I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I agree that standardized or even blind testing is probably a much fairer way to evaluate. There is a reason scientif

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I agree that standardized or even blind testing is probably a much fairer way to evaluate. There is a reason scientific research uses double-blind tests. It eliminates a lot of biases and racism. (Of course only to a degree, since there is always the bias of the question asking and test structure.) But in principle I agree. But here is where I think I differ. If you are grading a performance, or evaluating the effectiveness of a drug, or which peanut butter brand you like more, then sure, go ahead and do a "standard" test. But is that the point of school? Is the point of "learning" and "schooling" to test (in a standard way) how much students can do "math," or write "proper" english, or memorize "facts" about America? I would say "no." Does a score of 500 versus 400 mean that someone "learned more?" As soon as you have "tests" with "grades" you immediately optimize for providing the "correct answers" and to get "better grades". I think people jump to fast to correct answers = learning. An example, in a similar way that if your code got graded, every coder would immediately optimize what they do to get that A. I am not questioning the method of how that A is evaluated, but I am questioning what are we optimizing for. And optimizing for giving correct answers is not a good idea, in my opinion, since it bears little resemblance to any of the important open-ended questions we are faced with on our day-to-day lives. Schools should help people learn how to learn, cultivate their own interests, and develop skills and aptitudes for a changing world. Not "find" "correct answers" to problems that someone already knows the answer. In regards to your points: > I'd be much happier if my code received a grade That's interesting and I'm sorry about the boss... I'm interested: what would be the criteria to determine the grade of the code your boss would give you? I'm assuming a few of them would be: does it run, does it follows proper syntax, is it simple and the best way to do this, correct? But what if you think there is a better way that goes against the criteria? > School is more irrelevant... Agree 100%. Again, what is the point of putting people in school then. Isn't it to make them smarter? Is it to get them a job? Or is it to teach them how to conform? What do you think? Thank your for the link, by the way! Let me know if you find that study. Sounds super interesting.