> If we could all come to an agreement on its objectives
"If we could all come to an agreement ..."
For something that touches everyone, and that people have widely different views and motivations, starting from that goal will likely fail. The trick is to come to some way of working that allows most people to benefit, or not be overly harmed, and be able to move forward productively. Like marriage and politics.
Some objectives that I've seen for education:
- So that citizens can read and understand propaganda.
- To prepare people for the 21st Century.
- To prepare people to understand "the news," so that they can make sensible choices in their days and in elections.
- To give them marketable skills, for jobs.
- To promote the state religion.
- To promote a particular religion.
- To promote "values." These values can be anything: tolerance, intolerance, discrimination, inclusiveness, being on the "right" side of gay marriage, etc.
This is why education is so important at an early age, we can get to people and shape their world view to the "right" way, so that they use Apple computers, smoke cigarettes, view gay marriage the "correct" way (which way is that again?), etc etc.
You will never get an agreement on objectives, we all hate each other too much. (If you don't believe that last, consider that insulting politically opposite people is about the last acceptable openly expressed prejudice, among all sides.)
Better to figure out how to move forward with a huge difference of opinions, and a huge variety of people. One way to do that is to ensure that there are plenty of options in education, so that one powerful group is not overly motivated to make education the same for everyone.
"If we could all come to an agreement ..."
For something that touches everyone, and that people have widely different views and motivations, starting from that goal will likely fail. The trick is to come to some way of working that allows most people to benefit, or not be overly harmed, and be able to move forward productively. Like marriage and politics.
Some objectives that I've seen for education:
- So that citizens can read and understand propaganda.
- To prepare people for the 21st Century.
- To prepare people to understand "the news," so that they can make sensible choices in their days and in elections.
- To give them marketable skills, for jobs.
- To promote the state religion.
- To promote a particular religion.
- To promote "values." These values can be anything: tolerance, intolerance, discrimination, inclusiveness, being on the "right" side of gay marriage, etc.
This is why education is so important at an early age, we can get to people and shape their world view to the "right" way, so that they use Apple computers, smoke cigarettes, view gay marriage the "correct" way (which way is that again?), etc etc.
You will never get an agreement on objectives, we all hate each other too much. (If you don't believe that last, consider that insulting politically opposite people is about the last acceptable openly expressed prejudice, among all sides.)
Better to figure out how to move forward with a huge difference of opinions, and a huge variety of people. One way to do that is to ensure that there are plenty of options in education, so that one powerful group is not overly motivated to make education the same for everyone.