> The notion of a conspiratorial cabal of aristocrats plotting together to sabotage working class education in the name of preserving their exclusive privileges makes for good cinematic content
The "Progressive" model of education was very consciously planned with the intention of keeping the riffraff down, and far away from "elite" studies. It's "Progressive" in the early 20th c. sense of that word.
Of course one can also err in a different direction, devaluing practical education altogether and leading to "overproduction" of aspiring elites that are wholly parasitical on their surrounding society. And the two problems can even coexist, as seen in the US today! Extreme credentialism at the highest end (due to elite overproduction) coexists with the most dismal failure to achieve even basic educational outcomes for the bulk of the population.
Except that it's happening in California as we speak... Earlier thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31170431
The "Progressive" model of education was very consciously planned with the intention of keeping the riffraff down, and far away from "elite" studies. It's "Progressive" in the early 20th c. sense of that word.
Of course one can also err in a different direction, devaluing practical education altogether and leading to "overproduction" of aspiring elites that are wholly parasitical on their surrounding society. And the two problems can even coexist, as seen in the US today! Extreme credentialism at the highest end (due to elite overproduction) coexists with the most dismal failure to achieve even basic educational outcomes for the bulk of the population.