It’s hard to ponder our education system for long and come away thinking it makes sense. This is especially true for our lack of choice in public education. Think about it: We aren’t assigned and restricted to specific grocery stores, hospitals, car dealerships, or churches based on where we happen to live. Even when tax dollars are involved, such as with food stamps or Medicaid, people can choose among a variety of private providers.
Parents of children below the age of five choose where — even whether — to send their children to preschool. Likewise, young adults choose whether and where to receive post-secondary education. Even when vouchers or state grants are involved, no one is assigned to a preschool or college based on where they live.
But when it comes to educating children in the 5-17 age range (give or take a bit depending on the state), it’s a completely different story. The government assigns kids…
