My attitude toward public education in America usually vacillates between anger and despair. Despite spending more money per pupil than any other major country, American public schools progressively dumb down our kids, as revealed in international comparisons on standardized tests. The longer our students attend public schools, the lower their ranking compared to other nations. Lower grades of primary schools score well, but by the end of high school, American students rank near the bottom.

Public schools are, frankly, mostly run for the benefit of the teacher unions, dedicated to the notions that we are never spending enough money, that class size must be small (meaning more dues—paying union members), and that parents should defer to 'professionals' in curriculum and other decisions affecting the classroom. It is enough to give many thoughtful observers genuine worries.