(November 5, 2009)-- Education is one of the most important issues in society. Without proper education, children cannot grow into adults with potential for success. What was a system for students to gain intellect has become a daily game show where the person with the most points wins.

From an increasingly young age, students are given bubble-in tests for their school subjects: CAHSEE, CSTs, PSATs, SATs, ACTs, etc. There is an endless list of acronyms in the education system that only serves to delay students’ education. These tests are mainly questions followed by several answers, four of which try to throw you off your train of thought and reasoning.

That is where the tag line comes in: “If you do not understand, memorize it.” While memory is an important trait throughout our lives, so is learning.

Students, regardless of their age, will never be able to educate others on the subjects they learned throughout their lives because the choices will not be abstract—only a, b, c, d and e.

These five letters not only prevent learning, but also creative thought.

Everybody needs to think outside of the box; there are too many jobs that require abstract thought, and if students do not learn how to think critically in school, they never will.

There is not one simple, straightforward answer to everything in life with four similar choices. Life is not a game show in which our temporary knowledge is tested; students should breathe in what they learn and use their progressing intellect in a way to broaden the world in which we live.