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Home School Controversy
Facing the Naysayers
By Carma Haley
Ask any home schooling parent about community support of their educational choice and they will share a story of criticism, scrutiny, sarcasm or worse. Such parents are often asked questions related to sports, friends, school functions or college. Acceptance of the children and the parents who choose home schooling over traditional education does not usually extend outside their home.
While popular, the practice of home schooling is still considered controversial in some circles. Due to scrutiny of public school systems and organizations such as the National Parent-Teacher Association, home schooling remains under fire.
Unfortunately, it is not only the school systems and organizations that "judge" home schooling. Communities, neighbors, friends and even relatives are offering their differing opinions about a parent's choice to teach his or her children from home.
Yvette De Luca, a home schooling mom from Phoenix, Ariz., feels that most adults do not understand the principal of home schooling and, as a result, they cannot accept it. "Honestly, I think home schooling makes a lot of adults nervous," she says. "In today's culture, many people can't comprehend why a parent would sacrifice material gain to educate their kid when the public schools will do it for you. They will look at my kids as weird or not normal. There are kids in our neighborhood who are actually not allowed to play with my girls for no other reason than that we home school."
When dealing with family and friends, the subject of home schooling can become touchy. They may not agree or understand the choice to home school. They will offer their insight, criticism, help or advice in an attempt to change parents' minds and place children in public schools.
The concerns that those close to the family exhibit are often founded on ignorance of the topic or misinformation, says Kathy Ishizuka, author of The Unofficial Guide to Homeschooling.
