What does it mean when a school, having rejected a child who applied for admission, explains that he or she just "isn't a good fit" with the school? At times, it is not clear how the decision to prevent a child from enrolling is best described as a lack of fit, particularly if the school's goals and priorities (a) correspond to what most parents…

This past May, the author was more dismayed than surprised to read the "New York Times" article about the scores of parents who are enrolling their three- to five-year-olds in Junior Kumon enrichment programs. As some parents interviewed for the article expressed, their motivation in doing so was either to keep their children from falling "behind…