One of the most important stages of development happens during childhood, oftentimes in school, when children can interact with peers and teachers of different backgrounds. Receiving a proper education from a young age is the first step in cultivating an individual academically, socially and mentally. But not everyone looks at education in the same light. While some prefer the public school route, for the obvious benefits of structure, organization, strict curriculum and opportunities for socialization and diversification, other parents reject the idea of public or privatized education and would rather take their child’s learning experience into their own hands at home.
Reports state there has been a 75 percent increase in homeschooling since 1999. Over two million American children are homeschooled for reasons including but not limited to religion, dissatisfaction with the school system and safety from bullying. Parents can tailor their child’s curriculum, environment and schedule in order to fit the needs of the family, which is extremely convenient.
There is a dark side to this educational freedom, however. Homeschooling is completely legal, but in most states parents are only required to sign a document expressing their intent to homeschool their child. It is only when there is suspicion of misconduct or abuse that officials will pry more into the authenticity of the level of education and care of the child within the home.
Homeschooling needs to be locally evaluated and closely monitored for each and every family that chooses that route. Blindly trusting parents to give their kids an adequate learning experience at home without any outside intervention is putting children at risk for losing out on a basic, decent education. There is no proven statistic that adequately shows homeschooled children do any better academically than those in public and private school. A study in 2013 actually showed homeschoolers can be at a disadvantage and pointed out a serious educational gap.
Homeschooling can also create more opportunities for abuse in households that struggle with domestic violence. One chilling case in particular involved 10-year-old Raashanai Jones, who was found dead in her home, where her mother was supposed to be providing a safe haven and basic education. Raashanai was 55 pounds, and neighbors didn’t even know she existed because they had never seen her outside. After she was pulled out of her public school, there were no home visits from officials, no follow-up exams or standardized testing to make sure she was learning. Her abusive parents had the perfect opportunity to make her disappear.
In many cases of bad homeschooling due to lack of organization and control from outside officials, the result is a child who falls unacceptably shy of their peers, academically. However, it is clear from cases such as Jones’ that the outcome can be fatal as well. A study by the Coalition for Responsible HomeSchooling found that in cases of child abuse, homeschooled children were at a greater risk of fatality than traditionally educated children. It is crucial to realize that while legal, homeschooling with no outside intervention prevents a child from seeking help if they need it.
Many times when there is a problem with a child, whether it be mental, physical or academic, teachers and peers are the first to take notice. Taking this opportunity away from the child without giving back, as in placing some structurally sound framework in order to hold parents accountable for education, is a huge disservice to the child and the community at large.