Before identifying the causes of the problem and possible
solutions, we must recongize that schools as we know them today
are a very new invention of human society. And yet, there are
those who want you to believe that the institution is
sacrosanct; that the current structure exists for good reasons.
The fact is that the American educational system remains the
biggest social experiment in human history, but that this
juggernaut has no captain or navigator. I believe that the
problems of the American educational system are many, but are
mostly rooted in these issues: - Lack of equitable funding --
How can we ever hope to overcome classism, racism, poverty, and
other societal ills when some schools get $20,000/year to spend
per student and others get $2,000/year per student? - A time
structure that is out of sync with society -- At a time when
most couples must both work to survive financially, it is
madness to send children to empty homes in mid-afternoon and for
one-quarter of the year. - Lack of student focu