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I have complained loudly and bitterly to all who will listen about the garbage fed to children in the cafeterias of the public schools. Fried this, fried that, chicken nuggets, everything heavy on "starches" [carbohydrates] ... pizza, hamburgers, sugary sweet rolls and/or desserts, sodas or other sweetened drinks instead of milk ... no fruit, no vegetables [french frys do NOT count] ... and, in this poor county, I know that some children eat both breakfast and lunch at school and go home to indifferent parents and no proper meal at night.

You're mostly correct, at least as it applies to the schools I've seen. Around here, they are served milk or juice, but can buy sodas from vending machines. Our students get several choices, and most seem to gravitate to the least healthy choice. :-(

Many parents of children in public schools see their children only as an inconvenience to be fobbed off on the schools.

...which is one reason public schools have such a hard time teaching some of them and getting them to behave. And, they aren't all poor children.

If we did away with public schools, what do you suppose would happen to those children?

You're mostly correct, at least as it applies to the schools I've seen. Around here, they are served milk or juice, but can buy sodas from vending machines. Our students get several choices, and most seem to gravitate to the least healthy choice. :-(

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Mostly, government institutionalized schooling robs children of the time they need to play. Play gives children the opportunity to run off calories and build strong bones and muscles.

Add to this that government institutionalized schooling forbids children in the school play yard the type of play that they need. They are afraid the children will get hurt or the games are not politically correct.

If we did away with public schools, what do you suppose would happen to those children?

The same thing that is happening to them right now ... they would still be feral children turning into feral adults. I cannot see that the public schools are making any difference now ... and cannot see that the abolition of public schools would make any difference either. Perhaps without pretending to "educate" some of these "children" ... some real attention could be given to turning them into functioning adults with life and work skills.