I agree about the schools as factories comment. But I don't think "epiphanies" can't come from those who've been taught in schools. There are many different teaching methods in use out there. Not everything is memorization. I've had some experience in the area and I think methods like Inquiry and Problem based Learning are the way to go.
Schools should be giving students tools to put in their tool box of thinking. Have you noticed peoples' inability to deal with problems out there? So many people get into a situation...stare at the problem but have no idea how to approach solving it. The facts and figures learned in school won't help but if they can apply the different methods of thinking to the problem, they might come up with some ideas for solutions.
But today, schools are focused on diversity and people's feelings rather than giving them the tools they need to deal with situations...the focus on tests of information retention when we have just about all of the information in the world available through technology at our fingertips.
What people need to know is how to look at a situation and gather the information they need to come up with a solution. But hey, it's important to make sure no one say's Merry Christmas in a school but that all students learn about Ramadan and Kwanza and be able to express their gender identities and a bunch of other crap that has nothing to do with preparing people to deal with life.
