Well, I see your point. However, one must remember that in the United States children are not forced to attend High School after the age of 16 (if I remember correctly). Considering one starts at age 5 or 6, that is ten years of education we invest in a person. I don't see it as entirely unreasonable.

I don't think we put too much on kids, either. There are of course the kids who take many advanced courses and college credits, but that is simply a move on the childs part. There are programs in schools which allow you the "bare minimum" in order to get out and find a job.

Basically, I think we can conclude that it is in our best interests as a First World, Industrialized, and Free-trading society to ensure that children are being educated (both in and out of the home) to make the best decisions possible and tools with which to achieve those ends. As stated earlier: parents may be dropping the ball on the in the home portion, so would it be worth it to risk it with the out of home portion?

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"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov