The Public Education System in America Discourages Free-thought and Individualism

Pro made an excellent argument in stating four main claims that they used to back their opinion. It falls upon me as Con to refute these claims. Firstly, "When faced with budget cuts, the first classes that schools decide to reduce funding to are Art and Music classes." I simply cannot agree with this opinion. As a student in the mentioned school system myself, I have never seen this occur. I am aware that not only is it a stereotype but the expected response based on America's placement of values more on sport than the arts, however I would like to point out that my school personally, when faced with sequestration as a federally funded school, cut first the sports teams. All the schools that I have ever attended (and there are nine) have first cut their sports teams and then their arts programs. As time progresses, arts and computer sciences have started to prioritize over other areas which could be cut. The argument that art and music are for the more creative is not a sound one, as this student is quite artistically challenged and yet linguistically creative. To follow, "The more intellectually inclined students are scolded for conducting thought experiments (daydreaming) during class to compensate for the lack of education that they receive from the so-called teachers." Daydreaming is not an experiment. We call this boredom. However, the most intellectually inclined students are the ones who know to go above and beyond in their work, because their normal teacher cannot teach to the top of the class and leave the less advanced struggling desperately for education. Therefore the intellectually inclined have more time and more space for free-thought because they can finish their work more quickly and to a higher level in which they can input their personal thoughts. Thirdly, "From a young age, students are exposed to one-sided government propaganda (drug-free campaigns) that tell them exactly how to respond in "peer-pressure" situations instead of encouraging them to weigh out the pros and cons and come to their own conclusions." This is a concept brought about by a massive rise in bullying in schools. With no defense mechanism taught and a soap-opera history of the horrors of bullying, it is actually an excellent asset to a student to be advised as how to respond to such an issue. Many students choose to ignore this advice anyway, but some will follow it and some will implement it in many ways. In a home where nothing is taught in terms of how to respond to such a situation, guidance is needed. And it isn't as if students are forced to respond in certain ways; we still have our thoughts and free agency and many choose to do whatever they want with their lives, completely disregarding what they have been taught and what they have learned. Lastly, "Students are taught to blindly recite the pledge of allegiance (a form of indoctrination)." A very dangerous card to play in any debate, but I will force myself to keep my calm. At my school it is required that you at least stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I attend a school of military children. Our parents go out and fight for that flag to which most of us duly pledge our allegiance. There is no one forcing a student (legally) to recite said pledge. It is not a form of indoctrination, but patriotism. It is giving students something more to stand for, and helping them to realize what great legacy they come from. I would like to restate my argument that though schools are distinctly structured, they do not discourage free thought and individualism. They train young people to be good citizens and contributing members of society. I do not feel as if my free thought is inhibited by education. My thoughts are entirely my own. They may be influenced by outside factors, but in the end I choose how I think. I choose how I am. I choose who I am, and I choose who I will be. It doesn't matter where someone comes from or what they are taught. After all, even through Hitler's harsh times of power in Germany there were still many who held strong to their individual thoughts and faith. American education has nowhere near the limiting power of the Nazi regime and therefore it can only limit your thoughts and individualism as much as you so allow it. Having answered each of Pro's points and completed my own argument, I respectfully end this response and await a reply from my opponent.