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.
It inevitably happens every time a school levy is on a ballot or teachers decide to strike. Students show their support for their teachers, and teachers point to the support as proof that their cause should be supported. The reality of student support for their teachers is actually quite concerning. Students provide captive audiences to their teachers, which teachers won't hesitate to exploit.
When I was in school, I heard compelling arguments in favor of education. This was followed by insistence that we should show support for education. This sounds good on the surface, but there was a major flaw. They used "education" in two drastically different ways. They were effectively telling all of us that true education is a need, so we should show our support for a schooling system that is actually built on top of blatantly anti-educational values. The reality is not nearly as compelling as their narrative.
There are a lot of examples out there showing how teachers manipulate students to support their causes, and I am not going to detail all of them. Most forms involve providing students with arguments that support their viewpoints while sheltering the students from arguments that they find contrary to their viewpoints. I would like to point out that an overwhelming majority of Americans have been in situations where public school teachers could actively influence their beliefs and opinions. In these situations, I have never heard of a teacher holding back due to ethical concerns.
Teachers insist that students know the value of teachers and schools because they are the ones encountering the environment. In reality, these students have only been subjected to one side of the debate. People who are familiar with the pros and cons of such issues are far better equipped to evaluate their merits.
I have long insisted that if you really want a quick answer to which side of an issue is stronger, it's best to look for people who go against their bias. The idea behind this thought is that people can be arrogant. When they believe something, it takes quite a bit to convince them that they are wrong. When it comes to schooling, students being more supportive than adults should make the schools look worse. These adults were once supportive students. Once they heard the drawbacks of the schools, they admitted they were wrong.
In all fairness to teachers, people aren't changing their minds as much as it seems. Students are far more likely to lie to please their teachers, and they are less likely to risk being seen in opposition. Teachers frequently threaten the futures of their students, and most students develop a fear of their teachers. I opposed levies as a student (after my mindless supportive years came to an end), but I didn't dare stand up to my teachers.
There's one last thing that I wanted to make sure I mentioned. No matter how you look at it, widespread student support of their teachers is the result of child exploitation. We need to stop rewarding this behavior. Child exploitation should be condemned, not praised.
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