Three myths of American education:
1. Education is the key to our future.
2. To get a good job you need a college education.
3. Teachers are underpaid.
Add those up and you get a public-education monopoly run by unions.
Back a couple of years ago when I was in high school the teachers were about to go on strike because they were "underpaid". One teacher who was only about 32 who was against the union told us he made $50,000+, full medical and dental, as much vacation as students, 2 free periods per day, full pension, medical and dental until death, whole and term life insurance, and a paid funeral. 90% of people in the working world only wish they had that kind of package.
I remember reading somewhere awhile back (though I don't remember where) that teachers actually make as much as or more than most professionals with similar educations when calculated on a per hour basis.
There's only one important myth of American education, which does not exist anywhere else in the world.
That is the myth that all, or virtually all, young adults are capable of tenth-grade level work and beyond.
This is manifestly false and has resulted in the erection and maintenance, at huge cost, of giant holding pens for 15-18 year olds, and the debasement of academic values and evaluation systems for all.
Free universal public education must end at age 14.