Monday, December 24, 2012

Homeschooling to avoid school shootings isn't the best reason for homeschooling

Several news stations are reporting an increase in interest about homeschooling after the tragic deaths in the Connecticut elementary school. Fox 5 from San Diego reports that a San Diego online homeschool academy is seeing a double in the number of inquiries into homeschooling. Likewise a virtual academy in Oklahoma has seen a dramatic increase in phone calls. In Arizona, the Maricopa County superintendent reports that so far they have seen only a slight increase of parents considering homeschooling. There are many other articles reporting on the increase interest because of the deaths in the Newton school.

Dramatic events can produce strong emotions which can side track a thoughtful analysis of the real risks.  To put this in perspective deaths to school shootings over the last decade are on the average about 26 each year in the United States.  This works out to one child out of every two million children.  While the death of any child is a tragedy, children have almost as much of a chance of being killed by lighting as being shot by a crazy or evil maniac.

There are so many other good reasons for homeschooling.  To avoid a possible school shooting is, in my opinion, not a good reason.

Here are a few reasons we’ve written about over the years:

So children can retain their love for learning.

To avoid indoctrination - Government schools have become a target of many groups pushing their agendas.

Public schools are not accountable to the parents.

To make sure your children read good books instead of trash.

To protect your daughters.

To escape the crazy homework load.

So families have more time together.

Because students can graduate from highschool and not even know how to read.

To avoid bullies - both students and teachers.

There are many, many more reasons to homeschool.

I do hope that because of the shooting many parents will investigate homeschooling and come to see the real benefit of homeschooling.





2 comments:

Unknown said...

I have heard and read of quite a number of families considering homeschooling in recent days since the tragic incident. As I read your post, I was reminded of this book written by a homeschool graduate. It's a fictional story about a family considering homeschooling. I just want to post it on here as a resource for families in a similar situation.
http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/books-by-grade/grades-3-5/katy-by-mary-evelyn-notgrass
It can be found at this website of literature for homeschoolers written by homeschoolers.

Unknown said...

Great post!

Homeschooling is a serious commitment.

I understand how many parents might be fearful by the recent shooting, and keeping your kids home would help ease those fears, but I believe life lived in fear teaches the kids to live in fear. Homeschooling will not stop those fears.

I guess I'm not trying to say don't homeschool because of violence in schools,but rather, make sure you are realistic about the total involvement required to homeschool.

I read a great article about this last week--Knee-Jerk Homeschooling. It sums it up much better than I have. http://letshomeschoolhighschool.com/blog/2012/12/18/knee-jerk-homeschooling/

Joyfully,
Jackie