I went from a father who helped his 12yr old study for the SAT and pass it at 13 to go to University at 14.

If my daughter were 12 today. I would 100% homeschool her. I would find (and work to create) Socializing opportunities. I would teach her about Mind, Body and Spirit. How to harmonize energy.
I know how to teach her how to learn.
I would enable her to go through AND COMPLETE various online courses.

And I would have her volunteering to help others.

But there is NEAR ZERO chance I would LET her go to a University in this day and age.

The hard part is helping her find either the movers and shakers or the family oriented people.

Because at some point... I have to PREPARE her to leave and be on her own. The last one is doing quite well... (And I admittedly may not have the skillset to help a fresh one as well as I helped the other one).

Parents, I believe, can teach their kids these things. We certainly do not need schools for this. At least not the schools of today.

Worst of all, they're allowed to vote.

Voting should be restricted to those above 25. Or even 30.

The impact of the two earner family, with both parents working for greater material wealth. They've abdicated the parental role and turned it over to the schools, that have neither the time nor the legal right to enforce discipline. Teachers can't follow the kids home and make them do homework, or take personal privileges away if they don't attend school.

Law enforcement has become sympathetic to the parents' dilemma, and less inclined to penalize them for their children's absenteeism. We're seeing a society that has abandoned personal responsibility.

I agree there is probably a certain amount of indoctrination that occurs in any public school these days. Some schools and districts are much better than others, however.

The other side of the issue is the basic concept of just learning to be where you need to be, on time and ready, whether that's school (for the children) or work (when those children grow up). These kids are being taught that 'it's ok' to be late or just skip a day.

When I was a kid during the Fifties and Sixties, I heard of such a thing as truant officers. Never ever saw one, though.
Harrumph! You'd think these days we'd have social workers making sure kids never miss being to be indoctrinated in public schools.

And you think they learn those things in school now a days? If I had young children now I certainly would not allow them to step foot in a public school.

but then the commies would loose control!!!!

can't have that!!!
/s

The proper function of government is to not exist. It is not legitimate to maintain by violence a monopoly on providing a protection service on some turf. It is also not legitimate to force someone to purchase a protection service. These activities are what the mob engages in. Punishment is not legitimate EVER. Punishment is what you do to slaves when they misbehave. The only legitimate retaliatory action in a free society may be forcing the repayment of damages and costs associated with a wrongful action.

Even at a private university, attendance is way down compared to pre-COVID.

Public education should be abolished, and turned over to private enterprise and home schooling.

I believe that education of children is not a legitimate part of the proper function of government. Its proper function is to protect human individuals from force (including fraud and violence), and to punish same when it occurs. Also, education teaches thought processes, which should definitely not be turned over to the government.

If kids play organized sports during lunch, when in the h__l do they get to eat?

for over 20 years kids in most schools have had zero clue about anything important