Based on the volume of posts and the difference of opinion as to the correct answer the value of the equation seems to be:
A. To illustrate the proper order of operations in math, and how an ambiguous equation can be confusing.
It does do the former, but there's absolutely nothing ambiguous about the equation.
B. An example of poor results of the application of resources in public education.
Huh?
C. A vehicle to attempt to illustrate intellectual superiority on an internet forum.
HAHAHA!
D. To reliably get a given population to come to the same answer
I dunno...who cares about that?
If your object is to reliably get a population to come to the same answer,
MY object?! I didn't write the equation! I only solved it in my head when I saw it and remembered my 8th grade algebra class. And I ain't no math whiz, I'm an artist. Z-man's the OP of this topic. And I understand that threads like this are all over the Internet.
the equation is obviously poorly written
No it's not. You answered 2, right? 
and could be easily clarified.
Nah. It's perfectly clear as written. Even I understood it (and I'm an artist ).
If the object is A, B, or C it is a clever equation.
What's a "clever equation"?