If Johnny is barely literate in the ninth grade, the school system certainly has a lot of explaining to do. We've seen it in the third-generation welfare mom, or in the retiree living from Social Security paycheck to paycheck. But often we're slow to recognize our own abdication of responsibility where education is concerned. Yes, the schools are gobbling up our hard-earned money and often giving us a meager return on investment. But this doesn't relieve parents of their duty.
Parents are responsible.
It's not enough to bring brownies on Friday, vote for school bond issues, and make sure Johnny does his homework instead of watching television. Parents must have a clear idea what kind of education they want Johnny to receive, and then oversee and direct that education. If their delegates fail to teach satisfactorily, or if they teach things which contravene parental intent, parents must find another teacher or another school. The buck stops with parents.