The Story of School: The Beginning

Basically, this section of the PBS documentary was about how the school system began. Initially, education was only required in the larger colonies, and even those rules were shaky. Eventually, Horace Mann, an unqualified man by all assumptions, began to really explore the school system. He visited 1000 schools on horseback in the course of 6 years and discovered that each institution was different. He wanted equality and so the common school system was created. It didn't simply go to town meeting and get passed. It was opposed and people were not overly impressed with the idea of taxpayer money going towards educating youth.
Thomas Jefferson declares that voting people need education. Public education breeds democracy and that's why it is important. The focus shits from universal education to "raking genius from the rubbish" and only certain children are considered bright enough to continue their education. Later on, once a strange sense of order had been faintly established, we fought over education and religion. From that debate sprouted the first elected body -- the New York Board of Education.

Well, this section brought everything full circle. Guess what? The education system is still messed up. It was almost discouraging to watch this because you can see how cyclical we have been. Round and round we go, making the same mistakes. Segregating and separating people. Trying to find the "smart ones" and assuming other students are stupid because we can't spot their unique qualities. It's all the same issues just strew throughout history at different junctions.