I would like to believe I can critically think really well, sometimes. And you’re completely right about the schools not teaching this — in fact, from what I’ve seen, they punish you for it.

Math test, I solved a question through inferring what number is increased by six when it’s squared (power of two), completely correct answer, no credit because I didn’t solve it the “right way”.

I think that the main time period in which social interaction and “cliques” determine who you are is around the 6th grade. I really was a jerk back then, mostly because I hung out with jerks. I believe that many people including myself all matured around 11th grade, even 12th.

Good article! I can’t imagine how it would have been to be home schooled and be spared the dread of going to school, only to have to deal with the rude homophobic racist people.