Two Simple Changes for a World of Education Reform

Christopher Chantrill proposes two legislative ideas that he says will radically alter education for the better:

But conservatives believe in gradual reform. We do not want to abolish anything, not all at once. So let us propose something mild and inoffensive.

Reform One: Repeal compulsory attendance laws now. How mild and inoffensive is that? Oh, I see. You don't trust other people to educate their children properly.

But you are wrong, you know. There has never been a problem getting parents to send their children to school. In the 1830s in Britain, James Mill (father of John Stuart) found that poor parents would eat potatoes in order to find the sixpence to send their children to the local village school.

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Reform Two: Anyone who can pass a test in basic literacy and numeracy should be allowed to work. But what about child labor? Yes, what about it, and how bad was it anyway? It is hard to tell.

Audacious ideas to say the least. Here is how Chantrill concludes:

These two simple reforms may seem radical to some, but surely there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Let us take a look at some of the immediate effects of these reforms, for nothing much will change, not at first. Teachers will still have their jobs and their pensions.

Grade inflation will continue on its benign course. Children will be promoted from grade to grade even though they haven't learned anything.

But think of the benefits. Suppose we abolished compulsory school attendance; what would happen? Not much, but it would make it easier to expel problem children from school. Is there a principal in the nation who wouldn't sleep better at night knowing that she could expel the kids that didn't want to learn?

Supposed we abolished child labor laws; what would happen? Not much, but the problem kids expelled from school could get jobs if they wanted to. And parents could tell their uncontrollable kids to get out and get a job-and mean it.

Imagine our problem kid out in the labor force. He might discover that the only jobs available for high-school dropouts paid "chump change," and he might decide to go back to school and get serious.

This is also a form of education. It is called learning from experience.

I need to think a little more on that.