Should Schools be Modeled After Cough Syrup?

Thanks Dean Shareski for the great ideas. This one really resonated with me. Dean said that some schools argument for their success is similar to Buckley's cough syrup (a Canadian thing, here's the video); it tastes TERRIBLE, but it works. Does school have to be terrible, "rigorous" (hard, inflexible, unyielding, painful) to "work"? If so, what does "working" mean? Great questions; great conversation starters. Discuss amongst yourselves!