Well you obviously went to school a long time ago if you got paddled. It's gotten worse each generation. Boomers always complained that their kids were getting way too much homework. Then their grandkids got even more, to the point where they had zero time for anything else. And most schools have also extended the length of the school day. And now they're cutting recess even, and trying to eliminate all breaks and even have weekend school. Thank God I made it out of there alive.

In addition to that, they don't do learning anymore. In the first place since they put so much pressure on students now they get almost everything done by middle school. After that they repeat the exact same useless crap over and over just to keep kids busy for 12 years. And the "core" subjects are taken so seriously that everything else is being cut. The only reason it holds up is because everyone is programmed not to question it. Under the slightest bit of scrutiny it all falls apart.

You're better off going to college or starting a career. But we keep kids in school for 12 years because we can't let go of that outdated tradition. And other countries are even worse. That's also part of the problem, since other countries are doing it we want to jump on the bandwagon.