強迫教育及強迫入學是行之已久的教育措施。大部份的政府官員、一般大眾，乃至學者專家對這項措施都沒有異議。本文作者從一個不同的角度出發，試圖論證「強迫教育」及「強迫入學」在理念上可能沒有什麼問題，但在今天台灣社會國民中小學教育辦得不如理想之際，強迫教育及強迫入學的實施經不起理性的考驗。 全文共分五個章節。第一節中作者試圖說明為什麼有關強迫教育的問題值得我們花工夫去研究。在第二節，作者釐清在論文中幾個重要的名詞或概念，諸如：強迫教育、強迫入學、強迫(compulsion)、教育。第三節裡，作者強調，在作者反對現行強迫教育暨強迫入學的背景下，強迫措施乃至於強迫性教育措施都可見容於今天的自由社會。也第四節中，作者試圖從「父權主義」及「兒童負有國民義務」兩個觀點來檢視強迫教育及強迫入學；作者論證，不管我們從那一個角度出發，我們都無法理直氣壯的強迫未成年國民接受現行的國民教育。在最後一節中，作者建議我們應廢止現行的強迫教育及強迫入學;換言之，國民教育法應該修正、強迫入學條例應該廢止。 全篇論文的一個基本立場是：在一個強調個人自由重要的社會中，假如我們沒有充份的理由來干涉他人的自由，我們就最好自制。將這個立場運用在強迫性教育措施這議題上，我們會發現，現行的強迫教育及強迫入學的實施都沒有什麼充份的理由。

The concept and the practice of compulsory education and compul-sory schooling are not much in doubt. They are part of our daily lives. It is particularly the case in Taiwan. The author of this essay argues, however, that even if we can justify compulsory education and compul-sory schooling as concepts, we are actually unable to find proper justifi-cation for the practice of compulsory E!ducation and compulsory school as currently practised in Taiwan. Hence, the need to change our currently held educational practices. This essay has five parts. The first parts explains the reasons why issues concerning compulosry education and compulsory schooling are worth tackling. The second part proceed with the clarification of the concepts of compulsion, education and schooling. The third part reminds the reader two neglected points. One is that compulsory measures are actually necessary in all human societies, let alone a lib-eral democratic society; the other is that the idea and the practice of compulsory education and compulsory schooling are compatible with our much valued liberal democratic society. In the fourth part, the author argues that the currently practised compulsory educational measures are not well founded. Neither can they be justified by paternalism nor the idea that children have duty to receive education. In the final part c□ this essay, the author suggests that the currently practised compulsory educational measures should be dropped.