---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is American education? What should…"
description: "\"What is American education? What should our students be taught? Is hip-hop something that is worthwhile and useful for students to learn? Of course, if..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png"
---

#  What is American education? What should our students be…

![“What is American education? What should our students be taught? Is hip-hop something that is worthwhile and useful for students to learn? Of course, if you're learning it from KRS-One, I would say yes.” quote by KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png)

> “What is American education? What should our students be taught? Is hip-hop something that is worthwhile and useful for students to learn? Of course, if you're learning it from KRS-One, I would say yes.”

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote questions the purpose of American education and suggests that culturally relevant subjects like hip‑hop can be valuable when taught by authentic sources.

**In simple terms:** Education should include relevant culture; hip‑hop can be useful if taught authentically.

Key Takeaway

Consider integrating authentic cultural content into curricula.

Themes

education culture relevance authenticity

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- school curricula
- community programs
- after‑school workshops

Key Concepts

hip‑hop pedagogy curriculum design

Questions to Reflect On

- How can schools authentically incorporate hip‑hop?
- What defines “worthwhile” content?

A Different Perspective

If hip‑hop is taught superficially, it may reinforce stereotypes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-education/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/)

## Related quotes

> [I can't tell you the number of times in high school I was allowed to be disappointed for not making the grade; it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-tell-you-the-number-of-times-in-high-school-i-was-allowed-to/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Students were taught by doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/students-were-taught-by-doing/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I've taught a college journalism course at two universities where my students taught me more than I did them about how political news is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-ve-taught-a-college-journalism-course-at-two-universities-where-my/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [The vast majority of the students I have taught have become self-sufficient and confident individuals who enjoy their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-vast-majority-of-the-students-i-have-taught-have-become-self/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/if-we-teach-today-s-students-as-we-taught-yesterday-s-we-rob-them-of/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [Too often students are being taught to read as if literature were some kind of ethics class or civics class—or worse, some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/too-often-students-are-being-taught-to-read-as-if-literature-were/)

[Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/)

> [Being an artist is not easy - I have always said that to the students I have taught over the years. It's a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/being-an-artist-is-not-easy-i-have-always-said-that-to-the-students-i/)

[Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/)

> [Students are often taught when to use a particular method and how to use it, but not how to effectively write up their research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-leavy/students-are-often-taught-when-to-use-a-particular-method-and-how-to/)

[Patricia Leavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-leavy/)

> [“When students learn to wrestle with questions about purpose, audience, and genre, they develop a conceptual view of writing that has lifelong usefulness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bean/when-students-learn-to-wrestle-with-questions-about-purpose-audience/)

John C. Bean

> [ \[Not enough is known about solid geometry\] and for two reasons: in the first place, no government places value on it; this leads to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/not-enough-is-known-about-solid-geometry-and-for-two-reasons-in-the/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [We know that when students learn in a diverse student body, they get a better education. Everyone benefits from that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/we-know-that-when-students-learn-in-a-diverse-student-body-they-get-a/)

[Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/)

> [It's important for students to learn to make smart money management decisions before heading off to college or the entering the workforce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jenkins/it-s-important-for-students-to-learn-to-make-smart-money-management/)

[Malcolm Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jenkins/)

> [Students should learn about the long-standing values of truth, beauty, and goodness, think hard about them, and interrogate them skillfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/students-should-learn-about-the-long-standing-values-of-truth-beauty/)

[Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/)

> [You know, I haven't met an educator that doesn't agree that students learn best in school, and they really want our students to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/you-know-i-haven-t-met-an-educator-that-doesn-t-agree-that-students/)

[Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/)

> [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

## More by KRS-One

> [If you don't know hip-hop, at least a little bit of it, you can't even call yourself an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/if-you-don-t-know-hip-hop-at-least-a-little-bit-of-it-you-can-t-even/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [It's not about a salary, it's all about reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-about-a-salary-it-s-all-about-reality/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [It's not that you don't make any money doing conscious rap music. You make a lot of money doing this, but if you're greedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-that-you-don-t-make-any-money-doing-conscious-rap-music-you/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [Hip-hop is not about crime. Hip-hop is not about being a gangster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/hip-hop-is-not-about-crime-hip-hop-is-not-about-being-a-gangster/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [I break an emcee off proper Yo don't check me, Ask your Moms and Pops, Yo they respect me, But here you stand, tryin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-break-an-emcee-off-proper-yo-don-t-check-me-ask-your-moms-and-pops/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [I mistakably paid respect and condolences to the wrong Beastie Boy member King Ad-Rock when it should have been MCA. In light of this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-mistakably-paid-respect-and-condolences-to-the-wrong-beastie-boy/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [Maybe I'm the prophet of hip hop for real. Maybe I do come with some kind of divine principle behind me, because I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/maybe-i-m-the-prophet-of-hip-hop-for-real-maybe-i-do-come-with-some/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [“The God of your understanding, has chosen you and you've agreed To be here in this space and time to do something, that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/the-god-of-your-understanding-has-chosen-you-and-you-ve-agreed-to-be/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [There is no forgiveness, justice, or healing on any level when hate is involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/there-is-no-forgiveness-justice-or-healing-on-any-level-when-hate-is/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [I've enjoyed much success. The IRS is always at my door, constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-ve-enjoyed-much-success-the-irs-is-always-at-my-door-constantly/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [When rap music needed to have a teacher, I became it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/when-rap-music-needed-to-have-a-teacher-i-became-it/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [You know something, it's best no to have what you need because then, you start looking for what you need and make it what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/you-know-something-it-s-best-no-to-have-what-you-need-because-then/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [I used to let the olde english 8- suds bubble in the last car of the Franklin Avenue shuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-used-to-let-the-olde-english-8-suds-bubble-in-the-last-car-of-the/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [I honestly now know that I'm the physical embodiment of hip-hop on earth. That's my only purpose here on earth is to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-honestly-now-know-that-i-m-the-physical-embodiment-of-hip-hop-on/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

> [If I were to critique myself - step out of KRS objectively and look at him - I would say that KRS has introduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/if-i-were-to-critique-myself-step-out-of-krs-objectively-and-look-at/)

[KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

[Explore all 168 KRS-One quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/)

## More American quotes

> [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

> [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/)

[Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/)

> [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/)

[Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/)

> [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/)

[H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/)

> [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/)

[Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/)

> [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/)

[Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/)

> [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/)

[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/)

[Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/)

[Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/)

> [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

Browse all 7,717 American quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What is American education? What should our students be taught? Is hip-hop something that is worthwhile and useful for students to learn? Of course, if you're learning it from KRS-One, I would say yes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "KRS-One"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/what-is-american-education-what-should-our-students-be-taught-is-hip/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/what-is-american-education-what-should-our-students-be-taught-is-hip/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/krs-one-2404_american_what-is-american-education-what-should-o_704567.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What is American education? What should our students be taught? Is hip-hop something that is worthwhile and…” — KRS-One",
                "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": "KRS-One",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What is American education? What should...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/what-is-american-education-what-should-our-students-be-taught-is-hip/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/what-is-american-education-what-should-our-students-be-taught-is-hip/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
