That was a great posting.
However, Public Education has never, at any time, been a bastion of academic excellence. It's always been boring and alienating.
Beg to differ. I was educated in a smalltown school in Oklahoma, graduating in 1956 -- a class of 28. We received an outstanding education -- and an appreciation for learning that has continued to this day.
A lot of this is attributable to smalltown dynamics, to be sure. The arrangement was truly "local control". We knew the teachers outside of school, they knew us. They were friends with our parents, if not family. And they were absolutely committed to our excellence, while brooking no crap from any of us.
And, if I'm not mistaken, kids at every other smalltown school in our area got the same kind of education.
At one time, public education was a success.