What About the Children?!?! Part 1

In discussions when we can sometimes, not often, but sometimes get passed the question about roads, chaos, and other things that are wrongfully attributed to a free society the question of children's education is often next. I don't find it to be a silly question but rather one that is caused by virtually everyone's upbringing in a public school. It is easy to believe that if schools are not tax funded the poor would be left without education while only the rich will have access. I feel this is completely unfounded and also believe that no publicly funded schools would greater enhance the education of our children, free society or not.

First, I'll present an attack on our current system and how it has failed to educate taking away the argument that we need publicly funded schools to educate in the first place. Secondly, I will show how a pure private approach to the education of our children will greatly improve the ability for them to learn. Lastly, I will provide the argument that even the poor will have access to education, a much better education.

The belief that our current education system is good or can be saved is why so many people hang on to it. The belief that our k-12 schools pump out knowledgeable students ready to enter college is strong in the hearts of many. But what if I was to claim that they are wrong? What if I claim that we aren't knowledgeable and ready for college? I am a recent product of the public school system and am very aware of the way teaching is done. Teachers teach what they are told to teach, not all because they want to but because they have to. Standardized tests are set to the lowest denominators by bureaucracy. There's no way teachers can adapt to the many ways different kids learn. They have to just make sure, for the sake of their job, that their students can pass the standardized tests. Although it is good that there are advanced placement classes for the brighter kids, I'm more particularly concerned about those that have a tougher time learning. The smarter kids do well regardless of a public education, while those with different learning capabilities are left in the dust.

My next argument against public education is one most people don't like to hear. It is my belief that public education is an indoctrination center set up by the State for the State's intended goals. Pumping out as many citizens that will not think and abide by what they say no matter what. We are taught history and economics the way the State wants us to learn history and economics not the way it actually happened or how economics actually is. We are taught that certain presidents have been the best and others bad while certain policies have saved us and others have hurt us. We are offered one point of view and we must accept that point of view as fact. We are only taught that Keynesian economics is good for the economy while the Chicago school and especially the Austrian school are ignored and pushed aside. We are only taught what the State wants us to learn with no other alternatives. So instead of public education providing for a well informed student ready to enter the next level of learning, public education provides sheep ready to accept anything the major media outlets informs them to believe because the government is never wrong.

All you have to do is ask the regular student about politics and depending on whatever party he's affiliated with he'll accept everything they have to say as truth without attempting to analyze the effects of any given policy. Part 2 will contain the rest of my argument, stay tuned!