Excellent points about math and science. Because I have no first hand experience with advanced maths I forget how very creative it can be! I have to rely on others here to remind me.

The cynic in me thinks that public education is just a way to babysit so the adults can be cogs in the capitalist machine, and 'educate' kids just enough so that at 18 they think they know something. Of course, that's not really the case....