> Those who fight school uniforms to defend
> individuality (which as Carrol aptly pointed out is a totally
> meaningless but feel-good buzzword) would use their energies better is
> they concentrated on the school's _unique_ contribution to instilling
> uniformity and deference toward authority - multiple choice test.
What you say about multiple choice tests is very true, but they are certainly not the only objectionable parts of the standard educational experience. Practically everything in that experience (except perhaps for a few exceptional teachers who manage to buck the system, and a few exceptional highly non-conforming schools) instills uniformity and deference toward authority.
What else are schools for? Public schools are paid for by governments, and what government doesn't want the maximum of uniformity and deference toward itself? Private schools are paid for by rich folks -- ditto.
I remember a common saying from my school days: "Never let school get in the way of your getting an education." The only way to get a really good education is to do it yourself -- and, as too few people understand, it's a life-long job.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org ______________________________ We're not our skin of grime, we're not our dread bleak dusty imageless locomotive, we're all beautiful golden sunflowers inside... -- Sunflower Sutra, Allen Ginsberg