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Why are you assuming ignorance? In the parent's examples, the kids knew lots of things. Additionally, it is our current state of education that's led to such a

by ksdale 7y ago

Why are you assuming ignorance? In the parent's examples, the kids knew lots of things. Additionally, it is our current state of education that's led to such a large portion of the population being unable to do basic math and the like, which is the definition of ignorance. No one is suggesting less education, just different education.

nradov 7y ago
Did those kids actually know a lot of things, or did they just think they knew a lot of things? My daughter has reached the developmental stage where she's an expert on everything, and on the surface she knows a lot of facts, but her understanding is rather shallow. It takes some age, experience, and (usually) rigorous education to go beyond that stage.
- closetohome 7y ago
  Because there's more to participating in society than hyper-specialization. You may be the world's greatest herpetologists, but you still need to maintain your finances, do your taxes, and vote in a way that requires historical and contextual knowledge.
  - ksdale 7y ago
    Are kids learning enough to maintain their finances, do their taxes, and vote in a way that integrates historical knowledge? It's not my experience that the average 18 year old knows any of those things, and the article suggests that many people aren't coming away from school with basic literacy or numeracy. This all goes back to a point I alluded to in my first post. When someone suggests that public education is badly broken and perhaps could use an overhaul, they are bombarded with arguments about the importance of education that seem to ignore the fact that a very disappointingly large number of people are not, in fact, receiving anywhere near that level of education.
jolmg 7y ago
Ignorance is a given. The kids knew lots of specialized things, not a well-rounded education. History is important to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Math is important to develop critical thinking skills and a disciplined use of logic. Being educated in these areas offer an "indirect benefit to society", as kevin_thibedeau mentioned. People, though they may be individually smart/educated in their own areas, are dumb in aggregate and in general. It's only by all sharing a holistic education that we can have an educated electorate. After all, in any given area of study, a group of people making decisions by vote is only as smart/educated as the average individual.
- ksdale 7y ago
  This is exactly what I was alluding to in my first comment though. Of course a well rounded education is important, but we’re failing to deliver basically any kind of education to a very large number of people. I think it’s not inappropriate to consider drastic changes, but when drastic changes are suggested, the counter is something like saying that a well-rounded education is important, as if that’s what we’re currently achieving and we’d be forsaking that.

by ksdale 7y ago

nradov 7y ago

Did those kids actually know a lot of things, or did they just think they knew a lot of things? My daughter has reached the developmental stage where she's an expert on everything, and on the surface she knows a lot of facts, but her understanding is rather shallow. It takes some age, experience, and (usually) rigorous education to go beyond that stage.

closetohome 7y ago
Because there's more to participating in society than hyper-specialization. You may be the world's greatest herpetologists, but you still need to maintain your finances, do your taxes, and vote in a way that requires historical and contextual knowledge.
- ksdale 7y ago
  Are kids learning enough to maintain their finances, do their taxes, and vote in a way that integrates historical knowledge? It's not my experience that the average 18 year old knows any of those things, and the article suggests that many people aren't coming away from school with basic literacy or numeracy. This all goes back to a point I alluded to in my first post. When someone suggests that public education is badly broken and perhaps could use an overhaul, they are bombarded with arguments about the importance of education that seem to ignore the fact that a very disappointingly large number of people are not, in fact, receiving anywhere near that level of education.

jolmg 7y ago

Ignorance is a given. The kids knew lots of specialized things, not a well-rounded education. History is important to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Math is important to develop critical thinking skills and a disciplined use of logic. Being educated in these areas offer an "indirect benefit to society", as kevin_thibedeau mentioned. People, though they may be individually smart/educated in their own areas, are dumb in aggregate and in general. It's only by all sharing a holistic education that we can have an educated electorate. After all, in any given area of study, a group of people making decisions by vote is only as smart/educated as the average individual.

ksdale 7y ago
This is exactly what I was alluding to in my first comment though. Of course a well rounded education is important, but we’re failing to deliver basically any kind of education to a very large number of people. I think it’s not inappropriate to consider drastic changes, but when drastic changes are suggested, the counter is something like saying that a well-rounded education is important, as if that’s what we’re currently achieving and we’d be forsaking that.