I largely agree with his conclusion, but don't like it when people point out history to support it. Sure kids didn't have to go to school in 1850, but black people and women couldn't vote, most people didn't have indoor plumbing (let alone electricity), slavery was still legal.

The fact that kids didn't have to go to school back then is not at all an argument in support of them not doing so now and should be left out of a serious essay in favor of that position.