July 31, 2011 – written by Ariel Simmons from the United states (guestentry)
Short note by Thomas Lachetta: Ariel Simmons is a friend from the USA. She have done homeschooling. This following essay she have written, when she was the last half year of her school-life in a public school, to make there her exams.
In 2010 the US Census Bureau said more than 2 million children in America were being homeschooled, or about 1 in 25 school aged children. Although homeschooling is new this century, it is a revival of an old and effective way of teaching. Many of our founding fathers and at least ten of our presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, and James Madison, were homeschooled (Klicka, 2002). Not until the 1870’s did interaction between government and schools occur, and even then it was initially very limited. Before the government was actively involved with public schools DuPont de Nemours “surveyed education in America in the early 1800’s, and discovered a nearly 99% literacy rate” (Klicka, 2002, p. 153). The more government has taken over the education system, the lower performance standards have fallen. Dating from the landing of the Pilgrims, (1620), the first 250 years of America had literacy rates that were much higher than today, due to high education received at home (Klicka, 2002). In 1765, John Adams said that a “native in America, especially of New England, who cannot read and write is as rare a Phenomenon [sic] as a Comet” (Klicka, 2002).
There are various reasons parents have chosen home education over public. Some do it for cultural, religious, educational quality, bullying, or even medical reasons. There are a few conflicting numbers, but according to Home School Defense Legal Association (HSDLA), the U. S. Department of Education, and other legal sites, 76 to 83 % of homeschoolers have chosen homeschooling for Christian religious values. These parents choose homeschool because public education is politicized education. Parents take exception to the intellectual and historical dishonesty and “political correctness” of the public sector text books and curriculum. In many instances, public schools use text books that have re-written history and science. According to Hitler the communist, “if you lie loud enough and long enough, people will believe you” – and that is exactly what we have seen happen to America’s children. Historical facts that show the religious faith and background of the nation’s founders have been eliminated in favor of a more “inclusive,” albeit, entirely inaccurate, world view. For example, if one is ever taught about, or taken on a tour through the U.S. Capitol on a public school field trip, are facts such as, one-fourth of the statues of our presidents and military leaders in the Capitol were Christian ministers that had baptized people? Or that the building was used as a church for years and years by Congress and our Presidents? Schools now promote what they wish and what the government wishes, rather than what is historically accurate. If the moral and cultural values of Christianity are part of what made this nation great and allowed the West to advance, it is wrong to teach history excluding these fundamental facts. Another highly interesting fact that is never discussed by the secular realm is that Congress itself printed the very first Bible written in English in the year of 1782, for the “unique use of our schools,” obviously the government encouraged Biblical teaching and use thereof! In the realm of science, an example would be Evolution versus Creation. Evolution is taught as the only scientific option. It is presented as a “given.” The scientific evidence for a creation model is never allowed to enter the classroom, even though many of the best scientific and mathematic minds in history (e.g., Isaac Newton) believed in a Creator and were devout Christians. An extremely interesting fact (not publicized by the schools) concerning Darwin himself, is that he was not in fact a scientist, but had a degree in theology and was horrid at math, – the language of science. Benjamin Rush said that “the Bible should be read in our schools in preference to all other books”; if government run education means teaching a sanitized and misleading version of history and science, then perhaps it is better the government not be involved. So, at least, parents of homeschool children believe.
The next highest ranking reason people choose homeschooling is educational excellence. Some have tried to “down play” home education, arguing parents are unqualified for the job. After all, professional teachers study for years how to teach, how could the average parent possibly do the same or better? Over time, statistics and studies have proven that homeschoolers indeed have exceeded the expectations of teachers and silenced the skeptics. Homeschoolers score higher than public schooled children on SAT, ACT, standardized achievement tests, and advanced placement exams. They are winning the national spelling and geography bees and are outperforming 70 to 80% of public schooled children on all subjects and in all grades (Garthercole R., 2009). Homeschoolers attend college with superior rates to public school students. In 2001, Stanford University admitted 27% of its homeschool applicants, nearly twice the acceptance rate of public schooled applicants (McReynolds, 2007). Statistics show that almost all of America’s colleges (about three fourths) have policies concerning homeschool applicants. Many, including Harvard, actively recruit homeschoolers. Once in college, homeschoolers tend to have higher grade point averages than their public schooled peers (McReynolds, 2007). Studies have also shown that homeschoolers are more respectful and far less violent. In the public schools we found
In 1940 [that] the top discipline offenses, according to the [public] educators, were talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in halls, getting out of turn in line, wearing improper clothing, and not putting paper in waste baskets. However, in 1982 the top discipline offenses had become rap, robbery, assault, burglary, arson, bombings, and murder. This does not even count the prevalence of extortion, drug abuse, abortion, and sexual diseases (Klicka, 2002, p. 51).
The excellence in educational standards for homeschooling is attracting America’s minorities. There are now many African-Americans choosing homeschooling. Some of these wish to teach their children world wide cultural history concerning black people. But the greatest reason for African-Americans choosing homeschooling is educational excellence and equality. The system of the public schools is such that African-Americans perform lowest on public education statistics. Homeschooling provides equal education for everyone, a promise public schools have claimed but never achieved. Over 100,000 African-Americans are now homeschooling; African Americans are inspired and excited that they too, are able to offer the best education for their children (James J., 2007). They are excited by the realization that they don’t have to depend upon government for equal education, and can achieve excellence on their own, without government assistance or handouts.
Parents that have decided to homeschool have not only taken educational standards into thought, but the issues of morality, peer pressure, and bullying. In 1962, prayer in school was removed. Statistics beginning in1962 showed that SAT scores immediately plummeted. Teen pregnancies, suicide, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sexual disease, the use of pornography, and the illiteracy rates increased between 200 to 300 percent (Klicka, 2002). In New Mexico, 46 per cent of high school students drop out annually. The illegitimate birth rate in New Mexico is 59.6% (Traylor, J., McDuffie, T., 2009). The overall decline in morality nationwide has caused parents to exit the public schools, in order to provide a more wholesome environment for educating their children. This leads to the question of peer dependence. In the formative years parents and adults are the most important role models, but the public school sectors form a youth subculture as they depend on each other for social, educational, and maturity levels. Parents support, protect, defend, cherish, and form, their children to become intelligent, mature individuals. Public school separates family and age groups, causing difficulties and estrangements that are unhealthy. Bullying is a serious issue everyone is aware of; bullying has even been the cause of suicide in small children. Studies have shown that homeschoolers are less violent than public schooled individuals, curious isn’t it? Or is it? “I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them on the heart of the youth” – it seems that Martin Luther’s fear have indeed come true.
Concerns have been brought forward that homeschoolers are potentially more abused, and because the number of homeschoolers is rising, the abuse rate must also be rising – that’s the theory. There is no evidence that homeschooled children are more likely to be abused, and that more regulation and protection is needed. Yes, homeschooled kids can remain unseen from the public eye, but to say that homeschoolers deliberately keep children out of the public because the kids have visible injuries has no basis in fact. There is no evidence that abuse among homeschoolers is more prevalent than in government schools.
In Montana a public schooled teacher was convicted of having sexual intercourse with an eighth grade girl, in Florida, a public schooled teacher’s aide was convicted of lewd assault upon an eight year old autistic boy, in Ohio a teacher made a student do twenty-five push ups naked . . . [in one week], Chicago had four public schooled teachers arrested for sexually abusing children in their classes (Klicka, 2002, p.61).
These are just a few of the many recorded physical and sexual abuse’s going on in the public schools today. We have no such evidence or examples against homeschooled families. In Washington, D.C. the increased regulation of homeschooling was enacted in response to a mother who had withdrawn her four children from public school, and who was later charged with their murder. This was a freak incident, and cannot be made the basis for broad generalizations. If statistics are to control our decision, then the public schools must be condemned, since statistically they have higher incidents of rape and abuse, including molestation by teachers. Here are statistics of teacher’s sexual abuse to students:
- The best estimate is that 15% of students will be sexually abused by a member of the school staff during their school career.
- Though, when the American Association of University Women Foundation surveyed more than 1,600 students in eighth through 11th grade, 25 percent of the girls and 10 percent of the boys who said they had been harassed or abused said the harasser was a school employee.
- The number of K-12 public and private school students in 1996 who have been or will be sexually abused by a member of the school staff is nearly 7 million of 51,331,000.
- Between 1% and 5% of teachers sexually abuse or harass students.
- At least a quarter of all school districts in the United States have dealt with a case of staff sexual abuse in the past ten years.
- Most cases of sexual abuse of students by teachers are never reported.
- In nearly half of the cases, suspects were accused of abusing more than one student. (Counter Pedophilia Investigative Unit 2011).
“Child abuse is a societal issue. Examples of abuse exist in all educational settings. There is no method of education that guarantees child abuse won’t happen” (The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers, 2009). I am sure it is agreed statistics don’t lie, and according to the statistics, public schools are very abusive and harmful to children; emotionally, physically, and mentally.
The biggest argument against homeschooling is socialization. People wonder and some even condemn homeschooling parents, accusing them of hiding their children from the real world, and limiting their socialization. Do people think that you have to be exposed to everything and anything to know the real world? “This is the real world, we live in it” (McReynolds, 2007). As we saw above, there are many things in the public schools you would not wish exposed to children of any age. Children can learn about the world and socialize through many things, not just a jail where they teach math and English from eight thirty in the morning till three thirty in the afternoon with anyone and everyone. Homeschooling is more relaxed, and therefore provides more time for socialization. There are sports, play dates, museums, church activities, libraries, and many other options outside of the home where a child can socialize. Home is not a prison, and definitely not a hide away from real life. Studies have shown homeschoolers are more mature and respectful, they are exposed to realistic life styles; and must help within the family everyday and interact with each other. Public school separates family and age groups, causing difficulties and estrangements that are unhealthy. “Popular belief holds that home schooled children are socially backward and deprived, but research shows the opposite: that home schooled children are actually better socialized than their peers,” says Claudia Hepburn, director of education policy at The Fraser Institute, “Some studies have shown that home schooled children are happier, better adjusted, more thoughtful, mature and sociable than children who attend institutional schools.” Actually, ninety-three percent of homeschoolers socialize outside of the home approximately three times a week.
A study done by Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute surveyed over 7,300 adults, demonstrating that adult homeschool graduates are happier, and find life more exciting than their public schooled peers. The homeschool graduates of this study were found to be more active in civic and community affairs compared to those that had been public schooled. They also voted and attended public meetings at higher rates. Over 74% of these young adults surveyed had taken college classes, compared to 46% of the traditionally schooled population. The overwhelming majority was profitably employed or attending college. 98% of the homeschool graduates had read at least one book in the six months prior to the study, compared to 69% of the comparison group. Other studies have concluded that homeschooled children are not socially isolated, that their self-concept, a barometer of socialization, tends to be better than public schooled children, and that homeschooling fosters leadership skills (McReynolds, K. 2007).
In conclusion, we know that according to statistics and studies homeschoolers are superior academically and emotionally compared to public schooled children. We know for a fact that homeschoolers are more active in society and politics. We know for a fact there is no evidence homeschoolers are more abused than public schooled children, (evidence would actually suggest quite the opposite). We also know for a fact that public schools do not provide equal education to races other than white. Statistically homeschoolers are going to superior colleges sooner and are attaining higher grades than public schooled individuals. We know from studies that adults that were homeschooled lead in general happier and more fulfilled lives. We know for a fact the homeschoolers are not in any way socially inept. So, weighing the evidence, we can conclude homeschooling provides not only the best education, but also emotional and family life stability, which is essential to children’s minds and over all health.
