Why Choose Homeschooling?

The tide has turned

by Earl Stevens

Ten years ago, not many families would consider home-based education a serious option for their children. Few people in the community had ever heard of such a strange thing as keeping kids home from school; the families who did so were considered radical or irresponsible.

Aside from coping with widespread ignorance and negativity about home education from friends, relatives, and neighbors, many families had to struggle with state and local education officials who refused to recognize that children could become educated outside of their schools. The parents formed support groups to reassure each other that they were not crazy, and to help each other deal with criticism, often from close friends and relatives.

It is still possible to encounter ignorance and negative feelings about homeschooling, especially among public-school educators, but the tide has turned. Personal and academic homeschooling success stories abound in the media. Colleges and universities across the country are welcoming homeschooled kids, and some are even recruiting them. Some local school departments once attempted to outlaw the practice, but now they are simply ignoring it; others recognize that it meets real needs and helps interested families get in touch with local support organizations.

Next to traditional schooling options, the home education movement is still small, but in recent years it has expanded from a primarily religious constituency to the general population. Our nonsectarian support group of 200 families in the Portland, Maine area receives calls all year long from parents who tell us, "I never thought I would be considering such a thing."

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