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My wife is a teacher. She had a man enter 8th grade from homeschool in the last 9 weeks this past year. He can't read a single 2 syllable word. Not one. Parents don't want him in anything remedial because their whole goal is to let him do the socialization thing with others his age. Wouldn't let the school hold him back. He heads to 9th grade next year and can't read words bigger than "cat" or "dog".

This is not a unique case. Lots of homeschoolers are quality people who give quality education to their kids. And lots aren't. You guys going around generalizing about how wonderful homeschoolers are and how lousy public school teachers are are not being fair. There are lots of good and lots of bad on both sides of the issue.

Most people who homeschool do it for a period of time because they are mad at the school district. Mad because their kid wouldn't turn in work and is flunking. Mad because he is a discipline problem and they are convinced that everyone in the whole world is picking on their little angle. Mad because he doesn't qualify for sports. Mad for whatever reason... but those who homeschool for "moral" reasons are not in the majority.

When you guys think of homeschooling... you think of a mom or dad sitting at the table with their kids doing math and reading etc. And these wonderful Norman Rockwell pictures enter your mind. And in lots of cases (probably yours for sure) this is true. But OFTEN it is the kid out playing basketball in the driveway all day while mom watches Days Of Our Lives... and when the kid is in middle school .. they ship him off to school with about 2nd grade knowledge. That is the reality OFTEN.

We have friends that homeschool, and their 7 year old is doing algebra and studying Italian. I doubt your wife's eighth graders are doing either.

I'm not even sure if I believe your anecdote, as I've never seen, heard, or experienced anything like that from homeschooled kids. Your wife teaches school so you probably have an axe to grind against homeschooling.

One thing's for sure: public education in this country is a disaster, and the teacher's unions are only making it worse.