It's interesting because it clarifies that the problem here isn't the kid's education; the 'problem' is that teachers and colleges are upset that they are no longer offering something valuable.
The kids are fine; the rent seekers aren't.
And to your larger point: the entire university/graduate/lab/scientific system was created to formalize what was originally citizen scientists trying to understand the world from their basements. Scientific journals are just a formalization of nerds writing letters to each other about what they figured out. Consider from first principles how much of what exists now actually still serves that original purpose.
You want it to be a jobs program? Sounds good. Take their computers away and make them use pencils and you can create even more jobs.
You want to do science? Figure out how to do science. You want the kids to learn? Figure out how to teach them.
Just don't protect a jobs program under the guise of something nobler.
The kids are fine; the rent seekers aren't.
And to your larger point: the entire university/graduate/lab/scientific system was created to formalize what was originally citizen scientists trying to understand the world from their basements. Scientific journals are just a formalization of nerds writing letters to each other about what they figured out. Consider from first principles how much of what exists now actually still serves that original purpose.
You want it to be a jobs program? Sounds good. Take their computers away and make them use pencils and you can create even more jobs.
You want to do science? Figure out how to do science. You want the kids to learn? Figure out how to teach them.
Just don't protect a jobs program under the guise of something nobler.