Spelling taught here? Sign outside NYC school misspells it as 'Shcool' nbcnewyork.com This glaring misspelling has some criticizing the "dumbing down" of American society. NEW YORK -- A glaring misspelling on a street sign outside a Manhattan high school has some laughing that the mistake's gone unreported for months and stauncher critics condemning what they perceive to be a symbol of the "dumbing down" of American society. The painted pavement on Stanton Street outside Marta Valle High School reads "SHCOOL X-NG." The Department of Transportation claims the mistake was made by a utility provider, not the city, according to The New York Post. The agency said it would reach out to the contractor to have the error fixed. But that hasn't quelled the outcry. "It's sad," Derek Pacheco, a securities worker who passes by the sign on his way to the office each day, told the Post. It speaks volumes about the dumbing down of American culture. A city worker who asked not to be identified told the Post regardless of who made the mistake, a student or administrator at the school should have noticed and reported it some time ago. Another worker in the area laughed when the Post asked him what he thought of the pavement sign. "It's embarrassing for the city," said Luis Maldonado. Teaching kids to read and write correctly is very important. Area residents said construction crews labored on the street over the summer.