> I find it hard to think of school as anything more than forced internment for children while their parents go to work

Open an history book and look how it was before schooling was free and mandatory.

I do agree that the most recent spin on it is far from ideal and that the underlying goals seem to have shifted, but I can clearly and easily imagine an alternative way that doesn't involve home schooling.

The problem is the same as in many other industries, once you optimise everything to please the capitalistic beast we created you're set for personal hell