Public education in the US is far from free. Our school taxes are nearly $11,000 annually, and going up each year. I don't have kids, either. It's an investment in my future to my way of thinking, but it is certainly far from free.

Lot of disparity in the quality of education in the us public school system as well.

After that article in the gleaner a few days back about the pay rise being given to minimum wage earners in JA, I do not understand how they make ends meet with kids in school though.