I know you are a good homeschooler but...

Tell me, have you heard something similar? Where someone you know starts off on how you are a great homeschooler but on the whole they are against it because of the bad homeschooling parents. You educate yourself on teaching and are bright but what about the others? You know, the ones that don't make sure their kids learn anything or they lock their kids in the basement;). Or better yet can't read or do any figurin';).

I had this happen a lot over VBS. I served with a teacher who said she used to teach homeschoolers and she kind of felt that who does it or the kids' progress needed to be regulated. When I got further details come to find out she didn't teach "homeschoolers". She was teaching at a charter school (read public school) that was an independent study program for kids that were already basically bombing out.

I also have been hearing about parents that weren't making sure their kids did any work. Or left them at home alone while the mom went to work. Or parents that don't like doing anything with their kids.

Well, I had an epiphany moment. I was talking about the Rachel L ruling with a lawyer friend of mine (who is pro-homeschooling) and the comeback for all these arguments hit me.

Parents who don't like their kids and don't want to teach them won't homeschool! It is too hard. Those parents are going to be the first ones in line for the public school.

Now will there be exceptions, sure. But those exceptions to all parenting rules already exist. Parents who are going to lock their kids in the basement and neglect them are already breaking the law. They aren't using the out of "homeschooling" to get away with anything;).