The other day I had a discussion about homeschooling with someone at work. Most of the questions were predictable (Is it legal? What about socialization? How do you report to the government?). But there are some philosophical implications which are worth considering. Why is it legal? Is it legal because the Government has given us the right to educate our children? Preposterous! Unless a totalitarian State takes our children away from us at birth, to be raised by and for the State, all parents have an implicit right to educate their children. The real question is not whether the Government gives us the right to educate our children, but whether the Government has taken away that right. Today, thankfully, the answer is no; our right has not been taken away.

A second question is perhaps an extension of the first. "How does the Government monitor you?" or "What are the reporting requirements?" A most interesting question. What does it imply? It implies you are incompetent as an educator unless you can prove otherwise. "But if your children are not in Public School, how will we know they are OK?" Wow! Another question with huge implications. It implies you are a poor parent, until proven otherwise. You can gun a man down in cold blood and you are innocent until proven guilty. But in the home you are an incompetent educator and a poor parent until you prove otherwise to the State. Incredible.

Another implication is that it is not the purpose of Public Schools to be places of education,  but rather they are just an extension of the social welfare state. If there is a problem the schools must be part of the answer. In recent years schools have been called upon to provide sex education, combat obesity, promote religious harmony, establish racial equality, teach values and train students for the workforce. All good causes, but I doubt the institutions tasked with education are best suited for these causes. And the situation gets worse as "progressive elements" in our society use the schools to promote their causes for social engineering of our society.

Make no mistake. Parents are the people best qualified for raising children, educating them, teaching them values and preparing them for life. Educating your children at home is not the easiest option, but it is the best option for your children, for you and for our society.

In Service,

Shawn