Over the years, I have been writing about misconceptions regarding the schooling process. The purpose of these posts is to explain why I disagree with various comments that I have heard people make about schooling. These are meant as personal thoughts rather than conclusive proof, and I will admit that I'm not always the best at explaining my thoughts. Regardless, I have decided that I should be willing to share these posts when I encounter someone online who makes an argument that I have already discussed.
Our schools maintain a seriously flawed foundation. A lot of people who want to fix the problems will not even acknowledge that foundation. They generally believe in the system as it already is. Their goals tend to enforce the foundation and push to make the process a bigger part of society.
Standards-based reform has been a hot topic for a long time. What is standards-based reform? It's the idea that children should be measured to ensure that all of them get the same thing out of school. Children are highly variable. Inability to meet individual needs could very well be the biggest problem with the schools. Standards-based reform enforces the that no two children should pursue different needs.
Another issue that reform groups frequently target is the dropout rate. A single rigid schooling system will never be for everyone. A lot of strong independent learners would be better off taking full charge over their educations. This means that they should pursue education outside of school. Looking for ways to force these people into an environment that is harmful to them is not going to solve anything.
There are also reform groups that fixate on funding. They want more teachers and higher pay. These groups consistently fail to provide any ideas to improve actual teaching methods. All they care about is reinvesting in our problems.
Our entire schooling system is flawed and highly destructive. It is impossible to turn it into something useful to society. It would be far better to replace the system than reform it.
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