Oddly enough, I've never met anybody who believes that the government is solely responsible for educating children. I think that's a straw man, but it remains an interesting question as to why it seems to model the present situation well enough to become a widespread belief.

And maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but I think the situation is more subtle: There are parents who just aren't capable of taking a more active role in educating their own children and supervising their public schools. They have no idea what a good education looks like, or what their kids are missing out on. They don't have the time or resources to be "involved" in their kids' schools. In short, they have no realistic hope to offer their kids.

And the schools themselves aren't set up to be fully self sufficient without the supervision of "involved" parents (euphemism for "pushy", I'm one of them) and a supply of children who come to school ready to learn.

Might they believe that the government owes them the best possible education anyway? Sure. I believe that too, even though I'm one of those parents who has taken an active role in educating my own kids.

So I think the government is responsible, but as a last resort, not as the best possible arrangement.