William Torrey Harris thought that the "system which proposes to let the individual work out his education entirely by himself...is the greatest possible mistake."

I take the middle road here. If it were fully up to me to direct my education as a child, I'd have never learned math, that's what calculators are for, right? I didn't realize I needed math, even though I was told so, until adulthood. I took math courses though, of course, as it was required in school. But seriously, did I need algebra? Aside from the elementary "3 + X = 5" things of daily life, I've yet to see its purpose in my life.

To say a teacher or government or whatever knows best, knows not to make a "mistake" and instead directs education, is quite silly.

'nuff said. Wow a brief post!