--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people believe that schools were…" description: "\"Most people believe that schools were good enough when they were children and that they are good enough now. But the dynamic growth of our system of ed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg" --- # Most people believe that schools were good enough when… ![“Most people believe that schools were good enough when they were children and that they are good enough now. But the dynamic growth of our system of education has spawned serious problems of educational quality.” quote by Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg) > “Most people believe that schools were good enough when they were children and that they are good enough now. But the dynamic growth of our system of education has spawned serious problems of educational quality.” [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Educational quality declines as systems expand without adapting to new challenges, leading to systemic problems. **In simple terms:** Schools haven't kept up with changing needs. Key Takeaway Reform education to match modern demands. Themes education quality reform systemic issues Mood concerned critical Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - school board meetings - parent-teacher conferences - policy advocacy - classroom innovation - community outreach Key Concepts curriculum design policy equity teacher training Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance tradition with innovation? - What policies most improve quality? A Different Perspective Change is slow and faces political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-schools-2165736/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-good/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Educational Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational-quality-3920882/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problems Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-educational-2123869/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schools Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools-good-626923/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) ## Related quotes > [We developed at the local school district level probably the best public school system in the world. Or it was until the Federal government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-developed-at-the-local-school-district-level-probably-the-best/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The problems in our educational system are indissociable from broader malignant trends in our society, and they can't be solved by lots of testing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/the-problems-in-our-educational-system-are-indissociable-from-broader/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [In inner-city, low-income communities of color, there's such a high correlation in terms of educational quality and success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/in-inner-city-low-income-communities-of-color-there-s-such-a-high/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [As long as you're just smart enough to do a job and just dumb enough to swallow what they feed you, you're gonna be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/as-long-as-you-re-just-smart-enough-to-do-a-job-and-just-dumb-enough/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [I believe that schools of today with all their answers on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, above everything else, take us back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-wangchuk/i-believe-that-schools-of-today-with-all-their-answers-on-science/) [Sonam Wangchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-wangchuk/) > [Mentorship plays such an important role in business - we know it's a must - and I believe schools should embrace it in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-neumann/mentorship-plays-such-an-important-role-in-business-we-know-it-s-a/) [Adam Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-neumann/) > [Many people want to send their children to faith schools because they get good exam results, but they're not foolish enough to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/many-people-want-to-send-their-children-to-faith-schools-because-they/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I think that one of the greatest challenges we have today is around education. One of the things that is dividing us more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-that-one-of-the-greatest-challenges-we-have-today-is-around/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [All parents want to send their children to the best possible schools. But because a good school is a relative concept, a family cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/all-parents-want-to-send-their-children-to-the-best-possible-schools/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [All of our schools should be good enough to attract a healthy racial mix, which, I believe, leads to the most effective learning for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/all-of-our-schools-should-be-good-enough-to-attract-a-healthy-racial/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [Journalism schools are good to get a job, but I don't know what else they are good for. I don't like the word "journalism"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/journalism-schools-are-good-to-get-a-job-but-i-don-t-know-what-else/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Of all work-schools, a good farm is probably the best for motor development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/of-all-work-schools-a-good-farm-is-probably-the-best-for-motor/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [Good schools, good jobs, good government. These are not unreasonable demands. But sadly, some of our people have already lost heart and have left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lingle/good-schools-good-jobs-good-government-these-are-not-unreasonable/) [Linda Lingle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lingle/) > [I'd like thousands of schools as good as the one I went to, Eton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/i-d-like-thousands-of-schools-as-good-as-the-one-i-went-to-eton/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) > [Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald want to have good public schools, good roads and good health care for the people of Wisconsin. We just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evers/robin-vos-and-scott-fitzgerald-want-to-have-good-public-schools-good/) [Tony Evers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evers/) ## More by Diane Ravitch > [“Our schools will not improve if we continue to focus only on reading and mathematics while ignoring the other studies that are essential elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/our-schools-will-not-improve-if-we-continue-to-focus-only-on-reading/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [We will continue to chase rainbows unless we recognize that they are rainbows and there is no pot of gold at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-will-continue-to-chase-rainbows-unless-we-recognize-that-they-are/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [When you succeed at keeping almost everyone in school, you must figure out ways to educate everyone you keep in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/when-you-succeed-at-keeping-almost-everyone-in-school-you-must-figure/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The history of education is a seemingly endless parade of “new ideas” that are actually old ideas renamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-history-of-education-is-a-seemingly-endless-parade-of-new-ideas/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [We should totally ban for-profit charters. For-profit's first obligation is to its stockholders, not to its children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-should-totally-ban-for-profit-charters-for-profit-s-first/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“By picking a few winners, the Race to the Top competition abandoned the traditional idea of equality of educational opportunity, where federal aid favored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/by-picking-a-few-winners-the-race-to-the-top-competition-abandoned/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The reformers define the purpose of education as preparation for global competitiveness, higher education, or the workforce. They view students as “human capital” or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-reformers-define-the-purpose-of-education-as-preparation-for/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“While I have never been a member of any union, I was a friend of Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/while-i-have-never-been-a-member-of-any-union-i-was-a-friend-of/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [In DC, policymakers think that if we can only have high enough standards, tough enough tests, and hold people accountable, we can close the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/in-dc-policymakers-think-that-if-we-can-only-have-high-enough/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The corporate reform movement has co-opted progressive themes and language in the service of radical purposes. Advocating the privatization of public education is deeply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-corporate-reform-movement-has-co-opted-progressive-themes-and/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [American Education has a long history of infatuation with fads and ill-considered ideas. The current obsession with making our schools work like a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/american-education-has-a-long-history-of-infatuation-with-fads-and/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [An attack on public education is an attack on democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/an-attack-on-public-education-is-an-attack-on-democracy/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [The greatest obstacle to those who hope to reform American education is complacency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-greatest-obstacle-to-those-who-hope-to-reform-american-education/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“Social scientists generally agree that students’ families (especially family income, which determines advantages and opportunity) have an even bigger impact on student performance than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/social-scientists-generally-agree-that-students-families-especially/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [The ladder was there, from the gutter to the university, and for those stalwart enough to ascend it, the schools were a boon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-ladder-was-there-from-the-gutter-to-the-university-and-for-those/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) [Explore all 61 Diane Ravitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people believe that schools were good enough when they were children and that they are good enough now. But the dynamic growth of our system of education has spawned serious problems of educational quality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Ravitch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/most-people-believe-that-schools-were-good-enough-when-they-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/most-people-believe-that-schools-were-good-enough-when-they-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/diane-ravitch-11245_believe_most-people-believe-that-schools-were-go_3161074.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people believe that schools were good enough when they were children and that they are good enough now…” — Diane Ravitch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Diane Ravitch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most people believe that schools were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/most-people-believe-that-schools-were-good-enough-when-they-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/most-people-believe-that-schools-were-good-enough-when-they-were/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```