SCHOOL REFORM

Mark Steyn offers an interesting suggestion:

Wouldn’t it be easier simply to abolish high school? There’s barely any pretense at scholarly rigor, and it seems an awfully expensive way of providing non-threatening environments for self-celebration.

Before the First World War, most Americans left school at eighth grade or before. If we resumed that system, those who wished could get jobs, the rest could take four years off before going on to college and becoming Doctors of Anger Management or Bachelors of Queer Theory.

But, if that’s politically unviable, and if it’s unrealistic to expect Mayor Bloomberg’s schools to crack down on bullying, wouldn’t it be more cost-effective just to move all the bullies into Bully High School?

There they can bully each other to their hearts’ content–or, as the educators would say, celebrate their identity in a purpose-built mutually threatening learning environment.

Might work.

(Hat tip: Kathy Kinsley)

FILED UNDER: Education, Environment,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Kathy K says:

    We used to have schools just for bullies. They were called “reform schools” (making your title a bit amusing…).