Abstract
Classical education, advertised as an alternative to modern public school education, is steadily increasing in popularity across the United States. Its supporters claim that an education in the classical style returns to ancient Greek and Roman theories and traditions. There are, however, numerous problems in the way this educational model is implemented in public charter schools and in private schools, and the connections to historical educational systems are tenuous. In the absence of a clear point in time or a model of ideal ancient education offered by proponents against which to compare, evaluating the accuracy of their claims necessitates an examination of the educational traditions begun in Greece and Rome, their development towards formalized educational systems, and their progression through time and across cultures in Europe and North America. Tracing educational traditions and the eventual origins of the movement indicates that the misappropriation of history and misuse of tradition necessitate significant, fundamental changes to classical education if it is to serve the ultimate goal of providing benefit to students.