Are you in favor of free schools?

The free-school movement, having gotten its foothold in the United States in the 1960s and '70s, is enjoying a recent upsurge in popularity. Based on the premise that children learn better if they are self-directed rather than forced to complete assignments, free schools allow students to design their own curricula and daily schedule, have equal status with the staff when it comes to making decisions, and typically take no tests and receive no grades.

Proponents of this method say that real learning happens when students take complete ownership of their education, and that a nurtured sense of curiosity and independence will take them to great heights. Others, however, contend that free schools will work only for highly motivated, privileged students, and may not even work for them -- schools, these critics say, need to have structure, rigor, and assessment capabilities. What do you think about the laissez-faire method of education? We're interested in your opinion.