will more school make us better people?

I’m concerned about President Obama’s assertion that children should spend more time in school. I absolutely disagree; I think children should spend a lot of time learning – in fact, I think they should spend all day, every day, learning, as should adults – but that “school” is only one, and not always the most effective, path to learning.

I have lots of ideas about how the school system should change, and one of these days I’ll get into some of them. For now, though, I have a question. I’m particularly interested in parents’ views on this, but everyone will have ideas – not least because almost all of us have been to “school” in one form or another.

Is more school good for children? What is/are the most important skill(s) children and teenagers can learn in school? Will spending more time in school help them better develop that/those skill(s)?

How can we justify giving children longer school days and school years – will there really be a payoff in terms of their lifetime success and happiness?

I’m trying to organize my own thoughts on this, and I”m very interested in hearing yours. I respect President Obama tremendously; if he feels strongly about something that to me seems patently wrong, then I have to wonder if I’m missing something.