I recently met a Texan couple whose son was still in diapers. They were angling to get him into a pre-school that feeds into a private preparatory school with a great record for college admissions.

The couple were ambivalent about doing this. They were from immigrant and working-class backgrounds, and had thrived in public schools. In theory, they believed that all children should have an equal chance to succeed. But I suspected that if they got their son a spot in the pre-school, they would take it. These days, such chances are hard to pass up.