Several friends who are teachers have become increasingly troubled about the decline in American public education over the past several years. A recent story by John Stossel on ABC 20/20 inspired this editorial.

Bad things are going on in America's public schools. Some complain that teachers are not paid enough, and that spending more money on schools would solve the problem. But there actually is no linkage between budgets and student achievement. Per-pupil spending has been doubled (adjusting for inflation) over the last 30 years, and yet schools aren't getting better - they're getting worse.

America's cultural condition is not healthy. It is shocking how badly the average American middle-class has declined. Since 1960, the US population has increased 41%; the GDP has nearly tripled; and total social spending by all levels of government (measured in constant 1990 dollars) has risen more than fivefold. Spending on welfare has increased by 630%; spending on education by 225%.

During the same period there has been a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling of divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores. All signs point to deterioration in the quality of American schools.

Europeans and Asians have rapidly expanded their educational systems over the last 50 years. US stagnation and even decline has been apparent since the 1970s. Even our high school graduation rates are lower today than they were a decade ago.

In the new global age, human capital is more important than physical capital for long-term economic development. Our weak educational systems will soon prove disastrous if something is not done NOW.

While Congress wages partisan political warfare, America's education system keep declining. Who will stand up to make a difference?