Parents Are Pointless

First, there are stem cell and cloning discussions that imply that males are somewhat redundant, reproductively speaking. Now a study indicates that the influence of parents overall is somewhat beside the point. From the WaPo:

...a new study of low-income public schools in California has concluded that several other factors, including teaching the state's rigorous academic content and getting experienced teachers, have much more influence on achievement than does parents' involvement. The findings have inspired a national debate on the subject, with some parents like Allen saying the study is correct and others saying parental influence should not be so quickly dismissed.