Do the Job Right

Homeschool criticism seems to come in waves. You'll see a lot on the web, then not so much. Months later, there will be another set of waves. It used to bother me a lot. Now, it is just a mild annoyance. Granted, I am annoyed enough to feel like I need to dedicate a whole (long) blog post to it.

Several months ago the National Center for Educational Statistics, a department of the Department of Education, released their latest report on homeschooling statistics. This report basically said that the number of children being homeschooled in the United States rose from 1.1 million students in 2003 to 1.5 million students in 2007. This report is the catalyst that has launched the most recent wave of homeschool criticism.

There have been dozens of articles and blog posts on the subject. I get Google alerts that are tagged "homeschool" in my inbox. There is at least one article a day that references the rise in homeschool numbers. Some of the articles are positive and some no so much. I don't read them all. Sometimes, I just skip ahead to the comments. And that is where I usually become annoyed.

There are so many ignorant people out there. And what agitates me, or makes me laugh (depending on the time of day, hormones and caffeine levels), is when people say things like, "I'm all for homeschooling, as long as they're doing the job, right." Doing the job right?! What does that mean?

Let's try to take a look at what the "doing the job right" mindset might mean.

They think we should be tested. Do you mean like the dumbed down tests that public schooled students have to take in order to comply with No Child Left Behind? Everyone agrees that NCLB is no stellar success. These tests do not measure what a child knows. Standardized tests are set up to reward schools and teachers that perform and punish schools and teachers that don't. Aren't those the schools and teachers that need more help? Not to be punished. Here is an excellent blog post (that references an article that I am unable to access) on the subject of testing. (Even if you don't read the rest of my post, I encourge you to read this post, it's one of the best I've ever seen.) Why should homeschools submit to testing that is set up to reward performing teachers and schools? We aren't receiving any money from any government source. We don't even get a tax deduction for our supplies like other teachers do.

The "doing the job right" mindset is still very worried that homeschooled kids will not be able to function in society. I have read where this mindset agrees that homeschooling is probably better academically, but they say that the POINT of going to school is the social aspect. The school that I know the most about is our local elementary school. I know that they have a severe bullying problem. And when I talk about bullies, I'm not talking about the traditional playground bully that has been there since the dawn of time. I'm talking about a little criminal who preys on kids in the halls and bus. A kid that is so vile, teachers apparently, are afraid of him. He's in the 5th grade. He's been terrorizing the school since Kindergarten. Next year he moves to the middle school. The elementary school teachers that I know are relieved. Talk about not functioning in society. This kid is going straight to the "big house." And just like all other character issues, this is not a "school" issue, this is a parenting issue. The socialization of any student is a result of parenting, not where they go to school.

Perhaps "doing the job right" means that we should all submit our curriculum to the appropriate authorities. Should this be a person specially hired by the school district to oversee such things? How much should that person earn a year? Is this an expense most districts can afford? What qualifications should this person have? Can they evaluate Charlotte Mason curriculum? Or only traditional textbooks? One of the strengths of homeschooling is that we are not tied to traditional methods that do not work for every child. Or maybe they will give this job to a person who already works for the district. Which person should that be? A principal? Doesn't that principal (or other disctrict employee) have enough to oversee already, without worrying about the (possible) hundreds or thousands of students not enrolled under his care?

How about just registering that you are indeed a homeschooler? "Doing the job right" means that someone at least knows that you homeschool. I haven't talked to anyone who can answer the question of how registering means that you're "doing the job right." The people I have talked to always reference a  kid they know who transferred from home to public school and didn't know their ABC's or how to read or add or fill-in-the-blank. Good. The parents recognized they were not "doing a good job" and put their child in a situation where they might learn. Yes, the person who tells me this story every year, thinks that simply registering as a homeschooler will somehow prevent kids who fall through cracks. That person is an educated, professional teacher.

I spoke with someone who told me that they know somoeone who homeschools so they can sleep in. So what?! Great! in fact. Imagine the trouble their poor children would have if they were late to school every day. This person thinks "doing the job right" means that you get up at 7 am, and start "school" by 8 am and do school until 2:30 or 3 pm. This is where a bit of ignorance comes in. Homeschooling is so efficient that having a 7 or 8 hour school day means that your child is going to graduate by 13 years old. Homeschooling doesn't take an hour per subject (well, not until puberty). It just doesn't. Homeschoolers (don't laugh) don't have to call roll, and spend 15 minutes settling the class down. Homeschoolers don't have administrative way markers that they have to make sure are ticked off as they go. "Doing the job right" does not mean running your home like an institutional school. 

"Doing the job right" means loving your children and doing what is best for them. They are your children not products of (or for) the government.