ABSTRACT
Throughout its history, public education has served many purposes: to safeguard democracy, enculturate immigrants, promote social mobility, and develop a skilled workforce. These beliefs have seeped into the DNA of K–12 education, mutating its goals, metrics, and ultimately, the effects on children and society. Classroom practice has also bent to Moore's will, even if it's not evident. The standards were unveiled in 2010 with a fanfare that leaves nothing to the imagination: "With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy". The urgency in the discourse feeds the relentless push for technology. And while jobs are essential and businesses are indeed stakeholders in education, the encroachment of private interests has subordinated equal access to competitiveness. Student health has been another casualty of escalating academic pressures. For example, some schools have opted to reduce recess to carve out more time for academics.
