Posted on 08/22/2002 10:39:37 AM PDT by asneditor
Like the politically active Christians described by a Washington Post writer as "poor, uneducated and easy to command," parents who teach their kids at home instead of sending them to school are often characterized in the media as snaggle-toothed Deliverance types who are suspicious of education and want their children to read only the Bible.
Like a lot of media-driven impressions, this one is wildly out of whack with reality. The U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics has published the numbers based on the Parent Survey of the National Household Education Survey Program conducted in 1999. The reality is quite different from what the education establishment -- teacher unions and educrats -- would like us to think.
Do homeschooling parents distrust education? You wouldn't know it from their own educational levels. The researchers discovered that among homeschooling parents, 22.3 percent hold graduate degrees or finished a professional school. Among parents who send their kids to school, the corresponding percentage is 16.7 percent. Also, 25.1 percent of homeschooling parents have a bachelor's degree compared to 16.3 percent for non-homeschoolers and 33.7 percent held a vo-tech degree or had some college compared to only 30.2 percent of parents who send their children to school.
In only one educational category did the homeschoolers show a lower percentage than non-homeschoolers. While 36.8 percent of non-homeschoolers had a high school diploma or less, a mere 18.9 percent of homeschoolers were so educationally deficient.
Income wise, homeschoolers are not exactly standing by the roadside with a "Will Work for Schoolbooks" sign. In the $25,000 to $50,000 range of household income the survey located 32.7 percent of homeschoolers and 30.3 percent of non-homeschooling families. They found that 19.1 percent of homeschooling families earn between $50,000 and $75,000 compare to 17.1 percent of hon-homeschoolers. At the top end, over $75,000 a year, non-homeschoolers shaded the homeschoolers 19.2 percent to 17.4 percent. Non-homeschoolers also had a higher percentage at the bottom of the income totem pole -- 33.5 percent compared to 30.9 percent for homeschool families.
The income comparisons should be viewed in the context of another important number. In only 27.9 percent of homeschool families are both parents working compared to 45.9 for non-homeschoolers. Families composed of two parent, with only one of them working, made up 52.2 percent of homeschool families and only 18.6 of non-homeschooling families of which 45.9 percent had both parents earning an income. The risky situation combination -- only one parent who is forced to hold down a job, prevails in only 11.6 percent of homeschooling families compared to 28 percent for other families.
While homeschooling is frequently associated with Christian fundamentalism, the Department. of Education survey notes that because of recent growth in the practice, homeschooling is "reaching a broader range of American families and values."
This is reflected in the reasons families homeschool and discovered by the researchers. Religious issues were cited by only 38.4 percent of homeschooling families while 48.9 percent thought their children could get a better education at home.
Also, contrary to a lot of popular opinion, only 12.1 percent homeschool because they object to what the school teaches. The survey was done in 1999 when the number of home-schooled children was estimated at 850,000. It if it were done today, that number who object to what the public school teaches, as well as the total number of homeschooled kids, might both be higher since some public schools have seen fit to instruct in Islam since Sept. 11, 2001 and the promotion of homosexuality has become more blatant since 1999.
In the last year alone, both Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, a popular Christian radio show, and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, have both urged parents to remove their kids from public schools. According to an article in Christianity Today, parents are heeding that call. Marshall Fritz, head of the Separation of School and State Alliance which advocates ending government involvement in education, reports that after Dobson's broadcast some 6,000 people declared their support for his campaign.
The head of a homeschool group near Fresno, California, the magazine reports, has been contacted by close to 50 families interested in joining the group because they're "tired of hassling with the school system."
Homeschooling is catching on among the best and the brightest.
i bet you are homeschooling already! we are going into our second year of homeschooling our 6 yr. old son and almost 2 yr. old son... i have a friend who has a 3 yr. old, and she says she wants to homeschool, but isn't sure she would know how... i tell her of course she knows how--she's already doing it... like many homeschooled children, my boys are polite (we are told so all the time by strangers in restaurants etc.) happy, bright--actually, they are brilliant! they love people, and they love God, they respect their elders... i've heard so many times that i shouldn't get caught up in the academic achievements, as much as the character/spiritual building--and i agree the latter are more important... but i've also come to accept that it's okay too if our kids are God-serving Einsteins... haha... i absolutely could not imagine sending my children off to be taught by others... i know without a doubt that i am where God has called me to be, doing what he's called me to do... you couldn't find a more enthusiastic homeschooler than moi! i highly recommend it to anyone who has even the slightest inkling that this is what they want to do...
"We began homeschooling the very minute our sons were born. The first lesson? "Mama loves you." Second lesson was "This is Daddy and he loves you too." We have continued expounding on these two lessons and have just kept adding more on to them. It is the prerequisite to every lesson taught.
All the schooling we give our children would be worthless, however if we didn't tell them the Good News. And since they are home and we are teaching them continuously, it is just natural to weave that News all through their lives.
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BRAVO..!! BRAVO..!! BRAVO..!! DITTO, DITTO, DITTO
POST OF THE DAY, FOR ME..!! BRAVO..!!
AND BEST FREGARDS..!!
Parents, usually. But, that's not important right now.
LOL! That was a great answer. But since the question was "their" kids the answer is "parents always."
Surely you could have figured that out!
;)
Shalom.
Those *sacrifices* turn into sweet rewards rather quickly! :o)
SHAMELESS HOMESCHOOL BUMP
Like your homepage...Calvary Chapel bump!
Second. Our anniversary is Sept. 21:) 28 yrs ago. Congratulations on your marriage, we will think of you on that day, and God Bless:)
Becky
Lmao your schooling already and didnt realize it
My little girl is 10 now but we started reading to her when she was 6 months old SOUND SILLY? nope its not the more exposure to reading and writing the better off when they start school and if your going to home school its even better before my lil` gal started kindergarten she was reading first grade books and was carrying on a good conversation with an adult at six ....plus she knew basic spelling and her abc and 123's before she started school
Before i break my arm patting myself on the back i must say my wife being home was the instrument of my daughters intelect at a young age of couse i had a little to do with it but the brunt of it is on her shoulders
When your little one walks up to you and says daddy want to hear me count to 100 or says look daddy i can spell my name your chest will puff up and you'll feel afloat i know i did GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND TEACH WELL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR LIFE
You know things the PC police wouldnt dare utter like lif liberty and the persuit of happiness and it never hurts to just sit down and have a bowl of ice cream with them once in a while !
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