I've watch these kinds of stories for years, Deep. They keep suggesting the same thing: We are getting out butts whipped. Losing our edge. We are a society of lazy people who are willing to outsource our competitive spirit.
Of course is is a reflection on our public education system that is perhaps too willing to bend to the will of politicians and even us parents.
Of course fundamentalism does not help and shold be combatted at every opportunity. But I hesitate to blame the Bill Grays of the world for our education woes. I tend to believe that this crisis is a result of our dumbing-down of education. We value football more than academics. We "helicopter parents" bi*ch when the teacher doesn't send Johnny on to the next grade level. We expect our schools to raise our kids and focus on raw test scores rather than fostering academic excellence.
People who are passionate about stopping this stupidity should get involved before we become an academic wasteland.