Why Is Music Instruction So Incredibly Lame?

I've been wondering why music instruction, as commonly practiced in the public schools, is so outrageously lame. I spent 5 years in band class and learned essentially nothing about music. I learned to toot out a few notes on the saxophone, and how to read notes on the treble clef. That's about it. What's worse, I'm sure that 90% of my classmates learned even less than I did.

I was never exposed to basic ideas in music theory, like chords, intervals or modes -- they were never mentioned. I wasn't taught a single thing about different styles of music, or music history. I got no training in listening to music in any critical way, or in a technical way that would allow me to transcribe it.

Even as an exercise in music performance it was lame. Who wants to listen to any of the crap band music that we were forced to play?

What an unbelievable waste of life.

My theory is that music in the schools should be taught mostly on computer, using synthesizer software. Kids get very turned on by this sort of thing, and it could be used to take the emphasis off of the development of manual dexterity required to play an instrument and onto learning about music. A piano-type keyboard would allow for some level of performance, but kids should spend most of their time learning theory, acquiring listening skills, exploring different musical styles and composing their own music. I learned none of these things in all those years of band.