In thinking about your post, I realize that compulsory government schooling steals a person's life and prevents them from using that life in a way that is most satisfying to them.
For example:
**traveling experiences ( in your case),
**developing a talent ( as one of my homeschoolers did),
** accelerating their education ( as two of my children did) or
**learning a trade,
**just plain working for money.
Government schools **steal** life. There is a word for that: Slavery!
Children are **used** ( enslaved) for the purpose of providing jobs for middle class government toadies of very limited talent.
I could not agree more with you. I work as a maintenance electrician at a local school and have one on one time with many of the students.
Without revealing too much, The school is a combination of academic and trades. Those on the academic side would lean 80% progressive. On the trade side more than 90% consevative. These students are pidgeon holed into their world veiws. I have rocked the boat on many occasions with the administration with their idea of education. The BLATANT direction of the academic teachers is astounding. The trade teachers are all capitalists and teach the technical end as well as how to manage a business.