I view the role of the schools as to provide support to parents in raising children to be educated society members.
This means that the role of the schools is *subservient* to that of the parents. The debate goes both ways BTW, I have met many parents that have been instructed *not* to teach their children to read or write, or to teach them science at home because then the child will be bored in class. Can you imagine that? The school actually instructing parents *not* to teach their children?
It also means that the curriculum will need to be flexible to avoid the situation becoming adversarial (such as the evolution debate). More classes should be elective, and fewer mandatory. More differentiation of classes should be offered (advanced standard and remedial), different degree types should be offered in more cases (trade, standard and college track). Much of the current curriculum really *is* simple brainwashing, and should be dropped (this'll allow most of the things I listed to be done without needing to spend more than we already do).
Further, It should not be mandatory. nor should it be federal. Education is *not* a "right". It's something that really ought to be offered to everyone if at all possible, but there is no reason to institute it at the federal level, nor is there any reason to cram disruptive students into a classroom where they can see to it that *no one* gets an education. For many, public education is their only way out of a bad situation, for others, it's nothing more than a safe hunting ground for criminal activity.
Re: what is the purpose of education?
This means that the role of the schools is *subservient* to that of the parents. The debate goes both ways BTW, I have met many parents that have been instructed *not* to teach their children to read or write, or to teach them science at home because then the child will be bored in class. Can you imagine that? The school actually instructing parents *not* to teach their children?
It also means that the curriculum will need to be flexible to avoid the situation becoming adversarial (such as the evolution debate). More classes should be elective, and fewer mandatory. More differentiation of classes should be offered (advanced standard and remedial), different degree types should be offered in more cases (trade, standard and college track). Much of the current curriculum really *is* simple brainwashing, and should be dropped (this'll allow most of the things I listed to be done without needing to spend more than we already do).
Further, It should not be mandatory. nor should it be federal. Education is *not* a "right". It's something that really ought to be offered to everyone if at all possible, but there is no reason to institute it at the federal level, nor is there any reason to cram disruptive students into a classroom where they can see to it that *no one* gets an education. For many, public education is their only way out of a bad situation, for others, it's nothing more than a safe hunting ground for criminal activity.