What is basic education?

There is a lot of discussion and promotion of funding for schools, but I have to ask a simple and basic question.

I am wondering why there is no defined definition of what constitutes “basic education” so that these problems we are dealing with related to the financing of “education” can be resolved.

I have searched and searched and can find no clear definition of what is included in “basic education”. It would seem to me that before any education issue can be resolved there needs to be a clear and codified declaration of what basic education means. Once we have that then we can proceed with dealing with the financing of same.

Does “basic education” include sports, sex education, shop, home economics, field trips, or is it limited to English, civics, penmanship, mathematics, general science, history? Without a codified definition “basis education” could be said to include the transgender bathroom activity, how to use illegal drugs, how to watch a blob of paint dry, or how to effectively LIE to fool others. Without a clear and codified definition of what constitutes “education” it can’t ever be “adequately” funded.

If the same requirements being used to fund education now and for many decades was used to fund transportation, public safety, health care, then no one would have any control over what is actually funded and could put changing diapers in the item to be funded for energy etc.

This story was originally published December 23, 2016 at 6:22 PM with the headline "What is basic education?."