ICOT, I appreciate your thought out responses to my post. I happen to have an advanced degree in science so I am a bit biased about the importance of science. But, in general, as you acknowledge, science has improved our lives immensely, and as others have noted, it can bring one to a feeling of Ahavas Hashem. There is nothing like trying to develop new insights in an area which may benefit people who suffer from certain illnesses. The chochma of the human body is beyond any description. There are zillions of cells, and each has zillions of molecules and each has many atoms, and they are all put together in a way that everything must fit perfectly, and one error can cause major catastrophe. We don’t fully understand the fundamental forces which all of these components exert on each other and cause everything to work right. And we don’t even know the structure and mechanism of many of the proteins that perform so many essential tasks.
This is why I say science is a wide open field. The potential for innovation is so vast, nobody will ever have to worry that there is nothing left to discover. (Although any discovery takes huge effort and siyata deshmaya.) I feel kids must have the most advanced education possible.
I agree with Anonymrs that it is essential to have a good Kodesh and Chol education. However, the sad fact is that it usually is one or the other. This causes me no end of aggravation. I also agree that kids should learn all different subjects so they can choose for themselves what interests them the most and see where their talents lie. This includes art and music as well, as some kids may be gifted in those areas.
BTW, not all literature is bad, and much is inspiring and is about the goodness of the world and the people that inhabit it.
EDITED