I do think that families need to reconnect. I failed to address that in my post. If a child spends 4 hrs twice a week in school, then the rest of the time they're with family I think that gives plenty of time back to the family. As children get older, I still don't think they need 8 hours a day in school, or better yet, not all 5 days. In college, a student generally spends about 12-15 hours per week in class. That seems like it's enough. I would be in favor of shortening days, adding in more breaks, and reducing the number of years needed to get an education. Beyond that, it's the parents' responsibility to make sure that the family is where it needs to be. As a parent, I am very intent on seeing to it that I and my wife -- not the "system" -- teach our children to think and to live. But I don't see how to make that happen if the parents are not proactive.