Who invented public education?

Question

Who invented public education?

Answer 1

Here is a great site that explains the history of public education and the many people who had a hand in creating what it is today. Horace Mann first fought for public schools, while John Dewey is credited for bring the "father or modern education".

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/inn...

Answer 2

our forefathers. the knew the only way to stop dictators and the like was to ensure all people be given access to a free education. So they put it in writing.

Answer 3

I quote:

Until the 1840s the education system was highly localized and available only to wealthy people. Reformers who wanted all children to gain the benefits of education opposed this. Prominent among them were Horace Mann in Massachusetts and Henry Barnard in Connecticut. Mann started the publication of the Common School Journal, which took the educational issues to the public. The common-school reformers argued for the case on the belief that common schooling could create good citizens, unite society and prevent crime and poverty. As a result of their efforts, free public education at the elementary level was available for all American children by the end of the 19th century. Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school attendance laws in 1852, followed by New York in 1853. By 1918 all states had passed laws requiring children to attend at least elementary school. The Catholics were, however, opposed to common schooling and created their own private schools. Their decision was supported by the 1925 Supreme Court rule in Pierce v. Society of Sisters that states could not compel children to attend public schools, and that children could attend private schools instead.