“It simply uses them.”

And, 'markets them' in nice targeted marketed boxes. From kids, teens, married, married with kids, retired etc. Everyone is in a nicely marketed predetermined box. Think big data, (especially techie data)

“Ask teachers how old some of their textbooks are.”

Or, wonder why your child has received the same assignment in K-4 thru 5 maybe 4 times(?), sure there are systemic reasons for this which you cover in this piece but it’s also an endless subject how grade school education is approached in this country. What? cookie cutter kids? Yeh, lots of reasons behind this needless repetition, and yep, funding is part of the key.

“The whole thing was a trap.” Also, a lack of imagination trap. In other words, you are not a parent in society, more like a toaster on an assembly line. Not nice, but that is the look and feel of the whole process.

“According to them, it’s time to head back to the office and start up all those pointless meetings again.”

Exactly! Correctomundo!

“Ask them if public schools are really designed to encourage creativity and critical thinking”

Of course not! Then kids could morph into the creative thinkers that an advanced society needs for the future!

Nice job, noting how the past should not repeat, else there won’t be much of a future for long.