It should be for women and men and the young and old. Both society and individual citizens benefit. A democratic society needs citizens capable and willing to help decide on complex problems. Democratic communities need people to contribute to the welfare of all. However, today's educational system is failing on many counts.
Many students graduate from high school without being able to read and write.
American students lag far behind students in other countries in the areas of foreign languages and geography according to a study by the Task Force on International Education. Education in the United States favors the rich over the poor. There is an over emphasis on a college education and credentialism. Many employers require college degrees for jobs that have little or no relationship to those degrees. Entrance to U.S. colleges universities depends on one's ability to pay as much as on one's intellectual potential.