Bread, Circuses and Education » Anand Sanwal

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Here’s a thought that might change how you view the American education system: Most of what passes for educational progress is actually a sophisticated form of distraction.

Emperors would keep the populace docile with free food and entertainment. Today, our government schools and those in power are serving up their own version of this timeless pacification strategy.

I’ll offer a simple definition – to create smarter, more capable young people. Implicit in that might be a hope that it enables upward social mobility, i.e. allows you to move up the social and economic ladder.

At a minimum, it should mean being literate, numerate, able to communicate effectively, and capable of critical thinking. 

Now, here’s where things get interesting. If we judge our education system by these basic criteria, we’re failing. 

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