National Charter School Watch Blog

If “literalism” means “seeking the plain meaning without exaggeration, distortion, or inaccuracy”, and separating the facts from someone’s ideals, then yes, I would classify myself as a literalist when it comes to seeing the necessity in aknowledging the distinctions between homeschooling and public school-at- home programs.

Many of the statewide homeschool organizations on their websites make a distinction between homeschooling and public school-at-home programs by explaining the legalities and requirements of both. Homeschool advocates quite often find it necessary to note the distinctions in their own state to parents, the media, and their legislatures. It should be expected that these individuals would bring their viewpoints into online discussions as it relates to public schooling-at-home and homeschooling. One might consider that effective homeschool advocacy, whether at the national or state level, would include making distinctions between public schooling-at-home and what is homeschooling; otherwise confusion may arise to just what it is that homeschoolers are advocating for. In the light of public school choice, it should be clear to the public that homeschooling is not being reformed. Home education is, as it has been, a choice that is outside of public education and not under the federal “No Child Left Behind” requirements. It is the work of good homeschool advocacy to keep it that way as well as promoting greater homeschool freedoms where and when necessary.

I would ask national and state homeschool advocates to consider applying their efforts to presenting these facts:

• Homeschooling is not a public school choice
• Homeschooling is not a government program. It is an education option as separate as non-government funded, private education.
• Options such as charter schools and public virtual schools are choices which are not independent of public schooling.
• Homeschooled students are not under federal NCLB requirements, nor are they required to keep state learning standards.

To those who would seek to vilify others for acknowledging public school-at-home is not homeschooling, I would encourage tolerance for other’s viewpoints and a greater respect for our homeschool diversity.