"Could you explain why it would be a bad thing to make primary education more like college?"
They don't have the same goals. Primary education has to educate everyone. Private colleges can be selective about students, kick out students, etc, etc. You can't compare a system that has to educate everyone with one that can be highly selective. It's apple to oranges. But, private colleges as a whole are questionable. Look at all the diploma mills, aggressive recruitment to private "colleges" with substandard education, no real campus, whose goal is only to make a profit. I can't find it now, but I read a story recently about a scam private college that bought another school that was accredited so that they would get the accreditation which wouldn't be rechecked for years!
So in short, I think some private schools do a great job for some students, but I'm highly doubtful that it will work well for primary education that has to educate everyone.
I think US colleges are great, but it's not the same goal as primary school. I don't think the two are comparable.
The private prison example isn't exactly the same, but it has similarities that you guys are ignoring. The main one is that the incentive is to maximize profit, not to make a better prison or school.
They don't have the same goals. Primary education has to educate everyone. Private colleges can be selective about students, kick out students, etc, etc. You can't compare a system that has to educate everyone with one that can be highly selective. It's apple to oranges. But, private colleges as a whole are questionable. Look at all the diploma mills, aggressive recruitment to private "colleges" with substandard education, no real campus, whose goal is only to make a profit. I can't find it now, but I read a story recently about a scam private college that bought another school that was accredited so that they would get the accreditation which wouldn't be rechecked for years!
So in short, I think some private schools do a great job for some students, but I'm highly doubtful that it will work well for primary education that has to educate everyone.
I think US colleges are great, but it's not the same goal as primary school. I don't think the two are comparable.
The private prison example isn't exactly the same, but it has similarities that you guys are ignoring. The main one is that the incentive is to maximize profit, not to make a better prison or school.