[nsksl]

That's how it should work but you will find that a majority of parents cba rearing their children so they want the state to do it for them. And this extends to so many things in life that the authoritarian grip is only going to get tighter with time.

[Eisenstein]

Note: the following is not arguing in favor of the UK policy, but is a general observation.

I seriously doubt that the majority of parents want the state to raise their children for them.

By arguing about irresponsible or lazy parents you are latching on to the first, most convenient thing that seems to make sense to you. But I think that is a mistake because not only does it perpetuate some kind of distorted sense of reality where parents don't care about their children and want to hand off all responsibility for them, but it distracts you from the real causal issues.

The fact is that humans have for millions of years acted in various levels of coordination to raise and look after children as a group. Modern society has made this all sorts of dysfunctional, but it still exists.

[supermatt]

> parents cba rearing their children

And THAT is the problem that they should be tackling.

[s_dev]

Ironically any attempt to control this is deemed 'authoritarian' as well.

[alsetmusic]

This is a problem that could be solved with socially funded child care, at least in part. But that's not gonna happen. (Posting from USA; I don't know how this may or may not apply in the UK.)

Either way, if parents had more time to raise their children rather than slave away at jobs to stay above water, I have to think there'd be some improvement in child development.

[nsksl]

Not necessarily. If they want to have uneducated children, let them.

[AngryData]

That is a terrible attitude about education. You are essentially condemning those kids and future generations to a shittier society and shittier lives.

[nsksl]

Maybe so, but it’s better than the alternatives.

[Tadpole9181]

A reminder that it is a legal requirement that children get primary education. It is a crime to not give them an education.

We did that for a reason and it is undoubtedly better than the alternative.

[graemep]

To be fair, it is because the state makes it difficult for them to rear children.

Long working hours and both parents working full time means they do not have the time or the energy. Then you have the state offering help, and encouraging parents to drop them off at school first thing for breakfast club, and then keep them there for after school activities.

[Braxton1980]

"but you will find that a majority of parents cba rearing their children so they want the state to do it for them"

This is normal and what public education is for. Teaching online safety and sex ed should be considered no different than teaching history