Going to public school and experiencing nature don't have to be mutually exclusive. I also don't think it's fair to paint all teachers and public schools as an

Going to public school and experiencing nature don't have to be mutually exclusive. I also don't think it's fair to paint all teachers and public schools as an institution with the same broad brush. Look, if you want your kids to have these experiences, then take them to the park/woods/beach/river/somewhere. Independent thought exists outside of school. "They don’t know if the moon is waxing or waning, if that berry is edible or poisonous, if that song is for mating or warning." My daughter knows waxing vs. waning. She learned it at school.