Compulsory education (Do all wizards go to school?)

[saintbacchus]

No: HPFGUIDX 37449

Joanne wrote:

<<
In HPSS Neville explains, "I bounced -- all the way
down the garden and into the road. They were all really
pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you
should have seen their faces when I got in here -- they
thought I might not be magic enough to come". This 
implies that there are degrees of wizarding talent and
those with less don't get in (quite apart from no-talent
squibbs).
>>

That brings up the interesting question of how
acceptance to Hogwarts is handled. I thought McGonagall
(or the Deputy Headmaster/mistress) had some kind of
book listing every magical child born in England. So
what's the criteria, and how would parents prove their
kid met it?


<<
But we have evidence that not all wizards go to Hogwarts
-- the fact that Hogwarts send out acceptance
notification letters, for one, rather than all wizarding
children assuming they're going there (as muggle kids
would assume they're going to the local public high
school).
>>

Well, I didn't say they necessarily go to Hogwarts,
just school. Although I find it suspicious that there's
no mention of other wizard schools in England, there
probably are some - public schools. It's inconceivable
to me that education wouldn't be at least as much of a
priority to wizards as it is to Muggles.

Then again, I have no explanation for why wizards (with
their dangerous powers and all) only get seven years of
compulsory education whereas Muggles get twelve. You'd
think wizards would need MORE school, to fit in the
wizard training and the important Muggley subjects
like sociology and biology. (Yes, I think some Muggle
subjects are important to wizards, too. I suspect the
WW has been neglecting certain disciplines that would
be most helpful in designing new spells - for example,
neurological research could make an unbreakable memory
charm, or help find a way to break one without causing
permanent damage.)

I would certainly buy homeschooling as an option for
younger kids, but I still don't get why education
starts at eleven. Cripes, some schools here in the
States are considering lowering the age for
Kindergarten to four! Besides, you'd need to know
basic arithmetic before learning arithmancy. The lack
of higher education stumps me, too. I guess it's more
of an apprenticeship program, like someone suggested.

Seven years...<sigh>...just one more reason to wish
for magic powers....

--Anna (would also accept mutant powers if it meant
going to the Xavier Institute For Higher Learning)