I expect it would sound suspiciously like conspiracist nonsense to link the current climate in America to the education system? Yet, deconstructed from an historical perspective, it becomes an inevitable outcome.
Because from the beginning of civilisation, education has always been a jealously guarded tool by which and through which, the elite rule. In our culture, it led to the marginalisation of women, the power of the Church, both absolute monarchy and democracy, and a rigid class system.
Because of our violent nature, we ruled through, and gained power by, violent means. Thus, keeping the lower sectors in complete ignorance ensured a steady supply of human cannon fodder; not merely quiescent but, when prompted, actually eager to make the ultimate sacrifice. Universal education would lead to a questioning of this ancient system.
It also led to various reforms and the eventual demand for education to be made the Right, enforced by law, of every person in the land. Rich or poor, wealthy or destitute, clever, suffering from a mental illness, being from a background of privilege, or surrounded by violence, squalor and uncertainty - every child now has the right to an education.
Only the extremely naive could imagine, for a moment, that they would all, however, receive the same education. Objectively, that wouldn't be cost-effective. To waste the same amount on the education of someone who will die in the first fusillade at the age of 19 would simply not be as feasible as ensuring the right tutelage, the ambience of learning, and the encouragement and support given to a person who will one day be part of the ruling class.
Obviously. So good education has to be kept out of the hands of the lower sectors by pricing it out of reach. In return education, or rather its pursuit, keeps the better sort out of danger until they have finished being educated. Which, if a conflict escalates to all-out war, ensures an educated, officer class to handle the troops.
Whether you consider it an obscenity or a "Go, team" matter, the fact remains that the top-heavy American budget works to finance war. Various lists abound on the Internet detailing exactly how many wars America has waged since WWII.
Many of which most thinking people see as illegal, immoral or unethical. Ergo, ensuring that not too many deductive, objective minds or critical thinkers emerge from the lower classes is essential.
Thus, the comparatively small spend on education illustrates , for anyone who can read a balance sheet, that the value of education is not of major importance to those at the top. Who can all afford private educations for their own children in any case.
But all that is needed is a Drumph - or a Mussolini - to emerge, and the danger of undervaluing education becomes clear: if you encourage a people to enshrine violence and then equip them with weapons; if you teach them with Disney instead of Kipling; if you insulate them from the reality or knowledge of a world outside their own purviews; if you give them fairy stories of happy endings instead of truth and reality; and if you inculcate them with the idea that it's wrong to question - you leave them vulnerable to the very next snake-oil vendor to come bouncing down their track.
There are many variables between the populations of the USA and the UK. But one thing we share is an education system which is turning out semi-literates with the deductive and critical-thinking capacity of the Bonobo. And we are leaving doors wide open, for all our vulnerable children to be manipulated by the first smoke-and-mirrors charlatan to come their way.
I observe the failure of our education system every day of my life living here on Benefits Street, Brighton. Not one person living in my block is slow, or stupid - which is what we call it - or intellectually challenged - which is what you call it. But each of them is ignorant. Each of them has been let down by the education system. That's why they live here.
I live with people who went through Primary and Secondary school without learning about basic nutrition; or how to recycle; or where Australia really is. I hear the latest twitter meme passed along with utter conviction; I listen to "Why?" sobbed in despairing tones when the answer is actually known to people whom the education system favours. And I live with people who see no hope for their own future; they believe they have been cemented into position because they have been educated to believe they are stupid.
Each one of them would die for their country, too.
But at least, equipped with critical thinking skills, they would know exactly why they were doing it.
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