Now now children. Play nice, and I'll let you out to recess.

My apologies for interjecting in your undoubtedly groundbreaking critiques/hissy fits, but there's a few points I'd like to make.

Seeing as those of you lining up to lambast the school system appear to lack the awareness of how to distinguish one's gluteus maximus from one's anconeus, I thought I'd come a runnin' with a pompous attitude and a few brutally direct truths that you all appear rather ignorant of.

Point 1: For all it's faults, name the educational systems superior to the Australian one? If it's indeed falling apart at the seams, I'd like to hear which system we should be emulating.
The Chinese rote-learning system perhaps? Repeat and write? Don't question orthodoxy? P'raps you'd prefer the ignorant preachings of a schools sanctioned by the Iranian clerics, or the anti-evolutionist yahoos infesting the southern states of the US.
Maybe we could offer advertising in schools, like they do in the US? How about a cola-emblazoned sports field? Or contracts to only sell pepsi drinks in school grounds?

Christ. Get a grip.

Continued:

Point 2: All this comparing whatnot, judging the merits of this'n'that and assessing the value of whatsit is all well and good, but recent moves back to teaching core precepts is all well and good. Holden's article seems to encourage history to teach pretty much damn well everything. Regrettably, we need to make time for things such as maths and chemistry. We don't have a hundred hours a day to consider the ins and outs of everything.
Some critical thinking is important, but the notion that people are taught to simply accept mainstream orthodoxies is rubbish.
Take a look at the yahoos on this site for example. No hesitation to challenge orthodoxies there.

Skills in relation to critical thought however...

Point 3: With all due respect Vanna, (though I'm having a difficult time determining what respect, if any, is actually due) I s'spect there's a bit more to teaching than you let on.
If it were merely about reading books then I'd expect our literacy rates to be a bit higher. Again. Name the better system. There's a constructive discussion, rather than empty whingeing.

Point 4: The staunchest critics appear to be the ones most out of touch with modern society, and appear to hate it so much they wouldn't be caught dead actually interacting with it without a nasty grimace on their face.
At least, that's the image you appear to give off, between the lines of your text. Might wanna work on your friendlying up your image a tad.

To summarize: Talk is cheap. It's even cheaper without constructive suggestions. I don't think our system is all that bad, but that might be because I know something about other educational systems throughout the world, and I don't assume the worst of the up-and-coming generations, as has been the fashion for bitter old men, (usually pining for their non-existent glory days of youth) for the last few thousand years.

Turnrightthenleft

Your not much better than the name calling CJ Morgan.

The article is on history.

What history do you want to teach (if there is time left over from teaching maths, science and English)?