Having neither had a great family, let alone parents who read to me, I can say school was a catastrophe and I very much agree with OP. The primary lesson of school, the training that happens every hour of every day of school is this: Sit down, shut up and listen. School is not about teaching and education, it is about training obedience, apathy, resignation and of course baby sitting. It is an institution from the 19th century, developed for a society of farmers, factory workers and dutiful drones of cannon fodder.