'Issues in Education' (1964) by Ayn Rand

This was broadcast on Columbia University's WKCR radio station in 1964.

“Issues in Education,” originally delivered as a lecture in 1964 and later published in The Objectivist Newsletter, is a trenchant critique of the philosophical and pedagogical trends that, in her view, were eroding the foundations of American education. Speaking during a time of growing social unrest and ideological reorientation in the United States, Rand situates the crisis in education not merely in administrative failures or outdated curricula, but in fundamental philosophical errors—especially the rejection of reason as the guiding principle of learning.

At its core, the essay is a polemic against the rise of “progressive education,” a movement heavily influenced by pragmatist philosopher John Dewey. Rand charges Dewey and his intellectual progeny with fostering an anti-conceptual, anti-intellectual atmosphere in American schools. She contends that by abandoning reason, logic, and objective knowledge, progressive educators have substituted emotion, groupthink, and social conditioning as the aims of education. According to Rand, this shift has led to a generation of students ill-equipped to think critically, integrate knowledge, or pursue independent thought.

Rand opens the essay by emphasizing that education is not a luxury or a social service but a moral necessity. For a child to become a rational, independent adult, proper education must train the conceptual faculty—the uniquely human ability to abstract and integrate knowledge. This, she argues, is the central task of education: to teach students how to think. Anything that undermines that goal is a betrayal of education’s purpose.

She reserves particular scorn for what she sees as the infiltration of collectivist ideology into the classroom. In Rand’s view, modern educators emphasize “adjustment to society” over individual achievement, teach conformity over integrity, and promote emotionalism over disciplined thought. This, she argues, is not an accident but a reflection of deeper philosophical premises—especially the denial of objective reality and the skepticism toward the power of reason, trends she links to modern philosophy and epistemology.

Rand also critiques the bureaucratization of education, which she sees as a byproduct of government control. She argues that a state-run educational system inevitably reflects the prevailing ideologies of the intellectual class—typically altruist, collectivist, and statist. Because of this, she advocates for the complete separation of education and state. Much like her arguments for capitalism, Rand frames the ideal educational system as one governed by free choice, private initiative, and market competition.

Her solution is not merely to reform education policy but to reinstate a proper philosophy—Objectivism—as the foundation of learning. She calls for a return to Aristotelian logic, objective standards, and a curriculum that respects the student’s capacity for reason. Literature, history, science, and mathematics should be taught in a way that integrates knowledge, rather than presenting facts as disjointed or arbitrary.

Throughout the essay, Rand maintains a passionate and confrontational tone. She writes not as a professional educator but as a moral philosopher who sees the classroom as the battleground for the future of civilization. Education, in her eyes, is not just about preparing workers or citizens—it is about shaping minds capable of understanding reality and living independently. Without this, she warns, the fabric of a free society cannot endure.

Conclusion: “Issues in Education” is a powerful and controversial essay that reflects Rand’s broader philosophical project: the defense of reason, individualism, and capitalism against a culture she saw as increasingly irrational and collectivist. While her critique may be seen by some as overly harsh or ideologically driven, the essay remains a thought-provoking examination of how education reflects and shapes society’s deepest values. For those interested in the intersection of philosophy and pedagogy, Rand’s essay offers a provocative challenge to conventional assumptions—and a call to reassert the primacy of reason in the classroom.