No. It isn't fundamentally harmful to children. It depends on how it's done. One of the major differences between effective programs and harmful ones are the a

No. It isn't fundamentally harmful to children. It depends on how it's done. One of the major differences between effective programs and harmful ones are the attitudes of the children in those programs. Both the hothouse parents described, and programs for kids "behind standards" push really hard with rote learning, high-pressure, and often punishment. On the other hand, effective programs, both for kids ahead, behind, and at grade-level have richer activities which build love-of-learning. As a footnote, I looked at the web site you linked to. It cites a bunch of widely discredited Piagetan nonsense.