Re: Not really

"we have plenty of diversity in our population even though kids have been subject to mandatory schooling in parts of the US since at least the 1700s."

1850 was in the 1700s?

And, incidentally, the first compulsory education laws were specifically intended to reduce diversity, by indoctrinating Catholic immigrants into the local culture of Massachusetts.

It is also notable that in 1850 Massachusetts had a literacy rate of 98%, and the least literate state in the union had a literacy rate of 91% among whites. Furthermore, education was not compulsory in all states until the early 1900s, and afterwards there was a period in which teachers from the old tradition continued to teach in the new schools and even influenced new teachers.

But that influence has lessened over time, and public school teachers must now go through a limited number of accredited institutions before they can legally teach in public schools.

In case that doesn't raise any red flags for you, keep in mind the stated intentions of those who championed compulsory education: they were clear that they wanted to prevent competition for educated positions, and to provide employers with a partially literate workforce, capable of following simple written directions but not capable of independent thought or ambitions which might threaten the status quo.

They have shaped the teacher's colleges to further these goals.