"On the value of compulsory education," An essay by Derek Canino
To some people, the idea of public or compulsory education is a farce that is detrimental to the intellectual growth of the populace. I would like to roundly reject that argument and make a case for the continued proliferation of educational institutions in the United States. This essay will address some of the common complaints lodged against schools by populist arguments which undermine the integrity of the academic system. I will vehemently maintain the importance of an educated populace for the continued pursuit of human excellence. This essay will be centered around some central arguments in defense of public education, while taking into account any counterarguments that an opposing viewpoint might offer. I do this because I feel an obligatory force motivating me to defend the institutions most responsible for the wellbeing of humanity.
Education in the United States was initially uncommon during the colonial and even the Early Republic period. This was because the United States was a predominantly agrarian society, with limited need for intellectuals. As industrial revolutions came in waves during the history of the nation, the greater the need for more specialized types of tasks became the norm. The proliferation of educational institutions was largely responsible for creating citizens more adept at working positions that were more mentally demanding. The compulsory nature of these institutions became a cornerstone in providing education to those who might otherwise be unwilling or unable to attend. This proved to be one of the strongest cornerstones of the education system. Primary education was installed as a staple in the United States, and secondary education remained available as an optional addition to one’s education (should economic situation permit.) This phenomenon was not isolated to the United States.
As discussed by Eugen Weber in the book, Peasants Into Frenchmen, the use of compulsory education by French government in the 19th century led to illiterate and intellectually limited French peasants into more capacious citizens who were more able to contribute greater ideas and national identity into the French society. The idea of compulsory education also gave both the United States and France a sense of national identity to the students who attended these institutions. Such national identities created a more unified culture amongst the rank-and-file lower classes that led to advancements in all areas of art, science, technology, history and so on. The argument that national identity gave the United States a sounder ability to construct a more powerful nation that could be a more serious player at the table of world superpowers. Thusly, the strength of a nation is directly tied to the strength of its educational assets.
Arguments against schooling are often built on the erroneous assumption that school inhibits individual thought or critical thinking. Often, given the focus on group dynamics associated with communal eating, classroom attendance, and assembly protocol might lead one to believe that there is some expectation of herd mentality. The simple truth that humans are social creatures trumps the belief that the people are being rounded up like cattle. Left to wander the halls alone and randomly form gatherings independently leads to a lack of cohesive focus in the institution. It becomes imperative that schools focus on organizational and bureaucratic methods to make sense of a large gathering of young people. Without such, leadership might fall into the de facto hands of the largest or most powerful individual. Even if leadership falls onto a cleverer individual, their motivations will become ambiguous, and their methods will lack follow through. This is to say, that decision making and leadership roles must be assumed by elders, and that their authority is taken as law.
The complications that arise from applying social control mechanisms are the seeds of resentment that they sow. Unfortunately, those seeds are a necessary evil that educational institutions are forced to wield. It becomes increasingly the will of the person in question whether the fruits of that control result in skilled professionals, or debased malcontents. While some may choose the latter, the dominant result is the former, thanks to the often-underappreciated efforts of compulsory schooling institutions. I would like to use this opportunity to thank them for a mostly thankless job. Furthermore, I would like to expound on the necessities of social control mechanisms for both the integrity of education and the safety of the students therein. While this is not to say that certain students could be trusted to use the restroom without any clandestine activity, the risk is far greater empowering potential malicious activity. The cost of something catastrophic occurring while a student is missing for an indeterminate period, is not worth the inconvenience of creating a hall pass system.
While control may be a concern to some, one larger hurdle for educators is the criticism directed at the educators themselves. As educators are human beings and have certain foibles, they are often blamed for complications by the community regarding student wellbeing. It is worth noting that no matter who educates the student, how the student is educated, and with what tools they used, there will always arise conflict of personalities when it comes to the educators. The fact remains that there are no flawless instructors regardless of whether school is compulsory, so those power clashes between student and teacher will always exist. The only way to avoid such struggles would be to forgo all education altogether, which becomes an absurd proposition for the continued existence of humanity. If anything, teachers in public schools are held more accountable than ever, forcing them to walk a line between maintaining classroom order and respecting the wellbeing of attending students. This is not to say that scrutiny is inherently a problematic issue but proves that with improvements compulsory education can evolve to fit a broader understanding of pedagogical concepts.
This is not to say that such authority granted to individuals working for the education system don’t carry baggage or make mistakes. Oversight and self-correcting mechanisms are fundamental components of making a functioning academic institution work for its students and society at large. There is the possibility that people have negative or traumatic experiences with teachers in grade school, but there can be many explanations for such things. Not to mention the fact that traumatic experiences and abuse are just as common wherever one might find themselves. Laying the blame on the faculty simply creates a convenient scapegoat for students and overly concerned parents. Much of what goes wrong in public schools occurs when the students are given enough liberty to make decisions to abuse or ostracize one another. While denying liberty might be unpopular, especially in the United States, it can hamstring some of the most degenerate antics of sociopathic children. This is not to generalize children’s behavior as negative, but to suggest that ethical frameworks are built on experience and not known to people a priori.
Another fallacy associated with intellect is the assumption that the more erudite children require no guidance, supervision, or control related to their liberties. The notion that a child must have a pass to use the restroom seems draconian to some, and that the institution is to blame for a lack of trust with their pupils. The need to prevent vagrancy, truancy, and unsupervised behavior is not a statement about their intellect being reigned in, but rather, their judgement in determining how they best spend their time. Judgement is a tool forged in the crucible of lived experience, and as such, should not be relied upon on the part of a young person. While this may appear to be biased, it reflects the abundance of impetuous decisions made by young people throughout history. This is not a poor reflection of the people in question, but rather the inherent danger in youth. The philosopher Immanuel Kant put it thusly, “Innocence is indeed a glorious thing. Sad however, that it cannot maintain itself and is so easily seduced.”
On the topic of knowledge gained without experience, I would like to take a minute and point out some fallacies associated with intellect. While there are developmental and mental disabilities, intellect is sculpted through the clay of rigorous education. It is the function of schools to mold the clay of children's minds into the sculptures of their adult selves. People are not born smart; they must be given the tools to develop their intellect. Some parents and outside institutions might step in and provide additional education, but no one is born smart. To suggest that smart people are being held back by the vines of control of its authoritarian overlords, is to dismiss what tools were given to them by said academic institutions. If a person is truly erudite, and can solve problems far above the norm, then it is the function of the school to provide a higher level of education to match that accelerated development. I will also say that if a Nobel prize winning scientist and a Poet Laureate had a child that was locked in a basement with nothing but food and water, that child would have no working knowledge in even the most basic sense. Morbid example as that is. Usually, the child in that scenario has the advantages of a superior upbringing afforded by their wealthy parents or benefactors.
Some of the arguments made in this brief essay may not be entirely popular with the more institutionally alternative viewpoints, but I believe I made a fair case for the continued use of compulsory education in American society. From the Early Republic period to the modern digital age, educational standards set the standards of excellence for American society as a whole. We must also bear responsibility and accountability as a community to empower the system where it would otherwise fail us. The pursuit of knowledge and the sharing of that knowledge have the potential to strengthen our society given proper care. Should education become a matter of convenience or considered disposable, the United States would greatly weaken itself, as would any other nation that did the same. There is always room for improvement, and the path to enlightenment is illuminated by those of us who carry the torch.
