Herb Kohl, author of several great books on schools, has written a good article titled The Educational Panopticon.

Here’s the preface:

People who insult and denigrate teachers by forcing scripted curriculum on them are perfectly aware that they are forcing teachers to act against their conscience and students to close down their minds. What must be raised and answered for is the moral cost of creating joyless schools that resemble panopticons.

You’ll need to read the article if you don’t know what a panopticon is.  I sure didn’t.