The point is producing educated, literate, socially functional children at the end of the process. As long as government accepts the notion that public money should go toward that end, why shouldn't parents have a say in how those public funds are expended on their children? You want your children to go to public schools? Fine. That's your *choice.* But why shouldn't I get the equivalent of what the government pays out for Average Daily Attendance for educating your kids so that I can exercise my *choice* on where my kids are educated? Forcing public education as the only choice is closer to your socialism characterization.
"As long as government accepts the notion that public money should go toward that end, why shouldn't parents have a say in how those public funds are expended on their children?"
If they did, the liberal stranglehold on the next generation would cease.