Don't know what new "philosophy" this seems to be, but sounds a little kooky!
You have to do what's best for your child- but I went to a rough school and came out with a full-ride scholarship and plenty of good learning experiences. Your child will get what they want out of school if it's a priority at home (but I understand that this is a tricky situation).

Warning: rant coming on (skip this if you'd like)
NCLB- HA!!!! What a joke. I teach, and IMO, we're simply striving for mediocrity sometimes. We worry so much about a child's self esteem that we don't place them in the correct classes where they could actually learn the most they can (ex: we can't put poor Johnny in the lower math class where he could actually get remediation, learn the skills he needs and move ahead- we'll put everyone in the "regular" class so we can all learn at the same level). ALL kids in AP classes and advanced studies? Sure- that makes sense- NOT. Guess what? We all need help in certain areas, and that's a reality we have to deal with in life. We worry so much about kids never experiencing failure or disappointment that they never learn to deal with it- and let's face it- disappointment is a fact of life and one we get better with when we deal with it (and I don't mean in elementary school- when they get older, of course).


Sorry for the rant- couldn't resist.

Now- back to planning my lessons so I can teach to the test that the students have to pass in the spring....