Are we “educated” or “schooled” in schools?

Here is a 3-question quiz.

1.    If a person with college degrees spills coffee in a public restroom, will he/she clean it up?

a. Yes      b.  No      c.  It depends on what was learned in school.

2.     If a person, who scores high on standardized tests, spills coffee in a public restroom, will he/she clean it up?

a. Yes      b.  No      c.  Not enough information.

3.   If an “educated” person spills coffee in a public restroom, will he/she clean it up?

a.   Yes      b.  No     c. It depends on how you define “educated.”

“C” is the correct answer for all three. Here’s why.

Some college graduates might reason that custodians are hired to clean public restrooms. Others would clean up their spill. It depends on what the person learned in school about taking personal responsibility for the well-being of others.

“C” is also correct for #2. We can’t know if a high test scorer would clean the spill. Some might also reason that custodians are hired to clean restrooms. Others would clean it up. The relevant information is missing because high test scores are unrelated to taking personal responsibility for the well-being of others.

“C” is also correct for #3. Whether or not an “educated” person cleans up the spill depends on how we define “educated.”

How do we define “educated?” Is it being a college graduate? Is it correctly answering multiple choice questions? If we define it either way, “educated” people are not necessarily those who take personal responsibility for their own spills.

But are degree earners and good test takers really educated, or are they just “schooled?” Do you want to spend time with college degree earners, or high standardized test scorers, if they don’t take responsibility for their own spill?

Societies educate their youth because humans naturally want to make the world better for the next generation. That is both the reason for becoming educated and the definition of educated.