The American system of public education ensures stability in society. Having our country’s children enrolled in the K-12 system avoids leaving too much to chance. Children are not given the intellectual freedom that will allow them to view the world through their own critical lens. They are taught what, not how, to think. Thus, the public education system creates a culture of conformity that ensures powerful intellectual factions will not emerge. The Prussia-inspired utopian state that the framers of our education system strived for would surely not fair well with an onslaught of intellectual diversity in the public eye, especially stemming from our nation’s energized youth. The utopian idea of perfection is not intellectually multifaceted.
However, I had a much different experience attending independent schools and thus far at Williams College. In high school I had round table discussions and engaged with my classmates in creative assignments. My teachers emphasized the importance of understanding concepts rather than simply memorizing facts. They allowed me to draw my own conclusions from the material provided and strengthened my critical thinking on a variety of subjects. I now know that if children are not taught in this way, they will never be able to truly think for themselves nor escape the metaphorical confines of the classroom. While they should (more or less) have no trouble securing a fairly stable job with the proper education and training, they will miss out on some of the most meaningful aspects of life, questioning and interpreting ourselves and the society we live in, often through the mediums of music, philosophy and literature. Overall, I am optimistic that with the proper type of schooling, our nation’s children can emerge to live the fullest and most gratifying life possible.