The correct question in the modern world is "Are we being cynical enough?"

Paranoia definitely exists and so too is it true that sometimes they really are out to get you.

Of course, why shouldn’t the State have a duty to ensure that all children are educated? But there’s also that possibility that those doing the educating will have more than just the 3 Rs in mind when they define what is an education. Possibly - and we mention this only as a bat’s squeak of a maybe - there is a thought that propagandising to the young will force them into growing up with certain viewpoints. Say, that the radical transformation of society is necessary to stop climate change. Or that absolutely everything must be recycled in violation of any commonsense rules.

Thus there would be an insistence that certain parts of said education must be enforced, so as to make sure the entire rising generation was exposed to such indoctrination:

Children taught at home will be placed on a register and monitored for the first time amid fears that thousands are being educated at illegal schools, Damian Hinds has announced.

The Education Secretary has warned that while many home-schooled children benefit from parental supervision, others are being exposed to “dangerous influences” at unregistered centres or not “getting an education at all”.

Define “dangerous influence”. Which disagreement with the ruling educational orthodoxy would qualify? Harming Gaia? Religious extremism? Rote learning of the times table?

The Education Secretary has said that parents cannot veto children taking part in LGBT lessons, as he warns that “myths” are being spread about the content of the classes.

If you were to want to use the education system to create New British Man then this is how you would do it. Insist that no one should be outside that approved, regulated and mandated system. And refuse to allow any opting out from any particular part of that approved, regulated and mandated system.

Of course, that’s to be excessively cynical, there’s just no way that we British would ever move to such a system. Except, well, there is that basic rule of modern life, are we being cynical enough when contemplating the actions of our rulers?