In his excellent book The Joy of Freedom, economist David Henderson contemplated this question: If American education is so bad, why is it that the US economy performs so well compared to nations where most of the kids outperform ours?
One possible answer, of course, is that our schools must really be excellent, a response that the National Education Association would embrace. But that’s not it.
Rather, Henderson pointed out, it’s the case that formal education is not the only or even the most important source for knowledge and skills. Much of what people need to know to succeed at whatever they do is learned in places other than schools, usually under the impetus of some chance to make or save money.
The legal profession is a good example. Many lawyers practice in areas they either never studed in law school. They learn what they need to know about their field of practice on the job. Even if someone went to a law school where the profs can’t or don’t teach worth a darn, that’s no handicap at all.
