ticians cannot make it back into office (imagine what well-informed consumers would mean), nor can they if the public is able to make competent political decisions. In general, this system ensures financial security for the offspring of the wealthy.Lapham does present ideas on how the existing system might be improved. His ideal educational system is based on free and creative thought. He proposes that we achieve this through a variety of methods. First and foremost, he emphasizes the importance of reading as an enlightening, fun, educational activity rather than a chore. He cites Britain, France, Germany and Spain as countries whose students make much more progress then their American peers after 7th grade (lets not forget that communist Cuba who most Americans despise has the highest literacy rate in the world). He believes reading nurtures the thought process and I agree. He also advocates a decrease in discipline and security this is in accordance with the belief that schools are educational institutes, not minimum-security prisons. The final change he mentions is the need for equal and raised academic standards. A system based on these premises would result in a more competent, intelligent, equal, better informed society.Changes such as those above are suggestive of not merely a reform, but an all-out educational revolution. This would mean drastic changes in major aspects of education. This is pertinent to Quest classes in a couple of ways. First, Quest classes should be made more widely available. This would increase educational standards in general as well as being a great step toward eliminating the involuntary lack of learning that produces hard-working, poverty-stricken people.The second way in which this is pertinent to Quest classes is the way in which they are taught. These classes should promote creative thought through various processes. Highly structured activities should definitely be avoided; in place of these, disc...
