[Lurking Libertarian]

Around this same time, another movement was taking shape: The Common (Public) School movement. The leaders of the Public School movement were, for the most part, humanists who were concerned about two things they believed endangered America’s future: The continuation of what they called religious superstitious beliefs and the influx of illiterate immigrants seeking jobs and a better life in this country. These leaders believed that realizing their two-fold goal of ridding our society of religion and providing an education for immigrant children mandated compulsory education for every child. Soon, the various states were passing compulsory attendance laws and children began to be public schooled en masse.

Demonstrably false history. The common school movement was not designed to rid society of religion, but rather to inculcate Protestant values to (largely Catholic) immigrant children.

[Temple Drake]

hear, hear! Can't let a lot of little Irish and Slavic kids bring their pagan, Papist ways into our pure nation ...

[Theophilus]

Demonstrably false history???

Very early on: "Hughes and members of New York’s prominent Protestant establishment helped to set in motion the secularization of American public schools, a process that began in the 19th century, and continues to this day."