[Jan_Sobieski]

If you look at statistics from the 1800s, our literacy rate was higher then, than today. The architects of our public school system, Horace Mann and John Dewey, were socialists progressives committed to creating a social engineering factories. They successfully created a public-school system like the one they admired in Prussia (Germany), replete with goose stepping children committed to following all government instruction. Mann and Dewey considered public education a religion, with a holy mission to mold children and society.

To do this, it was essential to removing parents' influence over their children. Mann put it this way: "We who are engaged in the sacred cause of education are entitled to look upon all parents as having given hostages to our cause." In his "Pedagogic Creed" of 1897, Dewey wrote, "Every teacher should realize he is a social servant set apart for the maintenance of the proper social order and the securing of the right social growth..."

[kearnyirish2]

That certainly seems to be the point in urban districts (where free breakfast is provided in addition to free lunch); the state regards the homes of those children as the most damaging place they could be (and in most cases I’d agree; years ago children would have been rightfully seized from those homes where they were bred only for benefits, with no parenting going on at all). Outside of those districts, the children simply don’t spend enough time in school (180-182 days here in NJ, and kindergarten isn’t required), and whatever mush they are trying to insert in the students doesn’t take. I suspect Prussian teachers worked much longer hours than our part-timers today (and were quickly replaced if they were ineffective).

[berdie]

That’s very interesting.

I wasn’t alive in the 1800’s (although my body often feels like it was, lol) but I will say that when I was in school it was all about learning the basics. There were no politics involved...as far as indoctrination goes. I read a different sentiment into Dewey’s statement. A teacher absolutely has the power to set social order. Correct behavior and aspiring to excellence.

That has changed in the present world. Much to do with personal agendas and much to do with politics and the insane laws they deal with.