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Here’s a thought that might change how you view the American education system: Most of what passes for educational progress is actually a sophisticated form of distraction.

The ancient Romans had a term for this: “bread and circuses¹.”

Emperors would keep the populace docile with free food and entertainment. Today, our government schools and those in power are serving up their own version of this timeless pacification strategy.

The Grand Illusion

What’s the purpose of education? 

I’ll offer a simple definition: to create smarter, more capable young people. Implicit in that might be a hope that it enables upward social mobility, i.e. allows you to move up the social and economic ladder.

That sounds reasonable. 

But let’s dig deeper. 

What does it mean to be smarter and more capable?

At a minimum, it should mean being literate, numerate, able to communicate effectively, and capable of critical thinking. 

Simple, right?

Now, here’s where things get interesting. If we judge our education system by these basic criteria, we’re failing. 

Spectacularly.

Consider:

1. U.S. students consistently perform below the international average in math, reading, and science (PISA results).
2. A large percentage of high school graduates don’t meet college readiness benchmarks.
3. While many students can perform basic tasks, few can analyze complex information or solve multi-step problems (NAEP results).

In other words, we’re not creating smarter, more capable young people. 

We’re creating the illusion of education.

The Modern Circus

So if we’re not actually educating kids, what are we doing? We’re putting on a show. 

Here’s what it looks like:

1. The Standardized Testing Spectacle: Schools obsess over test scores. It’s as if we believe that measuring something enough times will magically improve it.
2. The Grade Inflation Illusion: We’re handing out A’s like candy on Halloween. It feels good, but it’s nutritionally empty.
3. The Technology Trap: We equate having an iPad with being educated. It’s like thinking owning a guitar makes you a musician.
4. The Culture War Arena: We argue endlessly about what to teach (from evolution to critical race theory), while forgetting to actually teach.

The culture wars, in particular, have horribly deformed our discourse on and efforts to make meaningful change.

Both sides of the political divide are guilty.

1. Renaming schools and mascots while math proficiency declines
2. Book banning campaigns while rural schools lack basic resources
3. Debating holiday calendar inclusivity while reading scores drop
4. Debating prayer in schools while STEM achievement lags
5. Fighting over bathroom policies while teacher shortages worsen
6. Mandating DEI statements for teachers while struggling to retain qualified educators
7. Attacking “critical race theory” in K-12 while literacy rates decline
8. Adding new pronouns policies while college readiness metrics fall
9. Pushing “Don’t Say Gay” policies while science scores remain below international peers
10. Focusing on microaggression training while student readiness for college worsens

Both sides engage in highly visible cultural battles that generate media attention and partisan engagement.

This is our modern “bread and circuses.” 

These attention redirects do zero to address core educational challenge of making students smarter and more capable.

Seeing Through the Illusion

Here’s the thing about illusions: once you see them for what they are, you can’t unsee them. 

So how do we spot educational “bread and circuses”? 

Here are five questions to ask:

1. Is this solving a real problem, or is it just shiny?
2. Are we learning, or just arguing?
3. Do these scores actually reflect useful skills?
4. Are we funding flash, or are we funding the future?
5. Is this real change, or just buzzwords?

These questions are simple, but answering them honestly and then getting us focused on the isht that matters requires courage. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to admit that much of what we’re doing in education is just for show. It is worse not to admit it.

Breaking Free

So what do we do?

How do we create an education system that actually educates?

The answer is surprisingly simple, though not easy: focus on what matters.

1. Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
2. Foster creativity and innovation.
3. Emphasize lifelong learning.
4. Address individual student needs.
5. Improve teacher training and support.
6. Update curricula to reflect real-world challenges.

Notice something? None of these involve standardized tests, shiny new tech, or culture war debates. 

They’re all about the hard, unglamorous work of actual education.

The Choice

We’re at a crossroads. We can continue with our educational circus, producing students who are entertained but not educated, distracted but not developed, placated but not prepared.

Or we can choose a different path. We can build schools that prioritize thinking over testing, understanding over memorization, and real skills over inflated grades.

It won’t be easy. It won’t be flashy. But it will be education.

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I’m building Forge Prep for formidable young people (5th to 12th). 100% no “bread and circuses”. We’re launching in Fall 2026.

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¹ Bread and circuses (Latin phrase “panem et circenses”) was coined by the Roman satirist Juvenal in the late 1st or early 2nd century. It appears in his work “Satire X,” where he criticizes the Roman populace for their willingness to trade their political responsibilities for food and entertainment.