Why the hell we think the government should educate people has confused me my entire life.
The answer to that question is far from simple but here is the quick and dirty about how education gained popularity. On a national level some standard was required to create a basic level of literacy and a common core of beliefs among the many groups who make up a country. This is how you get 100,000,000 (1890's numbers) people to respect our flag and serve the common good when called upon.
When the Industrial Revolution took off in the 18th century it became apparent that people needed to read, write and know some math to be useful in a factory or shop environment. So, teaching the 3R's became a thing. Around the same time, the nation state became the primary form of country and a central government led by something other than a king starting to take effect. Illiterate dumb fucks, like Democrats, make the worst voters. They are stupid as fuck, uninformed and nearly retarded and the modern equivalent of serfs or peons, utterly dependent on a master or authoritarian leader to feed, clothe and think for their dumb asses. Then it became apparent to the leaders of our nation and many others that lessons in civics, history, science and arts were needed to build a common core for the millions of immigrants and citizens from different parts of a country.
Since the fuckwits took over education during the Carter Administration and created a Federal Department of Education, they have systematically destroyed the fabric of our society. This is 100% intentional and is part of the communists/progressives/democrats plan to destroy America from the inside. Socialism is a form of cancer or brain rot and requires idiots to succeed.
The people who run education in America absolutely HATE this country. They blame America for every failing on the planet. Everything they teach is warped, distorted and lies or distortions of actual history or fact. They hate God, they hate families, they hate people who create wealth or accumulate wealth. They hate farmers, they fucking hate working people with jobs. The left's entire belief system is based on HATE, ENVY, SPITE, RACISM and generalized evil.
Since the feds took over education, they have failed to improve any metric of education. more people drop out, fewer people can read, write and do basic math. Almost no one is physically fit and they know little or nothing about American history, making them fat, sloven, stupid and with no national pride.
We will be replaced by immigrants and the Chinese within our lifetime at this rate.
