Schools are for teaching. If only for the simple reason that as we grow older we need the younger generation to support us. Therefore, the adults of today have

Schools are for teaching. If only for the simple reason that as we grow older we need the younger generation to support us. Therefore, the adults of today have a very strong incentive to educate the next generation. The majority of jobs required to provide the support (aka mostly manual labor) does not require a particularly high level of learning. I don't necessarily agree with the original statement but I think that is just as flawed. Perhaps a better idea is that the current school system is designed to pen in kids during the day so parents can get stuff done (yep, that's paraphrased from a pg essay btw before anyone calls me on it :)) with the idea they will learn something in the process? In terms of your last point I dont think that's as good a rebuttal either because they are edge cases - where other factors (such as percieved moral requirements) force the issue. Consider it on a more day to day basis and it is quite possible (were you shipped off to a child minder due to parents jobs/careers etc? I know I was). I disagree with the original point (again) but I think the real reason it is wrong is because putting a career before your children's immediate interest is not necessarily a case of caring less about them - because there could be longer term reasoning.