Thank you to my communications acquaintances at Shades of Gray for supporting my nomination as Secretary of Blasting Education to Smithereens and Reforming It, based on my questions:

But if we’re going to start over, here’s the fundamental question:

What is the purpose of education?

Seriously.

Is it to create a literate, knowledgeable democracy informed enough to make good decisions and to understand the complicated ethical, technological, etc., questions of modern times?

Is it to churn out corporate worker bees who buzz around trying to make the most money for the least possible effort?

Is it to get our precious child that incredibly cushy, high-paying job that we can brag to all of our friends about, even if it’s not making him or her very happy?

Is it to encourage great minds to be great (doing research, philosophizing, governing, curing, etc.), and adequate minds to contribute what they can to society?

What is it? Who decides?

Of course, it’s easy to come up with the questions (“Why is the sky blue?” “What makes the sun shine?” “Why do apples fall out of trees to the earth?”). Answering them is the trickier part.

I guess I’ve got some work to do before I can accept my theoretical nomination in good conscience.