Has education gone down a rabbit hole?

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Who's to blame when a child is not in school?
The child?
The online games, social media, the virtual world accessible from their room?
The parent?
Fine them, prosecute, and jail them!?
The school?
When peers, teachers, rules, the buildings turn schools into miserable scary hell holes?

Two generations ago, where I came from, education and school was a privilege, that many would not even dare to dream. My grandma did not have the opportunity to learn to read. My mum and aunt were told there's no money to go to 6th form. Only the rich go to university.

The irony, that school and education have gone from the unattainable dream to undesirable, feared, parents threatened with prosecution if children do not attend, in less than 100 years...hmm..

What needs to change, any ideas to make it better?

Not sure the point of this post but if people did prioritise education and good behaviour which starts from basic manners at home than perhaps there will be more discipline and less disruptive kids. It doesn’t cost anything to instill manners and common courtesy and behaviour. We have enough school holidays, we don’t need more disruption with kids going to holidays during the term - it really disrupts their studies and the routine of the classroom.

It’s a hard job being a teacher to 30 kids of which sometimes half are disruptive. The teachers end up leaving as it’s too hard for too little money.

I don’t think education is undesirable - it is desirable for many as you can see with popular schools being full to the brim. But it feels like it’s a race to the bottom

My mum only went to primary school as they were so poor so she really valued education for us, and we have passed on the same values to our kids. But some people just don’t give a sh*t at all

All I will say is this...
A couple of years ago I left mainstream primary teaching after almost 23 years in.
The difference it has made to my life and that of my own family has been transformative.
My only regret is I didn't do it sooner and I am glad I got out when I did.

Why does there need to be someone to blame? Rather than assesment of likely multifactoral influences?

I think it's partly because two generations ago you could actually leave school after primary school as @Nstate's mum did. So kids who didn't much like school or weren't suited to a classroom environment didn't have to go (but sorry that @Nstate's mum couldn't continue even though she wanted to).

But now, with the push on attendance, there are kids in school who just need a different environment. And there are kids who just can't manage at school and refuse to attend and then the parents get fined.

Not sure what the answer is really.

Most children enjoy primary.
The secondary curriculum needs to diverge earlier on for those who want hands on trades.
Maths and English curriculum options (business english, math for technology).

@BreakingBroken When was the last time you had first hand experience of a primary school or of a primary school your child attends?
I think you'd be surprised.

I agree, those who make this law of fining and prosecuting parents, has shifted the blame onto parents, and in a way, somehow 'washes their hands off' responsibility, and also 'allows schools and the local authorities' to punish parents, who may find themselves pushed into a corner to deregister their children from school. In situations when children were too anxious, frightened, to attend school, usually resulting in panic, 'fight or flight' responses, physical symptoms with vomiting, etc. When and how will those in power, see the ridiculousness of this law?

I agree with @Cloverroll some people are just not made for studying at the same academic level and forcing them to be there leads to increased disruption in classrooms. They may indeed greatly flourished if they went to a school with a stronger focus on vocational training, performing arts or even a sports high school earlier.

Same with gifted and talented kids - they will greatly benefit in grammar school or with their like peers so they can learn at a faster pace.

Overseas countries like Germany, Singapore and even Australia have different schools suitable for different people and are differentiated. One size doesn’t fit all!

Yes we had the tripartite system and binned it. Labour wanted comprehensives so that’s what we got and now one size doesn’t fit all. We need more special schools at all phases. Primary suits most dc though.