When I was 5 years old., I started school, and when I was 15 I left school, and went to work. Lot's of folks stayed on to 17, before they left, with higher qualifications. Some even went on to universtity, for another 3/4, or 5 years. Then there were those who became teachers, and lecturers, and eventually, even professors.
In my experience, the longer most folks stayed in education, the less they knew about real life, cocooned in their own small world of pedagoguery, and work politics.
I left school early, and grew up quickly.
I see Mudcat as a bit like school. Especially the urge to pop back to reunions, and see what that idiot from year 2, is doing now!