Home schooling without God? Humanists find a way

RNS - Religious News Service ^ | Jul 1, 2013 | Kimberly Winston

[haffast]

(RNS) When KellyAnne Kitchin began home schooling her three sons three years ago, she had difficulty finding curriculum programs that fit her atheist and humanist beliefs.

So Kitchin, 33, cobbled together what she could. She left out one geography textbook’s description of the earth as God’s creation and another’s disdain for Darwin, and substituted her own point of view — that no supernatural powers guide human beings, who alone have the power to improve the world.

She also found many online forums for home-schoolers were unwelcoming. Some had statements faith members needed to agree to. On others she was made to feel unwelcome because of her lack of beliefs.

So Kitchin has formed an online group of like-minded home-schoolers from across the country. She hopes to create a lending library of resources that humanist, atheist and other nonbelieving home-schoolers can use with confidence.

“I found out there were a lot of people who were in the same boat I was in and did not know how to come out and have a community,” said Kitchin, of Winchester, Va. “I am hoping we come up with a big place and have some resources and some support.”

While two-thirds of home schooling families are Christian evangelicals, the number of secular home-schoolers is significant —25 percent, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association.

snip

[Mrs. Don-o]

Why would she avoid public school? I could give you 10 reasons in 5 minutes. But it’s bedtime. G’night, my FRiend.

[Kip Russell]

She's guilty of child abuse in raising her children in a godless environment

Last I checked that wasn't a crime...do you think it should be?

[LouAvul]

Believe what you want. Whatever helps you sleep.

[Gene Eric]

>> humanist

What’s the humanist’s position on killing nascent human life?

[Gene Eric]

>> Atheists are not so bereft of morals

The modern atheistic movement is primarily a rejection of Christianity despite the parallels that might exist in practice.

[BigCinBigD]

“She's guilty of child abuse in raising her children in a godless environment. They'll grow up without any moral compass or direction.”

Sitting here holding my tong and laughing inside.

[ari-freedom]

Or you can just send your kids to public school for the same result for free.

[gleeaikin]

Home school ping.

[Madam Theophilus]

The reporter of this article didn’t realize that the modern homeschooling movement was largely begun by atheists like John Holt, whose books influenced unschoolers. How about The Great Books Foundation, which while using some religious books in their curriculum, is not openly Christian. How about Vegsource Homeschooling, a site run by a vegetarian website and filled with secular homeschoolers? I have a suspicion that this lady is just using the media to get free publicity for her curriculum. The method is described in the book, “Trust me, I’m lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator”