RETHINKING PUBLIC EDUCATION: The school board in a wealthy suburban county south of Denver is considering letting parents use public funds to send their children to private schools—or take classes with private teachers.

"These days, you can build a custom computer. You can get a custom latte at Starbucks," said board member Meghann Silverthorn. "Parents expect the same out of their educational system."

The opposing view holds that "a common cultural experience comes out of public schools" and districts shouldn't undermine ít by letting parents design a "boutique education" for their children at public expense, said Russ Whitehurst, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the liberal Brookings Institution.

The problem, of course, is that many of us understand that the “common cultural experience” found in public schools is neither common nor cultural.

I’m in favor of setting some minimum standards - basically the “three R’s” plus history and civics - and then letting the marketplace sort out the rest.