LttE - Afraid of choice

Submitted to the OC Register on 6/2/2005:

Letter-writer Helena Street tore into Cheryl Rosenberg Neubert’s “Stay-at-home students” article, arguing that public schools are preferable to home-schooling. It’s interesting that she used the word “preferable” in vociferously supporting her one-size-fits-all view of education. When it comes to education, the Claflins, the Candelarios, and the Carneses all prefer something different – for reasons as varied as the curricula they follow.

Every day we all choose at which store we’ll shop, what we’ll buy, where we’ll eat, what meal we’ll get, what library we’ll visit and what we’ll read. It’s not rocket science – what works for some doesn’t work for others. I’m certain there are stores and restaurants my family frequents that Ms. Street won’t set foot in – yet we don’t see Ms. Street trying to keep us from those places.

Why are some people so fearful of choice in education when they practice it in every other facet of life already?

UPDATE: A version edited for brevity was printed on Monday 6/6/2005.