It's no wonder that so many modern students dislike school and put little effort into it. The policies and procedures in force at most educational institutions were designed over a century ago during the Industrial Revolution. When laws regarding mass education took effect, society's pressing need was for assembly-line workers. A primary goal was to instill the attitudes and teach the behaviors needed to succeed in the work force after graduation.

The “factory model” of education remains the guiding principle in most modern schools. Accordingly, students are required to sit for long hours in neat rows, are expected to accomplish a fixed amount of work in a fixed amount of time, and must move in unison to the ringing of bells. They even take bathroom breaks en masse like factory workers. Creativity and individual initiative, which are incompatible with the requirements of mass production, continue to be minimized. Following instructions precisely continues to get top priority.