Quote:I couldn't disagree more.


For one thing, many sophomores (year 10) are 15 years old. Which means that they aren't even able to drive yet at that point in most states.


My wife is a teacher, and she sees many students who struggle. In part because of their parents disregard for their education. Some of the kids who you'd think wouldn't go to college, end up going off to college because of good teachers at the later years. We have plenty of people who go to school for 12 years, and don't learn enough grammar, history, etc... as it is.


16 is not a good age to start college. I don't think 16 year olds have the maturity to understand the importance. Some 20 year old's don't even have the maturity to understand the importance. Kids need to have time to develop their minds. Especially before they go into a program that's likely going to put them in debt for the next 15+ years. We don't need our college graduates to get younger. Lowering the number of years in primary school will only do more damage than good.




I don't like the idea of school vouchers. Bad schools need to become good schools. It's easy to say 'parents should be given a choice.' It makes sense in theory. But that's before you actually know how some parents are. My wife has had to deal with over the years some of the worst parents. Parents who were holocaust deniers. Parents who didn't like how she taught someone favorably, or someone unfavorably (when she was trying to teach a balanced approach). Giving parents choice sounds like a good idea. Until you realize that it gives them control over the teaching staff. You know, the people trained to actually teach our children. You'd have schools split by political ideology more than anything else.