You're assuming that school is decidedly negative if at the outset a kid doesn't "have an interest" in learning. I disagree.
> Again, free and required is a bad model. They should either be free and selective or, less ideally, available and costly.
This is a good way to ensure the most vulnerable members of your society don't get educated. But I suppose that might be a feature to some people.
Educated or babysat?
Yes and no. The interest of the kid to learn is on the kid/family, for sure.
However, the fact that a kid who has no interest in learning is forced to go to public school is a function of how public schools operate.
Again, free and required is a bad model. They should either be free and selective or, less ideally, available and costly.