the requirement that the state *provide* an education

I am often flummoxed by how much time and energy is put into forcing kids 
into school. I am also flummoxed with the number of children who come to 
school not ready to learn. And I don't mean *anything* about
intellectually 
ready. I mean things like having had an adequate breakfast with a lunchbox

of snack and lunch provided. I mean having gotten an adequate night's
sleep 
at least mostof the time. I mean coming to school free of stress from 
monstorously disfunctional families.

In this group, we are selected out to see it less than it may occur in
other 
places. We are concnerned enough about kids to belong to a group that 
discusses the subject. And we are in a somewhat educated group who would 
seek out such conversation. But whether or not this is going on in *our* 
schools (it sure is in our neighborhood rural school) it is a big part of 
the policy force.

I wonder if the burded to provide an education only included its being 
offered would change the dynamic? How far do we want to go to protect 
children from their crappy parents? How about if the education was offered

but not mandated? If a child is a discipline problem or a disruptive 
influence, instead of going through this weird discipline system that has
no 
teeth (if a student does not want to be there, then sticking them in 
detention is no great deterrent), kick 'em OUT, particularly in the later 
grades. If the child comes to school unfed, stinky and dirty, exhausted...

send them home until they are in a state to learn.

It reminds me an awful lot of the welfare reform that occured a few years 
back. I never thought it would happen since people would be in an uproad 
about hte kids of these parents who were being dumped from the system. I
was 
wrong.

I know this is an incindiary post. I don't mean it literally. I am trying
to 
kick up some sort of different conversation around education in this 
country. I *do* however feel that the schools have had to take on more and

more and more of what used to be the place of the parent. And I am not
sure 
that is a good thing.

Interested in your thoughts.