I have always wondered why the New York Times is obsessed with education

The New York Times is obsessed with education, but until now I never understood why. In Sunday’s Times Magazine we have Bill Gates deciding he now wants to change how History is taught. When did he become an education expert? I thought he was a college dropout who used his family’s money to build a giant company that never invented a thing. Well, what do I know?

So Bill Gates Has This Idea for a History Class ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/magazine/so-bill-gates-has-this-idea-for-a-history-class.html?hpw&rref=education&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpHedThumbWell&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0

There are numerous other articles in yesterday’s times about college and the wonder of calculus and the Chinese obsession with test scores. The Times never actually wants to change anything. They like whining about things they don't understand. Still I didn't get why.

Liking Work Really Matters

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/opinion/sunday/go-with-the-flow.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A College Education Should Include Rooming With a Stranger

http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/a-college-education-should-include-rooming-with-a-stranger/?ref=opinion

A Fairer Shot for Student Debtors

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/opinion/a-fairer-shot-for-student-debtors.html?ref=opinion

And then I read this: 

Demanding More From College

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-demanding-more-from-college.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

This article contains the following quote: “If college graduates are no longer reading the newspaper, keeping up with the news, talking about politics and public affairs — how do you have a democratic society moving forward?”

The New York Times thinks that if you don’t read the New York Times you can’t participate in a democratic society. This can’t be true since watching and reading about what politicians say and do simply isn’t something I notice the vast majority of people doing any more. Neither are they learning calculus (except under duress) nor are they interested in history. But the Times marches on demanding that whatever has been done historically in education be done again.

This is just one more vote for making students do whatever the person writing the article’s favorite thing is (see my last outrage). But, people don’t learn from being forced to study a subject. They learn because there is a need that they have that drives them to find out more.

The Times wants them to read the newspaper.

Shocker.

Maybe they can team up with Bill Gates to produce a New York Times test that every kid must pass.