Dave Arnold of the NEA also speaks about one specific website that says not to worry about socialization. He says, “If this website encouraged home--schooled children to join after-school clubs at the local school, or participate in sports or other community activities, then I might feel different. Maine state laws, for example, require local school districts to allow home-schooled students to participate in their athletic programs” (Arnold, 2008, p. 1). There are two problems with his statement. The first untruth is that most homeschoolers want to participate in elementary and high school sports like this, but there are not legal requirements in each state allowing them to, so in states without laws it is based on the individual school board. The problem with this is that school boards sometimes do not allow homeschoolers to participate in their organized sports, whether due to lack of funding or discrimination. The second untruth in his statement is that homeschoolers do encourage these types of activities. Homeschoolers in general know that their children need interaction with other children (of all age ranges not just specific to their own grade) and do everything possible to ensure their children receive this. This comes in the form of team sports, co-ops (groups of homeschoolers who get together weekly to exchange classes to allow for socialization and taking advantage of the parents’ strong teaching points) and support groups (homeschoolers that get together on a regular basis for the children to play or participate in activities such as bowling or roller skating), clubs such as 4h and scouts, and lessons such as dance and karate.
More public libraries, museums, gyms and other “community fixtures” have started afternoon programs and classes within the past five years, catering to the growing number of homeschoolers (Fagan, 2007, p. 1). This usually allows more avenues for education as well as opportunities for families that homeschool to get together. Socialization is a very important aspect in every child’s life. However, homeschool graduates that have been exposed to these avenues of socialization have shown just as much ability to survive in and contribute to society as their public school counterparts.
In Conclusion
Homeschooling is a viable option to those who feel that their children aren’t learning enough in school, are taking in too many of the bad influences in school, are exposed or susceptible to too much violence in school. Homeschooling has statistically proven over time that it is a method of education that succeeds with test scores surpassing those in public schools. Homeschool graduates have proven themselves in the college arena as well as beyond. The questions of qualification and socialization are often argued, but as you can see have no solid facts to stand on. As long as the test scores of those students whose parents are not certified teachers remains higher than public school children then no one can argue for higher qualification regulations. Even though the socialization of homeschoolers does not fit in the standard box of a public classroom setting, it is proven to be just as effective if not better in providing quality (not quantity) socializing opportunities. The results speak for themselves in the long run.
I am often asked why I homeschool? There are so many answers to this question—dissatisfaction with public schools, safety, the state of society today, lack of religion and morals—that I would end up going on and on. However, I think my feelings are summed up in the popular phrase, “I’ve seen the village, and I don’t want it raising my child.”
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