Heart of the Matter
"Clearly there is an appropriate kind of sheltering. When those who are opposed to homeschooling accuse me of sheltering my children, my reply is always, 'What are you going to accuse me of next, feeding and clothing them?" ~R.C. Sproul Jr
Heart of the Matter asked us to comment on this quote. I am constantly amazed that education is not put in the same category as food and shelter. I have many friends whom I respect that send their kids to public school but... I am really frustrated with these people who think that homeschooling is doing a disservice to our children (versus it just not being a choice for them). If I wanted to be a homeschooling extremist I could make a strong case for public school to not be the norm.
In the US it is our responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter our children. When we are unable or unwilling to do that the government will step in. It means you don't have as many choices as to what your child eats, wears or lives but it gets the basics done. Public school can be viewed similarly, as educational welfare. When you send your child to public school you are ceding both some of your responsibilities and your privileges as a parent such as time school starts, the standards, the curriculum, etc. Now that is fine if that is the choice you make but how is it that I am the one failing my kids? (Is it obvious that I have heard a lot of homeschool bashing lately?)
Heart of the Matter asked us to comment on this quote. I am constantly amazed that education is not put in the same category as food and shelter. I have many friends whom I respect that send their kids to public school but... I am really frustrated with these people who think that homeschooling is doing a disservice to our children (versus it just not being a choice for them). If I wanted to be a homeschooling extremist I could make a strong case for public school to not be the norm.
In the US it is our responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter our children. When we are unable or unwilling to do that the government will step in. It means you don't have as many choices as to what your child eats, wears or lives but it gets the basics done. Public school can be viewed similarly, as educational welfare. When you send your child to public school you are ceding both some of your responsibilities and your privileges as a parent such as time school starts, the standards, the curriculum, etc. Now that is fine if that is the choice you make but how is it that I am the one failing my kids? (Is it obvious that I have heard a lot of homeschool bashing lately?)
Labels: Homeschoooling
posted by NerdMom at
10:50 PM
4 Comments:
Now there's a super argument (in the civil sense) for homeschooling! "Educational welfare". I've never heard it put that way before, but that's exactly what it is. Used to be, everyone was homeschooled! =)
By
Katie, at 6:43 AM
I feel your "home school bashing" pain! No fun. And I like the "educational welfare" line too.
By
Unknown, at 8:48 AM
I think "educational welfare" is a completely appropriate term. If I'm not mistaken; government-provided (aka "free,") compulsory education was started to provide a basic education for the working classes so that they would be literate.
By
Anonymous, at 12:52 PM
I've never heard a convincing argument made for why government should be the one directly providing 85% of K-12 education. The government trusts the private sector to provide the majority of what people need in most other basic categories- food, housing, healthcare, transportation, etc. Sure, they aren't 100% perfect but they work fairly well for the majority of people.
By
Crimson Wife, at 9:03 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home