We are actually on the same page, as I totally agree with you.
I tend to get a bit defensive because there are some home school supporters who actually believe that anyone who is not homeschooling is a child abuser. They fail to understand that many of us who have chosen to have our children attend public or private schools actually are very supportive of homeschooling.
People that denigrate us for our choice do nothing for their own choice. And vice versa. I applaud those of you who have chosen homeschooling, but I don’t think I should be denigrated because I didn’t.
I understand the defensiveness. I tend to get defensive too. I don’t think everyone should homeschool. I do think the government should get out of the education business. It is not the purpose for which government was created. That is not the fault of the public schooling parent though. There is very little real choice. Going against public school is a difficult task. I still pay for public school and I pay for homeschool.
Think of it in light of government insurance.
The government requires you to have health care insurance (compulsory attendance). They have their own policy that is FREE (public school). It doesn’t work for you so you want to opt out (homeschool). Now you still have to pay for the FREE government policy and then purchase your own. The government’s FREE policy puts most private insurance companies out of business (private schools) and drives up the cost of the rest. If you don’t use your own private policy the way the government says for you to then you have to drop your policy and sign up for their’s.
Government compulsion is family matters is never a good idea.