What People Want from Our Schools Has Never Been Accomplished, Anywhere
a day ago
- #education-reform
- #college-for-all
- #myth-of-golden-age
- The idea that there was a 'golden age' of education where schools performed better is a myth; such a time never existed.
- American performance in international educational comparisons has historically been uninspiring, with no era showing significant leadership.
- Poor educational averages in the U.S. are largely due to distributional issues, with top-tier students performing well but bottom percentiles dragging down overall numbers.
- Claims of an American educational 'crisis' are overstated; the constant crisis narrative stems from expanded access to education and unrealistic goals.
- Formal education was historically limited to a select minority, with the modern idea of universal education to the same standard being a recent development.
- The notion that schools can close socioeconomic and racial gaps is relatively new and layered onto institutions not designed for this purpose.
- Expanding access to education leads to lower average performance metrics as more marginal students are included.
- The labor market's collapse for uneducated workers has forced schools to attempt making everyone college-ready, a goal never achieved by any society.
- The push for universal higher education is a radical social experiment with no historical precedent, leading to perpetual crisis narratives.
- The education system is being asked to compensate for economic policies that have eroded jobs for non-college-educated workers, creating unrealistic expectations.