How to Spot Education Theater

Education theater shows up whenever language replaces substance. Whether it’s a new ed-tech platform or a pre-packaged curriculum, the pitch sounds polished—aligned, research-based, personalized, rigorous. But ask what students actually do all day, and the answers thin out. What texts are read? What problems are solved? What thinking is required? Real teaching can be explained plainly. If it can’t, something important is missing.

Real education can be explained plainly. If a program needs jargon, scripts, or dashboards to sound convincing, it may be managing learning rather than creating it

Another sign is the shrinking role of the teacher. In education theater, professional judgment is replaced with scripts, dashboards, pacing guides, and fidelity checks. Teachers are told to “implement” rather than teach, and students are expected to engage with materials instead of ideas. When curriculum becomes untouchable and platforms become decision-makers, learning is standardized while understanding quietly erodes.

When systems replace judgment and scripts replace teaching, education starts to look polished—and feel hollow.

The simplest test is this: ask for a walk-through of a normal Tuesday. Not the program overview. Not the outcomes. Tuesday. Who is doing the thinking? Who is responding in real time when students struggle or soar? If the answer relies on systems instead of people, or compliance instead of curiosity, trust that instinct. Education isn’t a performance—and students aren’t meant to be managed.

Ask what students actually do on a normal Tuesday. If the answer is vague, abstract, or overly polished, trust your instinct.

This is how we take education back from the Educational Industrial Complex.