That should be "they can't see the forest for the trees" Just kidding too!

I referred to the diploma difference over fifty years because it is a quick indicator of what the real "forest" is. Simply stated, in recent decades our nation has provided significantly higher educational opportunities to a much larger percentage of our diverse population than we did in the "old days". Don't condemn education just because you've met some high school grads who can't name 25 US states. Just think for a minute about the number of 18-year old kids there were in 1930, never having got past 4th grade, and never having even heard of perhaps more than 5 states.

Your question above is the same as "Have you stopped beating your wife?"
I know lots of talented, persistent, patient teachers who were able to keep their eyes on the forest, and educate hundreds of kids well, despite the distractions and roadblocks that are around education, but every large collective human endeavor as well.