So, I think home schooling is a great way to raise a smart, moral, social failure.

What's everyone else think?

From what I saw about two months ago, I'd respectfully disagree.

Why do you believe that?

Research suggests that a home-schooled individual ends up less well-rounded academically, and has a whopping 90% chance of failing to complete any college degree.

That's all I've got.

ive said this before, and even had my first big nasty back and forth with someone on the board over this......


i think its very important for a kid to attend public schools and be picked on just like every other kid, in order to prepare them for the assholes out in the world who will pick on them

I just don't understand how a child schooled at home ever learns to deal with different types of people, or problems that come up in the real world when you're not protected by mom's umbrella.

Did we already have this debate? I did a search, but didn't find it.

Since it has become impossible for a good wholesome family to take their clan up into the deep woods of Appalachia to completely escape from the rest of the world, God has created home schooling.

I also have a hard time believing that a parent can teach better than a teacher.

All due respect to my wife, who is an excellent teacher, but I'm not 100% on this.

If you are afraid of letting your kids go into the big bad world then don't have kids.

I knew a guy who was home-schooled, and he was quite possibly the most out-of-touch with reality I've ever seen. Also, his parents' overprotection didn't keep him on the "right path." They find this thing called the "real world" and don't know how to handle it.

my inclination is to say good teacher or not its good for a child to have someone elses opinion as an influence other than their parents. Who believe it or not are not always right.

other than that, I went to public school, and I believe my children should go through the same soul scarring ridicule that I went through. They deserve nothing less. Lifes a bitch, they better learn it early!

For some people I can see this as a good idea and I think that fine. Its a free country, but in a society where we are becoming more introverted, it might not be a good idea.

Also in the cubicle next to me I have a great example of a home school failure.

Parents don't have to do the teaching, There are all sorts of programs to enroll students in, some have private teachers come to the home, and there are also web based learning programs. I don't see the reason why parents can't be effective teachers, when they are essentially teaching one or two kids instead of 35 it's much more easy to maintain focus and attention as well as teach to the specific needs of the child, challenging them. They can also more thoroughly answer their specific questions.
The things I would wonder about are science, chemistry, and physics. Then again the public schools I attended had no materials either, mainly because the money was allocated extremly poorly.

I know some very intelligent Home Schooled individuals, One was my valedictorian at my College. He was one of the best public speakers in the country, funny, brilliant, quick witted, well rounded and fun to be around.


There are going to be failures obviously just as their are with public and private school.

Well I've never had a day of home schooling in my life, and I have really bad social phobia and anti-socialism so...

do none of you watch south park?

I don't doubt that there are home schooling success stories, and we've all seen regular school's failures. McParadigm, you got a link to some of that research you cited?

I just don't see the benefit of it unless the parent received degrees in Education, History, Chemistry, Math, etc. I don't see how they would be more qualified to teach better than people who set out to learn and teach those things. Not only with the lack of knowledge but with lack of social interaction I can't fathom how home schooling could possibly be MORE beneficial.

I'd never home school any of my children...it takes away a vital element of social interaction that no parent or play group or home school network can replace.

If I ever get around to procreation, I will "home school" in addition to sending my kids to public or private school...I call it PARENTING.

I completeley agree with this...

So...you're going to do what?

I don't think kids have to be bullied, but they need to meet people who are different from them.

I had to learn how to play with and work with a lot of kids in school that were from different backgrounds, believed different things, and had different opinions.

Without questions a parents ability to teach, homeschooling, even in groups, homogenizes kids. What's the likelihood you're going to meet Tramayne, the black kid from the projects, Urmil the Buhddist, Wael the Muslim, or Treasure, the spastic girl from a broken home? In all likelihood, you'll meet John, Mary, and Paul, all white, suburban kids from your parents' church.

Good luck finding a job in which you only have to interact with white, suburban, Christians.

... outside of South Dakota, of course.