Cotton labors under the mistaken impression that homeschool moms and dads are not well educated. Many of the HMs(homeschool moms) I know hold college degrees. I have HM friends with mathematics degrees, civil engineering degrees, English degrees. I have HM friends who are fluent in several languages. I myself hold a Ph.D. in political science. The HMs I know all seem to be aware of their limitations and when they don’t feel competent to teach their children in some advanced subject, they work together with other HMs in co-ops, hire tutors, or take other steps to bring their students together with the instruction they need.
I am a liberal and a feminist and I sustain two careers in the midst of homeschooling. No martyrdom here. Moreover, if immersing my kids in large groups of their peers means that they might turn out to be as narrow, superficial and judgmental as Quinn Cotton, then count me glad that that they’re missing out on all the good public school socialization. Cotton deludes herself if she fancies herself some sort of heroine. She’s not a savior, just a bigot.
Personally, with study after study revealing that homeschool children are succeeding academically and personally, I’d like to see us shift the onus of discussion. In my mind, the burden of proof should fall on the public school system, not on the homeschool community. Instead of people beginning with the assumption that children belong in school and that homeschoolers should provide persuasive evidence to the contrary in order to justify their decisions to keep children out of schools, I believe that the public school system should offer us persuasive evidence that it should have some sort of claim to our children. When the school system can demonstrate that it is academically succeeding, that it can keep my child safe, that my child will not be bullied or ridiculed if different in the public school system, that my child will be taught to think independently and that my family and child’s values will be respected, then I’ll consider putting my child back in it. Even then, though, we might choose the status quo. I enjoy having my children at home with me and they enjoy being here.
Homeschooling and loving it,
Rebecca H. Davis, Ph.D.
