Academic Perspective

The idea of an “expert” is simple enough: one who spends time studying and practicing a particular field in order to gain more knowledge in that field than the average person. This “learning” could include personal education through extensive research or hands-on experience, possibly with higher level education through a university or some similar program. [...]

The American ideal of democracy is what has promoted the success of many of our public services. But our beloved democracy has turned into a destructive sphere of a bureaucracy in public education, impeding much-needed progress and reform through conflicting layers of centralized authority. This system must be restructured to localize and decentralize power in order for valuable educational reform to take place.