Is there a point to public education?

[petmoosie]

Beyond the goal of teaching the curriculum. Is there a set of actions that we want all children to have experienced? Are there values that we want to share?

Another blog was talking about overnight field trips (8th grade). Those are boondoggles from one point of view (particularly here). We have all the resources to provide everything locally with no need for an overnight trip.

On the other hand, an overnight trip provides a world of experiences that are unique to the experience of having an overnight trip with your classmates.

Comments

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Of course the next question is "are the experiences common to an overnight trip at age 13 ones that are worth the hassle of producing?"

Probably the new frontiers of body-humor jokes aren't, but I don't remember what else I would have done on such a trip, aside from not getting enough sleep.

[petmoosie.livejournal.com]

Well, my classmates learned that they could go an entire weekend without teasing me. I consider that an incredibly important lesson for them to learn.

I was in a Catholic school, and our overnight trips were retreats. A retreat is designed for lots of prayer, silence and guided reflection, as well as Mass attendance.

There was an optional trip to France for French-studying students, but all other trips were confined to day-trips.