Many of the people on HN would have done well in a wide variety of different learning environments. Think Abe Lincoln. Most of the others on HN would have done well in a specific subset of learning environments that doesn't happen to include what the USA public education system provides.
I am a great example. I was raised internationally and born dyslexic. I had a very hard time in school socially. I didn't learn to read till I was ten.
Luckily my parents were very dedicated. Homeschooling, international school and a number of different hippie schools (Waldolf & Quaker Friends) saved me. I even went to a hippie college that didn't have grades (The Evergreen State College).
The result: I taught myself design and programming and now work at Intel.
I love learning. I want my kids to always love learning as much as I do. That is why they are not going to public school either.
