[warrenwilkinson]

Instead of what?

On a more serious note, this would be a complete non-issue, except that education is state controlled. So now it's politics. Where it private people could choose what's best for their child without choosing what's best for everyone elses.

[hugh3]

Well, any parent who wants his children to learn chess can teach it to 'em. That is, I guess, how most children learn it.

In the opposite case, where chess is compulsory and the parent doesn't want the child to learn... well, big deal. I must have learned to play dozens of games at school, from tunnelball to rugby, and throwing in an extra one isn't gonna do much harm.