Are Homeschooled Kids at a Disadvantage?

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The thought that public schools have at some point formed the focal point of society and provided the cultural and intellectual glue that held the community together is a beautiful idea, but it's a myth.

Long before the government provided free schools (or took the next step of making attendance compulsory), children learned. Of course, the rich ones learned the classics, but most free citizens, at least before the abuses of the Industrial Revolution that led to the enactment of child labor laws, learned at least the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, either at home or in other schools. The government had no leading role in promoting a standard curriculum, but enough people were literate and reasoned independently enough to make our country a thriving democracy.

By the time education became compulsory, public schools were not the only choice. The Catholics have had a strong parallel school system for a very long time, and many families sent their children there. Even small communities that might have had their public schools as a focal point were divided. There was undoubtedly a great deal of overlap in curriculum, but obviously the two differed in key respects.

The homeschool community supports good, free public education. Most families will never choose to teach their own, and our society depends on children receiving a good education. HSC does not support, for example, tax credits for homeschoolers, even though those who homeschool through private schools receive no direct benefit from the taxes they pay. But the public schools don't work for many.  Some children have needs that are not well met by any institutional school, even though the schools are supposed to tailor the program so it is "appropriate". Some children are not safe in their local school. Some parents see the struggles other families have with unending and meaningless homework, rigid peer social structures, or dumbing down of curriculum and choose not to participate. Yes, these are the caring, dedicated parents who could really help their local public schools, but their first allegiance has to be to the well-being of their own offspring. The parents who don't care enough about their kids to seek help when they don't understand the subject matter well enough to teach it, who don't try to learn about their children's needs and learning styles, who isolate their children and don't foster learning opportunities with other children are in the extreme minority.

The evidence shows that homechooled children are very well prepared for college and for assuming the responsibilities of an independent adult.  They do well in the workplace, they are active in their communities, they vote at a much higher rate. They are the kinds of people you want in your town.