In my city, Nashville, no one who can afford it goes to the public schools, with the exception of a few academic magnet schools. When you net out those magnet schools, over 75% of the public school population in Nashville is financially eligible for subsidized lunches.
And many of those children have learned one lesson VERY well... that the government will take care of them....and that it OUGHT to take care of them (whether they perform...or not). I am generalizing, but the generalization is far too applicable.