Mitch Pearlstein

Overview

Very high rates of family fragmentation in the United States are subtracting from what very large numbers of students are learning in school and forever holding them back in many other ways. This in turn is damaging the country economically by making us less primed for innovation while also making millions of Americans less competitive in an increasingly demanding worldwide marketplace. All of which is leading – and can only lead – to deepening class divisions in a nation which has never viewed itself or operated in such splintered ways. What can be done to reverse these severely destructive trends, starting with reducing the enormous number of children forced to grow up with only one parent living under the same roof? What educational reforms are most likely to help under such demanding circumstances? And as dangerous as the situation is, why do leaders in education and other fields persist, for both understandable and less-worthy reasons, in dancing around profoundly important questions of family breakdown to the point of contortion and ultimately failure?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607093626
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	08/22/2011
Series:	New Frontiers in Education
Pages:	165
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Mitch Pearlstein is president of Center of the American Experiment, a think tank in Minneapolis he founded in 1990.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1 From Moynihan to "My Goodness" 1

Chapter 2 Fragmentation's Effects on "Every Conceivable Measure" 29

Chapter 3 Fragmentation's Effects on Educational Performance 47

Chapter 4 Fragmentation's Effects on Economic Performance 69

Chapter 5 Strengthening Learning 91

Chapter 6 Strengthening Marriage 121

Chapter 7 Conclusion 149

Index 155

About the Author 165

What People are Saying About This

David Blankenhorn

Mitch Pearlstein has a big idea. It's that today's family trends affect far more than our families. They affect how and whether our schools can teach, and how and whether our economy can grow. Written with a light touch and a sure hand, this book is a genuine, serious contribution to our national discussion. I particularly like the fact that Pearlstein does more than diagnose the problem. He also offers up a pail full of creative solutions.

Chester E. Finn Jr.

Parents are the first and most influential teachers that any child has and the family the first and most influential school. When those are in good shape and to their part, kids tend to fare well in education and in life. When those falter, great schools (and other key institutions) can help a lot—but never really substitute. Understanding—and trying to reverse—America's 'nuclear meltdown' is this thoughtful book's peerless contribution.

Glenn C. Loury

Mitch Pearlstein says that, due to rising divorce and non-marital birth rates, an alarming number of young Americans grow up without the benefit of two caring parents. He's right. He's persuaded that such weakness in the structure of American families hampers our nation's economic competitiveness. Right again. This is neither a liberal nor a conservative position; it's just plain common sense. And Pearlstein's argument makes one thing abundantly clear: it's well past time for liberals like me to work together with conservatives like him so we can figure out what to do about this gravely serious problem.

Eric A. Hanushek

Political correctness leads some topics to be completely avoided, regardless of their importance. Family fragmentation is one of these, but Pearlstein has now broken it open. He makes a compelling case that we avoid problems of the family at our individual and national peril. Perhaps now that the topic has been so forcefully exposed, we as a nation can address the issues in a broad and constructive manner.

Abigail Thernstrom and Stephan Thernstrom

There has been much chatter in recent years about refusing to accept any excuses for low-income and minority students doing poorly in school. We, ourselves, have made that the case. Moreover, substantial federal and state dollars have been spent in an attempt to close the racial gap in academic performance. But Mitch Pearlstein, better than anyone else, has explained why the goal must be understood simply as a noble aspiration. As long as family fragmentation rates in the United States remain so disastrously high, the basic picture will not change, regardless of how much American schools are 'reformed.'

William J. Doherty

A shot across the bow of the national conversation on education and economic competitiveness. Pearlstein challenges both the left and right for an elephant-sized blind spot about the importance of family fragmentation in our persistent achievement gaps. He is appropriately humble about solutions, but argues convincingly that we can't hope to turn things around if we keep avoiding this uncomfortable conversation.

Robert Osburn

This work of earnest policy reflection ought to arouse our moral indignation, as the educational and vocational futures of millions of children are being sacrificed at a cost none of them should bear. If we want to recover a vigorous economy and vibrant culture, those of us in education, religion, business, and policy-making must seriously heed what Mitch Pearlstein sagely writes about family and parenting failures. God forbid if we don't.

Heather MacDonald

Conservative and liberal education reformers, for all their disagreements on policy, are united on one matter. Both camps maintain a studied silence regarding the greatest impediment to closing the achievement gap and improving U.S. educational performance: family breakdown. Mitch Pearlstein is determined to break that silence. Unless Americans can figure out how to stem the epidemic of out-of-wedlock births and divorce, he warns, the favorite educational nostrums of both left and right will have only limited effect in raising student achievement. Pearlstein readily admits that the antidotes to family disintegration are not obvious. But until the problem is recognized, there can be no hope for a solution. This clearly written, unblinkered book ought to trigger a long-overdue confrontation with what can rightly be called America's greatest civilizational threat.

Ron Haskins

The public does not seem concerned that the American family is dissolving before our eyes. Yet children reared by lone mothers are more likely to have mental health problems, teen births, school failure, and several other afflictions than kids reared by married parents. America has too many adults making decisions about divorce and nonmarital childbearing to promote their own happiness rather than their children's wellbeing. This disturbing case is made in provocative and convincing fashion by Mitch Pearlstein in this remarkable volume. Anyone who reads it will come away alarmed by the costs being imposed on America by family dissolution.

David Lebedoff

This is a terrific book, a highly readable and profound account of a ticking time bomb—family fragmentation. To this controversial subject, Mitch Pearlstein brings both passion and compassion, sprinkled throughout with wisdom and wit. Pearlstein shines a bright light of integrity on a crisis too-long ignored.

Barbara Dafoe Whitehead

With his trademark fair-mindedness, Mitch Pearlstein tells hard truths about the effects of family fragmentation on American children's educational achievement. A powerfully reasoned book that commands our attention and action.

Paul E. Peterson

Not since the 1965 'Moynihan Report' has anyone written so frankly, so soberly, so reasonably, or so persuasively on the devastating social consequences of single-parent families.

Robert L. Woodson Sr.

This important volume should direct some much-needed attention to the fact that the United States now leads the world in fragmented families and the threat this poses to children, education, the economy, and the very welfare of the nation. Pearlstein documents the case well and even offers a little hope.

Editorial Reviews

Mitch Pearlstein says that, due to rising divorce and non-marital birth rates, an alarming number of young Americans grow up without the benefit of two caring parents. He's right. He's persuaded that such weakness in the structure of American families hampers our nation's economic competitiveness. Right again. This is neither a liberal nor a conservative position; it's just plain common sense. And Pearlstein's argument makes one thing abundantly clear: it's well past time for liberals like me to work together with conservatives like him so we can figure out what to do about this gravely serious problem.

Glenn C. Loury

Mitch Pearlstein has a big idea. It's that today's family trends affect far more than our families. They affect how and whether our schools can teach, and how and whether our economy can grow. Written with a light touch and a sure hand, this book is a genuine, serious contribution to our national discussion. I particularly like the fact that Pearlstein does more than diagnose the problem. He also offers up a pail full of creative solutions.

David Blankenhorn

The public does not seem concerned that the American family is dissolving before our eyes. Yet children reared by lone mothers are more likely to have mental health problems, teen births, school failure, and several other afflictions than kids reared by married parents. America has too many adults making decisions about divorce and nonmarital childbearing to promote their own happiness rather than their children's wellbeing. This disturbing case is made in provocative and convincing fashion by Mitch Pearlstein in this remarkable volume. Anyone who reads it will come away alarmed by the costs being imposed on America by family dissolution.

Ron Haskins

With his trademark fair-mindedness, Mitch Pearlstein tells hard truths about the effects of family fragmentation on American children's educational achievement. A powerfully reasoned book that commands our attention and action.

Barbara Dafoe Whitehead

Conservative and liberal education reformers, for all their disagreements on policy, are united on one matter. Both camps maintain a studied silence regarding the greatest impediment to closing the achievement gap and improving U.S. educational performance: family breakdown. Mitch Pearlstein is determined to break that silence. Unless Americans can figure out how to stem the epidemic of out-of-wedlock births and divorce, he warns, the favorite educational nostrums of both left and right will have only limited effect in raising student achievement. Pearlstein readily admits that the antidotes to family disintegration are not obvious. But until the problem is recognized, there can be no hope for a solution. This clearly written, unblinkered book ought to trigger a long-overdue confrontation with what can rightly be called America's greatest civilizational threat.

Heather MacDonald

Political correctness leads some topics to be completely avoided, regardless of their importance. Family fragmentation is one of these, but Pearlstein has now broken it open. He makes a compelling case that we avoid problems of the family at our individual and national peril. Perhaps now that the topic has been so forcefully exposed, we as a nation can address the issues in a broad and constructive manner.

Eric A. Hanushek

This work of earnest policy reflection ought to arouse our moral indignation, as the educational and vocational futures of millions of children are being sacrificed at a cost none of them should bear. If we want to recover a vigorous economy and vibrant culture, those of us in education, religion, business, and policy-making must seriously heed what Mitch Pearlstein sagely writes about family and parenting failures. God forbid if we don't.

Robert 'sburn

This work of earnest policy reflection ought to arouse our moral indignation, as the educational and vocational futures of millions of children are being sacrificed at a cost none of them should bear. If we want to recover a vigorous economy and vibrant culture, those of us in education, religion, business, and policy-making must seriously heed what Mitch Pearlstein sagely writes about family and parenting failures. God forbid if we don't.

Robert Osburn

The American economy remains sluggish and, from all over the political spectrum, particularly the left, people have turned their attention to inequality. The Occupy Wall Street movement, though without actual plans for reform, emphasizes the growing inequality between the top one percent and the 99 percent of Americans below them, with the implication that income growth among top earners means less for everybody else....Mitch Pearlstein, who worked in the Department of Education under Reagan and Bush I, and then founded the Center of the American Experiment in Minneapolis, sees this as a growing problem. His new book, From Family Fragmentation to America's Decline, laments this inability of many to climb their way up from the bottom rungs of society.

Acton Institute

Parents are the first and most influential teachers that any child has and the family the first and most influential school. When those are in good shape and to their part, kids tend to fare well in education and in life. When those falter, great schools (and other key institutions) can help a lot—but never really substitute. Understanding—and trying to reverse—America's 'nuclear meltdown' is this thoughtful book's peerless contribution.

Chester E. Finn Jr.

This important volume should direct some much-needed attention to the fact that the United States now leads the world in fragmented families and the threat this poses to children, education, the economy, and the very welfare of the nation. Pearlstein documents the case well and even offers a little hope.

Robert L. Woodson Sr.

This is a terrific book, a highly readable and profound account of a ticking time bomb—family fragmentation. To this controversial subject, Mitch Pearlstein brings both passion and compassion, sprinkled throughout with wisdom and wit. Pearlstein shines a bright light of integrity on a crisis too-long ignored.

David Lebedoff

A shot across the bow of the national conversation on education and economic competitiveness. Pearlstein challenges both the left and right for an elephant-sized blind spot about the importance of family fragmentation in our persistent achievement gaps. He is appropriately humble about solutions, but argues convincingly that we can't hope to turn things around if we keep avoiding this uncomfortable conversation.

William J. Doherty

Not since the 1965 'Moynihan Report' has anyone written so frankly, so soberly, so reasonably, or so persuasively on the devastating social consequences of single-parent families.

Paul E. Peterson

There has been much chatter in recent years about refusing to accept any excuses for low-income and minority students doing poorly in school. We, ourselves, have made that the case. Moreover, substantial federal and state dollars have been spent in an attempt to close the racial gap in academic performance. But Mitch Pearlstein, better than anyone else, has explained why the goal must be understood simply as a noble aspiration. As long as family fragmentation rates in the United States remain so disastrously high, the basic picture will not change, regardless of how much American schools are 'reformed.'

Abigail Thernstrom and Stephan Thernstrom

To conclude, the value of Pearlstein's book is that it couples tomes of empirical studies from a diverse range of sources with candid and honest discussion of what America's marriage problem is doing to our country, and what we can actually do about it from a policy perspective and from a cultural perspective....Pealstein's [book is a wake up call to the problem our country faces] and a tool book for anyone serious about actually mending our country's wounds and working toward a brighter future.

The Daily Beast Book Reviews

I'm glad Mitch Pearlstein wrote this book....Surely, no change will come without him and lots of others recognizing the terrible folly of anti-family policies.

The Family in America: A Journal of Public Policy