[sokoloff]

> Parents who can afford it take their kids out of the default public school and take them to a magnet, charter, or private school.

I think it’s pointless to try to prevent this. Try to block it and parents who can afford to will just move to where the public schools are good.

There’s no level of forced equality (other than everyone living in abject squalor) where there won’t be a spread of resources and some will choose to direct theirs in less or more long-term productive ways.

[harimau777]

You are correct that there will never be perfect equality. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't take steps to get closer to equality. For example, wealthy parents sending their kids to private schools isn't as much of an issue when it doesn't take money away from public schools (e.g. via vouchers).

[kelseyfrog]

It's fairly easy to prevent. Accreditation is a legitimization mechanism eminently modulatable by law. When only state schools are accredited and truancy is enforced, there is no other option.

The funding issue is also trivial, local property taxes should be transferred to the state rather than being used directly. The idea that somehow poor neighborhoods should have poor schools is asinine and re-enforces existing class structure.

[sokoloff]

It’s not a funding issue, or at least not just a funding issue. In many states, the lower performing districts have more per-pupil funding than higher performing schools.

Parents and community are a massive influence, and parents will move as needed to attend better school districts, even if private schools are outlawed.

[kelseyfrog]

We can find a reason for any intervention to fail, but empiricism should be our guide, not our ability to conjure failure scenarios.