In my previous post, I wrote about how adults tend to be blase about compulsory traditional schooling, in part because they're not personally going through that experience anymore. But what if things were different?
Suppose that you are 40 years old. Suppose that the government passes a new law, the "Midlife Compulsory Education Act". Everyone who is 40 years old must now attend a special school. You will start at 13th grade and remain there for 12 years, until you graduate 24th grade at the age of 52. You will attend this school nine months per year, five days a week, whether you like it or not. You have no say in the matter. You cannot vote for new politicians who might change the law, because actually you have no voting rights. The government believes that middle-aged people are naturally incompetent and should not be allowed to influence governmental policy.
Who would agree with such a policy? Wouldn't it be a terrible violation of your rights, to be forced to attend school whether you like it or not? I'll grant that kids do have some advantages, like free room and board from their parents. But you know who also gets free room and board? Prisoners. And no one seems to think that prison is a fun place to be.
Humans, in general, need freedom. They need it whether they're young or old or anything in between. The only rules that can be justified are rules that prevent you from hurting people. But compulsory schooling doesn't make us safer; it just makes us sad.
School should not be compulsory. Innocent children should not be sent to a place which feels like prison. School itself should be something that kids enjoy. If they don't enjoy it, let them vote with their feet! Let them leave the building. Let them go home if they want to. Everyone needs to be free.