In the past month, individuals who either attended public schools or chose to send their children to public schools have brought up the fact that I was homeschooled four different times in conversation. Not a single one of them was brought about positively.
The most memorable of these experiences involved a mother of a high school student I was visiting with recently. We were discussing universities when she asked about my school history. I told her I was homeschooled and she immediately raised her eyebrows, looking horrified and said, “Oh. So you weren’t prepared for college-level work at all, were you?”
I explained to her that I felt more than “prepared for college-level work” when I arrived here. When I told her this, she asked how I could have possibly learned as much at home as my peers who attended public or private schools. I explained that myself, along with each of my siblings, performed at above-average grade levels during our time at home and had taken college courses while we were in high school. I also briefly mentioned that I am graduating from college early with honors even after changing my major three times.
As if she hadn’t made a fool of herself enough already, she then proceeded to tell me that homeschooling only produces socially awkward children.
My four siblings and I were all homeschooled from preschool until we graduated high school (or until they will graduate, for my younger siblings still at home). Amazingly to some, none of us have a learning disability, a behavioral disorder or are socially inept. In fact, every one of us has participated actively in multiple organizations including 4-H, rodeo, pageants, youth groups, Girl Scouts, various leadership programs and volunteer organizations and have all been involved in some kind of sport or music.
Contrary to popular belief, homeschooling, when done correctly, builds extraordinary self-discipline, time management and life skills. In fact, homeschooling can be quite beneficial to the state.
According to a 2010 policy analysis by the Cato Institute, it costs the state roughly $20,000 per year to attend public school grades 1-12. My parents have five children, all of whom were homeschooled for all 12 years. This means my family saved the states of Texas and Colorado upwards of $1 million all the while producing perfectly capable children with entirely adequate social, technical and life skills.
I have nothing against sending children to public schools, or private schools, magnet schools, charter schools or any other kind of school. All have the ability to build intelligence and character and should be respected for that ability. I simply wish that homeschooling families would be treated with the same respect the homeschooling community shows to others.
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