Shuttle Scuttle?

Should we scuttle the shuttle? With all the news lately about the tile problems I wonder what they did during all the other flights? Over the 20some years, nothing was said that would increase worry about the flights. After the Columbia tragedy, suddenly everything on the shuttle is suspect. Did the government hide information? NASA says that foam breaks off and other dings have been going on the entire shuttle space program. So why have they not taken this more seriously from the begining? Makes me wonder if every time a shuttle is launched or returns, they are one tile away from another disaster