Hector's Brother On Homeschooling

Lunch lady action figure.

My brother, an educator in Alaska, weighs in on the homeschooling issue. It seems his objection to homeschooling is more practical than philosophical. I did not intend the Station Agent's remarks about funding all sorts of education to extend to homeschooling. Nevertheless, my brother makes good points.

Here's Otis.

I've seen the results of homeschooling, both the good, the bad and the mediocre. For success, it takes a great amount of time and dedication on the parents' part, as well as intelligence and having been educated themselves. On the child's part, it takes willingness, curiosity, and loads of self discipline. Rarely, rarely, rarely, do all these requirements coalesce. The vast majority of these well intentioned experiments end in failure and the kids are returned to the public school system to fix.

I liken this issue to those religious zealots who would refuse blood transfusions, or even medical treatment for their children. Should this be allowed because it's the parents' right to parent as they see fit? Or does society, via the government, have a duty to intervene to protect the child's rights? The courts have ruled that parents' freedom ends where their child's right to health and wellbeing begins. To assert that parents have a constitutional right to dick up their kid's lives with homeschooling, be compensated while doing it and thus taking funds away from public schools, is absurd. If they are so intent on homeschooling, then do it without my tax dollars.