Different people take (or keep) their children out of the conventional school system for different reasons. Some are disturbed by the lack of religion in public education, or by the particular choice of religion. Some find that their kids have begun to run with a bad crowd and are getting into trouble with sex, or drugs, or violence. Some reject a poisonous social environment of racism, sexism, and exclusionary cliques. Some discover that their children aren't learning well because the bureaucracy lacks flexibility (or resources) to give them what they need.

It all depends on the child. Many students do splendidly in regular schools; their happy presence helps energize both teachers and fellow students. Other young people are the opposite: disruptive, expensive failures for the system. Some kids find their only escape from horrible home situations at school.

Our family has homeschooled three children for their entire lives. We don't offer simple answers to anybody when they ask us why we did it and what we recommend for them to do. Every child and every family is unique. Society has critical reasons to ensure that all individuals get a chance to learn — chief among which is basic justice. For some children growth and learning happen best at home under parental supervision. Freedom to do that is a marvelous thing.

Monday, May 29, 2000 at 12:02:01 (EDT) = 2000-05-29

TopicPersonalHistory - TopicSociety

(correlates: PredictingVersusUnderstanding, NoRetrenchment, BaseballLibraryFan, ...)