Yet another religious cult raided

[kandrathe]

Kandrathe, thanks for this interesting post. But before I can really react on this I would like to ask you some of the definitions you use. I think (like the political word liberal) there are some things that don't mean the same in europe as they do in the US.

The government requires by law that all children attend school, and parents currently have three choices; public school which is funded mostly by local property taxes and some state funds, private school (religious and not) which is funded by the parents, and home school where kids are taught by their parents at home but must pass state exams twice a year proving the children are learning the required materials. In all cases, the fact that you don't consume any state school education does not indemnify you from paying for it in your local taxes. All people with and without children, pay local property and renters taxes which mostly go into the public school system. Another difference is that in America, the school also combines many youth activities like sports, music, and arts. So as schools add more teams, and more activities the taxes go up to support all these extra curricular activities. Not such a big deal with Choir, but it is a big deal with Olympic sized swimming facilities.

Anyway, your post shocks me a bit. And to be clear (because I am confused)to what kind of school did you go?

I went to a state run public school. It really was a nightmare. Sheesh, the stories I could tell you... Coaches sleeping with cheerleaders, the drug and alcohol use by teachers with their minor students, the physical and mental abuse, and my younger sister was almost killed twice while in school by a psychopath that the school refused to do anything about. Then there was the academics...