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"It is impossible for us adequately to conceive the boldness of the measure which aimed at universal education through the establishment of free schools. As a fact, it had no precedent in the world's history; and, as a theory, it could have been refuted and silenced by a more formidable array of argument and experience than was ever marshaled against any other institution of human origin."
Horace Mann
Tenth Annual Report of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education

Excellent links today, TxBec.

From the NAEP link: Following are examples from the language arts portion of the 1996 NAEP test. (This particular NAEP test was accidentally given to a student's mother. When she saw what the test actually measures, she was so outraged she refused to return it.) This NAEP test contains:

Four questions that are an exercise in diversity training where white settlers are described as being in pursuit of the "yellow metal that they worship and that makes them crazy," and who "show little respect for other people's needs," and who created a "barren land ... [where] you shall starve."

Even the history books etc. in stores contain some pretty scary stuff, similar to the above.

The one article states that the truancy law is enforced more against parents who put their children in "unapproved" educational settings than against real "truants".

True story: My husband and I used to live in a major city, and for months we were receiving taped messages on our answering machine from a school saying: "Your child was absent from school today. Please call (name of school) to verify..." At the time, we had no children.

We received the message very often. The recording didn't give the child's name. One day, I looked up the school's number and called to tell them that we're receiving these messages and we have no children, so that means a child is missing school and the parents don't know it! The person who answered told me there is nothing the school can do because there's no way to track the calls, not even through my phone number, and to "just wait, the calls will eventually stop." The calls continued for months.

Finally, a worried teacher called saying: "Mrs. #####, I'm very concerned because your son (name) has been missing school..." I told her it was the wrong number and the whole story. That means no one found out until months later that this kid was skipping school.

And that's how they "solve" truancy in Philadelphia. :(