Our education system isn’t broken—it’s just outdated. That’s what Tommy Schultz laid out on the latest Mark Howley Show, and honestly, it’s a hard truth to ignore. The way schools operate today isn’t some grand, well-thought-out plan to foster independent thinkers. No, it’s based on a Prussian model from the 1850s, built to create obedient factory workers and disciplined soldiers. And somehow, we’re still running with it in 2025.
Mark and Tommy got into this deep. Why are kids still sitting in perfectly structured rows, listening to bells that dictate their every move, and absorbing material in a one-size-fits-all manner? It’s because that’s what the system was designed to do: create order, not innovation. Back in the day, it made sense. Factories needed workers who could follow instructions. The military needed recruits who could follow orders. But the world has moved on. Today, we need critical thinkers, problem solvers, and adaptable minds—and yet, the education system is still churning out graduates who are good at memorizing but bad at thinking.
Mark brought up something he’s noticed firsthand—hiring young employees today isn’t the same as it used to be. He talked about how fresh college grads will walk in proudly announcing they have a business degree, yet when asked to actually strategize or problem-solve, they freeze. Because school didn’t train them to think—it trained them to comply. That’s not just frustrating for employers—it’s devastating for young adults who step into the real world with no idea how to function outside of a structured classroom.
The conversation took an even sharper turn when they started talking about school choice. Tommy is on a mission to flip the system upside down—to let the money follow the student, not the school district. Right now, public schools get funding whether they’re doing a good job or not. Parents don’t get to decide where that money goes, even if their kid is stuck in a failing school. And that’s exactly why the system won’t change on its own. Too many people profit from keeping things the way they are—from teachers’ unions to bureaucrats to politicians who thrive on the status quo.
But the cracks are already forming. More families than ever are pulling their kids out of traditional public schools—homeschooling has exploded, private and charter schools are seeing record enrollment, and micro-schools are popping up as alternatives to the outdated system. And it’s not just because parents are frustrated—it’s because they’re finally realizing that education can be better.
Mark and Tommy didn’t just talk problems—they talked solutions. Instead of forcing kids into the same rigid structure that’s existed for over a century, why not build an education system that actually makes sense for today’s world? Imagine a model where students aren’t forced to sit through subjects they’ll never use, where they can actually focus on skills that match their interests and future careers. A system where parents, not bureaucrats, get to decide what’s best for their children. That’s the kind of revolution Tommy is fighting for.
And the truth is, we’re already seeing it happen. In states like Arizona and Florida, parents now get direct education funding—$8,000 per child per year—to spend on schools that actually work for them. That’s real progress. That’s real freedom in education. But as Tommy pointed out, the fight is far from over.
If you’re as fired up about this as Mark and Tommy were in this episode, go check out SchoolChoiceNow.org. Find out if you have school choice options in your state. If you don’t—get involved. Because nothing changes unless people demand it.
And if you want more hard-hitting conversations like this, subscribe to The Mark Howley Show. New episodes drop every other Friday, and trust me—you don’t want to miss what’s coming next.
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