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Comment by poulsbohemian | Hacker News Reader

We probably agree more than we disagree, but I'll just add my own daughters as data points. When they stayed home during covid, the oldest (not a good student) did better academically with the lack of peer / social pressures. My youngest (an exceptional student) did better academically too, which has since allowed her to jump way ahead in her studies and finally be recognized by teachers as an academic prodigy, whereas before they saw her as a social misfit.

So - I agree that it is good for kids to learn how to coexist with others, I also think there are lots of ways to accomplish that and that we might all give school credit for social outcomes that aren't a reality.

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I think you're confused as to the point of school. We often believe the point of school is the academics, but I would argue it's the social. Studies indicate social skills are more important to future success than academics.

A hurriedly-googled link: https://www.tcscholars.org/social-success/

And I would also argue you need excellent social skills to reach your potential academically.

So, yes, your kids did better academically when they were at home, and that's great. But that's not the point of school.

>I think you're confused as to the point of school

Actually, I think we're both wrong. During the time in my local PTA what stood out to me was the amount of time and money we spent on providing basic social services to kids - think providing meals, clothes, filtering for home and family problems etc. I would argue that in modern America, public schools are there to provide day care for working parents and to provide a modicum of social services, with education being an overarching hope and dream.

I don't think it's just an American thing that schools aren't that useful. Studies such the one linked below indicate that school choice has little impact on educational outcomes. Education is important, but I don't think anyone is particularly better at providing it in classrooms. Private tutoring and small group studies show much more impact. You could argue that is evidence that homeschooling is better, but I think that would only apply if you have subject matter experts teaching topics. Personally I think parents should focus on sending kids to schools that don't overburden children with homework and instead provide many opportunities for extracurriculars.

https://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/schoolchoicel...

I would argue that it is a lot easier to give a kid who is doing well academically some social interaction much better than they will get at the average public school than to take a child who is doing poorly at the public school and make them successful academically.

I would agree though that most school districts do not spend money with academics as the priority.

> We often believe the point of school is the academics, but I would argue it's the social. Studies indicate social skills are more important to future success than academics.

How much socialization do kids really get in school anyway?

They get 5 minute hallway breaks (if they are lucky) between 7 to 9 periods of classes per day. Maybe the bus ride in/out for 20-30 minutes. Lunch or recess. So how much time is that, again?

Maybe 2-3 hours/day?

I'd say group projects and class group activities with a goal are far more important forms of socialization than free time socialization.

i can hardly think of a worse place to learn social skills than a classroom. all an intelligent kid really learns in public school is how to be cynical, detached and to maximally cheat the system.

oh and also how to sell drugs. public schools are great for learning that.

> oh and also how to sell drugs. public schools are great for learning that.

total cheap shot. s/public //

drugs follow money

at private schools what do you think you see? more expensive drug habits.

>We often believe the point of school is the academics, but I would argue it's the social.

It's neither. The point is propaganda and brainwashing, any other benefits are ancillary at best.

It isn't a coincidence that widespread schooling came about in a time where propaganda, nationalism and centralization and expansion of state power were on a high note, and such trends have only expanded since with the help of the propaganda and brainwashing conducted in those schools.

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