Essentialism in Education - and in Life

Erik, your professor is an "Essentialist," the philosophy of education (he has published on it) that states the business, purpose of education is to ground students, good and hard, in basic academic skills and the hardcore work ethic that supports it. Life adjustment, social work, psycho-babble, baby-sitting, etc. in the final analysis are not the business of schooling. When this writer observes how youngsters dress for school, high schoolers in particular, the dress reflects a culture that lacks disicpline as a value; without discipline - academic, social, personal, etc. - we go nowhere. This is why this writer believes K-12 education needs less - not more - money in order to give it a reality check, good and hard, about what business it is or is not in. The coming economic crash is going to provide this reality check; do not ask your humble servant here for more money to perpetuate prolonged adolescence. One of the reasons for loss of jobs to other countries is the lack of "Essentialism" here and the practice of it in countries like China and India - good and hard.