What do you mean poor families pay more than they can afford? When did the school system start charging fees for education? What are they paying for? Please don't tell me uniforms or food or school supplies, because the children would still have to be clothed and fed if they were not in school. School supplies are still very affordable in Thailand, and there are subsidies and donations for the poor. You say that wealthier families buy their kids a head start. No, they invest in their children. Big difference. Nor does the investment guarantee a positive outcome. Families who spend more time with their children and are more likely to attend school events are a big factor in positive outcomes. Your position is a rehash of the biased political assumptions that were made to push political agendas in the 1960'sand 1970's. Yes it is a worldwide problem, but there are also worldwide successes. It's all about parental involvement and culture. If a person is unmotivated or unfocused or lazy, and they have children, that behavior is taught to the children. Again, family members who are involved in their children's lives are a significant factor in outcome. For every grim tale of disadvantaged children and hardship, their are success stories of people making the best of a situation and moving forward. We rarely hear of the self made people who the ones who are normal and well adjusted. If they weren't the majority, our society would have collapsed long ago.
