Well, I'm genuinely curious, what is your point, then? If you don't approve of public schools and are now not confident in homeschoolers, what alternative do you support as being synonomous with quality education, i.e., private schools?
The case you cite is indeed sad, I'm sure all here would agree. However, as I said, problems will be found anywhere in life. Some parents are just flat-out bad parents, regardless of method of schooling. However, with standardized tests, stats on community involvement as adults, etc., increasingly pointing to the majority of homeschoolers being successful, I'm not sure why you would argue that home schooling is not necessarily synonomous with quality education. Of course it will not be in every case. Nor will every private or public school education be excellent. 100% success is unlikely in any educational arena. Comparing apples to apples, however, overall home schooling is looking to be quite a success. I honestly think we're talking more, in the case you cite, about flat-out bad parenting, which can happen no matter what the method of schooling.
With best wishes --
My point was simple from the beginning, the home schooled are only as good as the home that schools them. I'm not talking about what you would consider 'bad' parenting, there is no violence or drugs or any kind of lifestyle you'd probably disapprove of.
The parents of these kids have made them so insulated from anything outside the home and spoon fed them until they have no will or minds of their own. They begin their day with the mother reading to them for 2 HOURS! 14 and 17 year old and they sit and listen to their mother reading pure milksop to them at that age. Literally while they visited us they sat in their place till you told them to do something, till you led them by the hand to whatever it was they were supposed to do next. The brains have just been sucked out of these kids. Life is going to be MORE than a challenge for them if they ever leave the hermitage.
As usual any perceived criticism of home schooling is responded to with 'well what do you suggest' defensiveness. What I suggest is that people who home school might want to be careful that they aren't creating children that won't be able to live in this world.