[evilC]

holyh2o said:
>>>
Most I know were hardworking folks taxed to death, .... Why shouldn't those folks get a break?
<<<

We ALL need a break not just chosen (and already well looked after) groups.

The real problem, of course, is spending. About 75% of local (mainly property) taxes go to fund government education. Cutting expenditure here is key to reducing the burden of taxation.

Perhaps we need a "tuition charge" just like government colleges already have. This would certainly help the users (tax-spenders) feel some of the pain of tax-payers and make them less willing to fund every increased the teachers unions tell them they need.

[RightWhale]

The 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights states that education shall be mandatory and free for young children (grammar school, I guess,) and available on a merit basis for advanced levels (college, I guess,) so in performance of this (unfunded) mandate the signatories shall provide and fund elementary school. How advanced schooling is to be funded is not of interest, it could be private schools so long as it admits students based only on merit. Is the Declaration twisted like a pretzel trying to keep up with societal evolution?