In the beginning . . .

I have often wondered how far back in time the assault on public education started. A recent discovery by archeologists in the caves of Lascaux, France, may provide the answer to my question. These caves are located near the village of Montignac. They contain some of the most well-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be at least 16,000 years old.

In a section of the cave overlooked when first discovered by four teenagers in 1940, Professor Henri d’Escargot, from the nearby University of Fromage, stumbled upon this remarkable cave drawing during a recent field trip with his class. Apparently, it depicts what might well be the first math teacher at work, being visited by what may very well be the first educational ‘reformer’.

In an article in Le Monde, Professor d’Escargot opines, “Apparently, the urge to ‘reform’ education on a continual, never-ending basis rests deep within our collective DNA. Everybody seems to think they know more about teaching than the teachers do. It seems to have been this way since the beginning of time.”