All generalizations will fail at some level of scrutiny. These are NOT always the same thing. There is potential for harm if the decision is made, and there is potential for harm if it is not made. Currently in the US there are no effective standards for teachers, which means that each teacher can decide what is important for children to learn.
Teachers do whatever they can to avoid submitting to any kind of standard.
I don't think any of my questions have clear answers. Any answer to these questions is likely to be simplistic. Realistically, the goals of education are buffeted by and reflect the total complexity of society. All of the different competing factions in society can, and should, influence education to some degree or another. Children will grow up to be subject to these influences and must learn to deal with it someplace.