"first, to give a child an education that outfits them with the basics for life."
Yes. They need to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic.
"second, to have a child emerge from school with at least a couple of their own strong interests."
The child does need to think on his own but needs to know the difference between right and wrong. No two humans are equal. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
"third, to have a child graduate with a thirst for knowledge and the confidence to learn new things on their own."
They need to know that they should be able to support themselves and that supporting themselves is a good thing. They should know that they can learn all their lives and should.
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