Thursday, December 16, 2010

HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.

I am sick and tired of people thinking Christians are the only families who homeschool.  People of many different beliefs also homeschool.

I have read any number of articles by those who choose to homeschool who believe that homeschooling is the only biblical option for educating children. While these people may make some valid arguments, I am not convicted by Scripture or by plain reason that we must avoid public schools.

PLEASE HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.

Tim Challies seems to believe all homeschoolers  are Christians who are easily offended, won't allow their children to participate in Halloween and won't let them participate in sports leagues.

I don't think homeschoolers are easily offended. I do think we get tired of being lumped together as if we are all identical. Homeschool families are just as diverse as public school families. There are Wiccan, Pagan, Atheist and Christian Homeschoolers. There are rich, middle class and poor homeschoolers. There are White, Black, Hispanic, Indian, and Native American homeschoolers. Also our reasons for homeschooling are as varied as we are.

My family did not pray about homeschooling and religion played no part in our decision. We choose to homeschool because we did not agree with mandatory school uniforms in public school. I see no reason children should have to dress like clones in order to get an education.

Unlike Challies I do not believe children should be sent to public school in order to witness to other children. I find it revolting that Challies seems to think his religious beliefs should be forced on others.

I did not choose to homeschool to avoid worldliness. My children continued to play with the same kids they played with when they attended public school, they continued to participate in recreational sports leagues and boy scouts. Homeschooling is an educational choice not a religious undertaking and I am sick and tired of people like Challies assuming that all homeschoolers are Christians and share the same ideology he does.

10 comments:

  1. Very well said, as usual. I agree about school uniforms too, and about people who feel the need to try and bring my child away from our families religious views and convert them to theirs. I can't imagine trying to do that to someones children.

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  2. Amen!!!!! We started homeschooling out of necessity for our daughter who has severe allergies. However, now in our second year, both of our children are homeschooled because their father and I agree that academically for us this was the best choice. The decision to homeschool was 100% not influenced by religion and we didn't pray about it once.

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  3. What a great post!! Thanks for sharing your views and letting others know that the "other" homeschoolers exist.

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  4. As a Christian, I did pray about homeschooling and my faith (it's not a religion) played a part in my choice. I sought God's will for my family and did what I felt HIM leading me to do. But, I also researched and listened to other public figures, in order to make an informed decision.
    But, one of the main factors, was that I didn't want to undo all the nonsense at the end of the day - that would have been poured into my child's mind by opinionated teachers who think they rule the world, or snotty nosed little punks, trying to bring my child down to their level.
    And, let me add, that it's unrealistic to think that a child is going to go into the polluted school and transform all of the other kids into God-fearing human beings. That's just an excuse Christians use, that allows them to bury their heads in the sand.
    Homeschooling is done for many reasons and absolutely, there are many diverse families that do it.
    That's the beauty of it. We can all be individuals; unlike the kids in the ps who are led around like cattle.

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  5. Just to illustrate how different homeschoolers are, I homeschool partly so my children DON'T have to deal with the daily "fashion parade" and the snobbery, cost, and embarrassment that accompany it. I have all girls, and I like the idea of uniforms. :)
    Some people homeschool to make sure their children learn to read using phonics, others because they detest phonics, etc.
    About the only thing in common to all homeschoolers is that they believe they are in charge of their children's upbringing, including their education.

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  6. I home school my children - sort of. They do go to school two days a week. I home school for many reasons. I agree with you, some people whom I have met and let known that I home school ask if it is because I am Christian. I'm not Christian. So I sigh and explain that not all home learners are home learn because of religious beliefs.

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  7. I don't homeschool (she's not 5 yet) but have often thought about it (don't kow where I'd start). That said I'm not at all religious.

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  8. I am a Christian. I teach our children daily about God's love, grace, mercy and forgiveness; however, this is not why we homeschool. We were sick of bullies (children & teacher bullies), our children being taught incorrect information, my son passing math with a B average only to be told he's so far behind he needs a summer school math class, and being told it's ok to turn in an essay in text format (ie "U" instead of "you"; "ur" instead of "your", etc) It's taken me 3 years of homeschool to correct some of the garbage my boys were taught in public & private school.
    That's the beauty of being an American ... we all have the freedom to educate our children and give them the tools they need to succeed. Whatever your reason to homeschool, I wish you all the success!

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  9. I am a Christian, homeschooling mom who does "secular" homeschooling. Most of the parents in our homeschooling group are secular, and some are practicing pagans. There are many different kinds of homeschoolers, just as there are many different kinds of public schoolers. We choose to homeschool because of the freedom and flexibility in the curriculum and schedule that homeschooling offers.

    Now, if we can just convince some folks that being a Christian homeschooler doesn't mean being anti-science or anti-social...

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