Interesting. I am not the least surprised. As far as I am concerned, the public "screwel" system is FUBAR and needs to be scrapped entirely. The only educational system that will work (IMO) is entirely local based, with 100% local control, and locally paid for. Until that time comes, good private schools or homeschooling is the only answer.
Having one's children taught by people who have an entirely different moral value system and world view will damage them. No doubt about it. Add to that being surrounded by kids who are being raised without the same values (generally speaking) = a recipe for disaster. Doesn't mean every single kid will be ruined. But all will be affected. And kids are affected by the degraded ones among them; it's the "lowest common denominator" effect.
Some strong kids with strong families may be ok. But it's not worth the risk.
i realize there are lots of details that need to be ironed out and some i could compromise on, but consider schools that cater to smart kids, schools that cater to the needs of the less intelligent, schools that cater to musically inclined, schools that help kids kick a drug problem, schools that do not allow drugs, ...
in the longer run, these focused schools will force parents to think about where to send their kids, and further, horrors of horrors, have little johnny possibly rejected by some (see drug schools that will take johnny). parents will have to deal with problem children, not the schools. best of all, the free market will make education cheaper in the long run. this is akin, but not exactly, to having a series of private schools that compete with the public schools.
other thoughts you might have?