Posted on 10/02/2021 5:36:02 AM PDT by Kaslin
Homeschooling numbers have increased over 300% in the last two years, according to federal government Census data. This spike does not include Americans engaged in virtual learning through a public or private school program due to COVID protocols. These are full-time homeschoolers.
The United States Census Bureau has been tasked with collecting data through nationwide surveys for over 80 years. The data are intended for use by other government agencies and elected officials for policy decisions. This is the first time the Census Bureau has sought to identify the total number of homeschoolers in America. Previous surveys only marked children who were un-enrolled in public or private school. That rate usually hovered around 3.3% and was as high as 5.4% in 2019.
Homeschool families have been traditionally seen as a small minority and have been largely ignored by elected representatives. In 2020, due to the COVID school closures, Census questions were modified to specifically identify the number of homeschoolers, and the results were shocking for many. In October 2020, 11.1% of 22–23 million U.S. households reported being full-time homeschoolers, without any enrollment in a public or private school. Besides Alaska, who reported 27.5% of households dedicated to full-time homeschool, Oklahoma led all states at 20.1%. Other notable states included Florida at 18.1%, Vermont at 16.9%, Georgia at 16.0%, and Tennessee and Arizona at 13.0%.
There was little surprise at the exodus from public and private schools due to COVID mask mandates and health concerns in 2020. What has been surprising is that many of these students did not re-enroll for the 2021–2022 school year. No doubt the push for Critical Race Theory, and the loss of confidence in the traditional institutions' ability to teach children via virtual technology, played a significant role in a shift toward full-time homeschooling.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Progressives will just “mandate” home schooling end. There is no stopping their wreckage, calamities, and mandated adaptations. Chaos is the weapon of choice. Compliance and submission is their utopia.
First, homeschooling laws are at the state level. Until a SCOTUS case comes around, this is not something that can be regulated from D.C.
Second, homeschoolers rank up there with gun nuts as the most weaponized political force in the nation. In NJ (not exactly a bastion of classical liberalism), when state Sen Weinberg tried to inject massive state control into the state's very hands-off legal framework, the homeschoolers mobilized and the legislation was killed. She still talks disparagingly about the homeschoolers, which makes me smile.
Third, the growing ranks of homeschoolers are more diverse than the prior crop of "religious nuts." They may be left or right, but they ALL share a common theme - self-determination and dislike of government control and love for their children. Thus, it'll be difficult to slime them.
Homeschooling and remote work are the only good things to come from lockdowns.
I thoroughly enjoyed being homeschooled. Mom believed, and quickly taught me, that every day was Christmas morning full of books that were gifts to open with delight. Some gifts were simply useful, some were exciting, some were “just what I wished for!”
And that’s what learning is, with the right teacher.
The chances of finding the right teacher in a public school are rather slim.
Homeschooling was great. The first instance was after one of the kids was in Kg on a military base. A ‘blue ribbon school’. A few ridiculous things happened so within two days I was in the principal’s office asking, among other things:
“why must we sign a release form for the child to use the internet? In case they come across porn while browsing.” Porn. Five years old
“The kindergartner doesn’t need to be on the Internet “
“We are a blue ribbon school. Part of that is providing Internet”
“Getting exposed to porn at that age is damaging. Kids can’t handle the concept of even normal sex if they are pre pubescent. Anyone knows that.”
“They won’t get exposed to porn”
“Why must I sign the form releasing you from responsibility if they do?”
“It’s just a legality”
Ok that insanity from the principal and the promise of isolation from the group for the kid was reminiscent of peer pressure now from school authority was sick.
That and other forms of silliness convinced me I was much better for teaching abcs, numbers, coordination, writing, music and art than these bats
First grade we tried. I asked tge kid how they liked it. A sociable happy kid. “We’ll. No one three rocks at me” that’s the socializing people screech about
First day of car line in a place where you had to have several forms of I’d as a parent to come pick up the child, end of school day they could not find the child anywhere among a mob of kids.
I found the child myself wandering in the parking lot looking for me. Bad neighborhood too
I could remember enough of the tenets from sister Robert Anthony to pull off teaching.
Schools are full of idiotic teachers and administration. And kids raised by them.
We homeschooled for many years.
I read these stories and think why not homeschool. In the first through sixth grades it’s so do able. A once or twice a week regular visit with friends. Field trips. A science class for tge group. Museums and wildlife parks have programs.
These are the folks who are desperately needed at school board meetings. They still pay taxes, so they still have a legitimate voice.
They can speak out without fear of retribution to their children. They know how to teach sensible stuff, not the garbage spewed out by the boards and the unions.
Get in their faces, cause chaos.
PA would be very different from NJ with regard to restricting or banning homeschool.
PA already has very onerous regulations on it. You’re watched carefully by the local school district which you are wickedly depriving of funding. They work in concert with Child Protection Racketry.
You must comply with physical examinations when so ordered (regularly), and submit your child’s medical information upon demand.
You must submit a learning plan, work samples, proof of residence, proof of vaccinations, and pay an officially approved person to review your plan and your child’s work.
This goes on from the mandatory age of attendance to the end of the mandatory age of attendance, which is 17, and if you stop at 17 (equivalent to junior year at high school), your child is deemed a dropout. Don’t even dream of college acceptance.
And all the while you are on active file with Child Protection Racketry. You and all your children.
I’m pretty sure if PA law banned homeschoolers, they’d submit meekly. Or else.
We homeschooled eight, taking 26 years to do it. Mom is a straight A student herself and a friendly drill Sgt.
Glad we did. All 8 kids have jobs and are debt free.
Very few of the public policies in many of our new norms have any legal basis for their legitimacy. The courts refuse to hear cases on such matters or they just exist by mandate. That is my point.
Schoolteachers are now political operatives who think the ends justify the means, and will harm children under their care to promote the goals of their faction. Not just some sort of bad "indoctrination", but even for example grooming selected children for castration.
The public school system has already been destroyed as a functioning school system, and is in the hands of war criminals.
Homeschooling and remote work are the only good things to come from lockdowns
I would add the decline of China’s influence over the world.
“It doesn’t work that way with homeschooling. First, homeschooling laws are at the state level. Until a SCOTUS case comes around, this is not something that can be regulated from D.C.”
You just stated the path they will use to end home schooling in the US - they just need two more justices (if that) and it’s GAME OVER for home schoolers.
The government tried it with bill HR6 some years ago.
HR-6: A Dead Giant or a Living Lesson (1994)
https://homeschoolpioneers.com/2018/08/30/hr-6/
My son took his teenage daughters out of public schools. Outfitted an office for them near the garage and everything they needed to do their work via the Internet. They had immediate access to their instructors online as well.
He said it was one of the best decisions he ever made for his kids. A plus was all the drama calmed down that once was over teenage issues at school. ...and although their grades were good before they even improved moreso.
The parents who did this also petitioned the school to allow the kids to attend sports and special events as well as proms etc. They had to fight for it but they got it.
Homeschool students should have no issue playing for local sports teams.
Tim Tebow was homeschooled, but played for Nease.
I remember when those regulations were passed - with the full support of the homeschool organizations there who worked with legislators on those bills. Those homeschool groups were proud of their cooperation with legislators at the time. Meanwhile, across the bridge, homeschool organizations organized protests and fought every bill every legislator introduced - even the bills offering us "benefits" because that's how the state gets its foot in the door. So, two states right next to each other were complete opposites, mostly because the people who form homeschool organizations tend to set the tone and lead the way in their state.
Well they had to fight for it nonetheless.....there were some other parents opposed to it they were up against more than anything else.
But, I disagree with the writer of the article on this suggestion:
"It seems reasonable that homeschool, private school, and charter school parents should be granted a reduction in education taxes. Redirecting these funds to parents who are seeking alternative forms of education would help cover the costs of curricula, computers, technology, and other educational resources."
Bad idea. Yes, the school taxes I paid cost a fortune, but once the state starts "funding" homeschooling, the state starts controlling it.
I believe you, I meant they shouldn’t have to fight.
They still pay their taxes, so the other parents can pound sand.
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