I would venture to say that the example you've given is just one of many that occur when generations of adults have been raised in the belief that government is there to take care of them. It gives them some feeling of non-liability.
I don't see it as a case of the government taking care of people any more than hiring a contractor is considered the contractor is taking care of people. People expect more from their government as times change.
I don't think anyone is blaming unions for underperforming kids, but I'll happily place blame on the schools as equally as I would the parents. For a few decades now, parents have looked at schools as daytime babysitters/guardians, expected to bring their children up as productive adults in place of the parents responsibilities. Thus, the failure of our current generations.
Again, times have changed. Parents do not stay home with a couple of kids like they used to do. Besides requiring two incomes another reason is the mother usually has a good education. It wouldn't make sense to have a doctor or lawyer or accountant "working" as a babysitter.
Then there's things like sex education which some parents don't want the school teaching. One can not complain about the school not doing a good job raising kids when parents insist schools stick to a strict academic course.
Parents are not around to impart morals and values and at the same time they insist schools no not, either. Just as it became compulsory for children to attend school (or home-schooling) and a certain curriculum was mandated the schools need to broaden their scope. There isn't any reason schools can not fill the role of parents in regards to bringing up children to be productive and responsible members of society.
This has nothing to do with expecting the government to take care of people or look after them. It is paying professionals, through taxes, to do a job. I doubt anyone has a feeling of non-liability when seeing public workers paving a street. No one is shirking their responsibility when public employees are cutting the grass in public parks or changing traffic lights.
What is the greater benefit to society; an educated individual contributing to the functioning of society or having that individual at home spending an hour a day imparting morals and values to a child and spending the rest of the day being a baby-sitter?
We don't consider one who takes their automobile to a mechanic for repairs or hires a plumber as being a failure or irresponsible or wanting to be cared for. They simply obtain services that can be more efficiently performed by others.
With today's knowledge being able to determine ones ability, character, demeanor, etc surely it's irrational to believe virtually every parent is superior to a professional when it comes to molding the next generation. It's time we insisted the government step in and insure the next generation is receiving the necessary knowledge to carry on society.
