Classical Education and the Western Tradition

Is classical education the handing on of the western tradition? If so, which one?

The western tradition includes the extreme materialism of Marx and de Sade, the cynicism of Hume and Nietzsche, the ontological confusions of nominalism and utilitarianism, the ethical assaults of nihilism and existentialism. Do we really feel a need to pour these burning pots of oil on the minds of our children?

If classical education is the handing on of the western tradition, it seems to me that we need to define what we mean by western tradition a little more carefully. We should particularly note that the west has rejected its classical and Christian traditions rather deliberately and self-consciously. Recently, the west has spread a great deal of death and destruction.