The state has ZERO right to interfere with how I educate or raise my kids. Even if HSed kids were dumb as dust, we should STILL champion it over public school et al, because HSing is, ultimately, about plenary parental rights. Like the 2nd Amendment, we are "lucky" the data are in our favor, but the foundations of our rights is God, not a utilitarian calculation.
While it's not fashionable to mention it, I've encountered "average" HSers when it comes to academics. They're not all brainiacs. But that's ok. In large measure, what they may lack academically they more than punch above their weight elsewhere, e.g. Manners, artistic gifts, respect for what is good and right, morality, and a healthy skepticism (and dare I say, cynicism) for entities that claim "supreme executive power."
The Bee satarization is close, but as I've noted other places I've seen liberal HSers - they don't like corporate influence in textbooks, many minorities feel schools ignore their heritage (forget about CRT - the claim is valid....remember most educators are Dems who don't give a flying fig about minorities beyond their votes), and so on.
If more people join the HSing ranks - and the % of HSers rose from 5% prepandemic to 6% now - and it becomes a less homogenized, more diverse, and less "smart" group I'll still say it's the best way to go.
The Bee should also have included a shotgun, but now we're nitpicking...
If we could do it over again we would have homeschooled. However, we were both very involved in their lives both at home and in school. My wife was up at the school 2 to 3 times a week, I coached stuff, etc.
Our kids fit most of the attributes discussed previously on the thread. They weren’t too into music although they all had one instrument that they learned and played privately. They all really liked doing theater and had leading roles in High School.
A friend here in NH told me that the number of homeschooling families here went from 8,000 before Covid to now 40,000.
And some of the legislation in the state government is going to make things even worse.
Most homeschoolers I know are just plain normal kids, when you count normal as well adjusted and not Dixon to Jose down a school.
That being said, I think the quality of their learning is much better and tailored to their abilities. Because of that they get higher quality training and that still shows in the mix.
It is a simple relationship when it comes to learner-teacher dynamics. A home schooled student has almost 100% of the attention of their teacher. In a public school, they have to share the teacher's attention with 30-40 others. Frequently that teacher's attention is focused on two or three disruptive kids for a disproportionate amount of classroom time.
IMO No Child Left Behind was another nail in the coffin of quality public education. Students were allowed to be in a class regardless of their aptitude or qualification where the reverse should be true. I believe that parents that home school recognize the strengths and weaknesses that will steer their kids academic future more realistically.
I am going to argue with you here.
They are not "smarter". More educated yes, but the raw talent was always there, just not cultivated.
American children go into school ahead of their peers around the world, by the fourth grade that advantage has vanished and it is down hill from there.
No one seems to be curious about why this is.