September 4, 2010
Charter Schools versus Homeschooling
This has actually been a difficult article for me to write and one I have put off repeatedly. I was asked again today about Charter Schools and I decided it was time I address the issue.
First,and most importantly, I fervently believe parents should be able to determine how best to educate their children. We, (not the government) will answer to God for the choices that we make regarding our kids, and therefore we should be free to make the one that best fits our family, convictions, and beliefs. That choice can legitimately be public, private, charter or homeschool. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these options, and it's up to you to decide where your family fits. In this article I am not looking to argue for one over the other, or to make anyone uncomfortable, but to address my concerns regarding the confusion between homeschooling and Charter Schools.
The survival of the homeschooling movement, from a legal perspective, may come from making a clear distinction between homeschooling and Charter Schools. Choosing to use a Charter is a viable alternative, it is not homeschooling. This line is becoming very blurred, and I believe this is intentional. It is one way to reclaim lost revenue and undermine the homeschooling system that has developed over the past 20 years, and to regulate and control what is taught in our homes. If we do not recognize the dangers, our children may not be free to homeschool with the same freedoms that we now enjoy.
Like many of you, Charter Schools were one of our options. In my case I wasn't just contacted by Charter Schools that wanted me to enroll my sons, but I've also been contacted by schools that wanted me to combine Grace Prep with them, or who wanted me to teach there. Obviously, there are many financial incentives that would make that very appealing...and believe me, we could have used the money...but we chose to remain independent for a variety of reasons.
At a cursory glance it appears that the government has recognized the advantages of homeschooling and has jumped on the bandwagon by establishing independent study programs and charter schools. These options allow parents to 'homeschool' while having the government pick up the tab. It can appear to be a win/win situation. I want to point out some of the ways we, as parents, can lose in this scenario.
Before we go any farther let me clarify my definitions to avoid confusion. Charter Schools are public schools, they are funded by the government with tax dollars. When you join a Charter school you are part of the public school system. While the student in a Charter may be doing the bulk of his/her work at home, he is a public school student. School authorities have the final say and oversight. I am not questioning the value of Charter, Online Schools, or other public school options that allow students to do their work at home, I am just asking that they not be called homeschools
Homeschooling, as I'm defining it, means that you and your children pick the resources and curriculum that you will use. Parents are in charge and have authority and the ability to change the curriculum and schedule at any time, and they pay for their own materials. Homeschools are free and separate from the state system. Homeschoolers have freedom to integrate their Christian worldview into their teaching and to use curriculum that expresses a Christian viewpoint. Traditionally, homeschooling has been defended in the courts under the First Amendment, that it is part of our freedom of religion to educate our children in accordance with our religious convictions. (Secular homeschooling has it's place, but it is harder to defend from a legal perspective.)
Once a third party starts paying the bills, it's their schooling, not homeschooling. They now have the right and the responsibility to regulate, restrict, and monitor what happens in the homes of those who are enrolled. Tax dollars are being used and with that many conditions come into play. Now, many of these state-funded educational options are billing themselves as 'homeschooling'. This has the potential to create a serious legal problem for those homeschooling outside of government programs. We have already seen more of these types of cases popping up.
According to the "We Stand for Homeschooling" website,
The very nature, language and essence of homeschooling are being challenged and even co-opted by a vast array of emerging educational programs which may be based in the home, but are funded by government tax dollars, bringing inevitable government controls....There is the profound possibility that homeschooling is not only on the brink of losing its distinctiveness, but also is in grave danger of losing its independence.
We can see this happening with school board members who refer to these programs as 'bringing home schooling under the state's umbrella'. Many leaders within the homeschool movement that have worked hard to obtain and maintain our freedoms have warned of the danger. As Charter schools become the norm, homeschoolers who resist state regulation will be considered a fringe group. Since public schools have provided the 'homeschool' option many will not see the need to preserve the rights of parents to homeschool independently. Already we see that homeschooling seems to be undergoing an 'institutionalization' and is losing much of what made it distinctive and attractive in the first place.
As HSLDA has warned,...keep in mind that programs receiving government funding can be (must be) directly regulated by government standards. . To date, most Charter schools and all public school independent study programs have been enacted with restrictions regarding religious education. That means it is unethical and possibly illegal for any religious instruction to occur during the process of teaching an academic subject, even in the home.
While this seems to not be a concern to many I have spoken to because...you are in your home...who would know. However, Charters have gotten into trouble in the past few years for not abiding by these rules, and for misusing funds (allowing parents to purchase Christian curriculum with school monies.) These irregularities could lead to new calls to regulate homeschooling more closely. If the line between homeschool and Charters has become blurred, it will be difficult to fight those regulating efforts for those of us who wish to remain independent.
At it's core I think homeschooling is about freedom. It is about the right of the parent to be free to make decisions without the interference, oversight or regulation of the government. Organizations like the Home School Legal Defense Association have fought diligently on behalf of homeschoolers and because of them we are not required to submit to invasive home visits, standardized testing, or limited curriculum choices. Both in court, and in studies, parents have proved they are competent to teach their own children and do not require the oversight of credentialed teachers or government agencies. Our reputation as being a viable alternative to government schools has solidified. Homeschooling has not just survived, it has grown and flourished.
As this has occurred, government schools have looked for ways to control what happens within homeschools. HSLDA has, thus far, been successful in their defense of homeschooling. In recent years the attack on homeschooling has switched from a head on attack, to a 'if you can't beat them, join them' approach. By offering financial incentives through Charter schools, the government has made significant inroads into the homeschooling community. Parents are being seduced back into the government system.
Besides the legal issues this potentially raises for those of us who wish to remain independent, I see several other issues. One of the more disturbing ones, is the undermining of parents and parental authority that I have witnessed.
Over the past few generations the boundaries and responsibilities of our public schools has expanded. As parents we have relinquished our position in our children's lives, and have accepted the propaganda that we cannot be trusted to raise, educate, or socialize our children...we need professionals. Too many of us have become unhealthily dependent on the opinions of 'experts' and decisions made by committees of professionals. In a bizarre reverse proportion we place more and more confidence in the professionals as our schools failure rates rise.
If you think I'm overstating the case consider this. Many parents I talk to panic at the thought of teaching their children kindergarten. They have so bought into the message from the educational establishment that they honestly feel they are not capable of teaching early elementary skills. Parents have internalized the message that it takes a graduate degree to teach counting and the sounds of the alphabet. The ramifications of this...are staggering.
The control and power this hands over to the government cannot be overstated. Stalin once said, give me your children and within one generation I will control the nation. I am not looking to explore nefarious conspiracy theories...but we have to stop and ask ourselves some serious questions about what is the role of parents in child raising, and what is the role of the government? To what degree are we 'handing over our children' and in what ways is the government sending a message to families that is destructive?
I have found that the marketing for charter schools (beyond the financial incentives) often uses fear to convince insecure parents that the government can provide a 'safe' way to homeschool. They will provide a 'real' teacher to meet with your child every week, and they will provide a curriculum that meets state standards. Parents are subtly sent the message that they are not really competent but that the overseeing charter will protect the children.
Another concern I have is that the homeschooling movement has provided a much needed revolution in curriculum and teaching methods. Some of the most creative and successful options out there have been created by homeschooling families looking for a better way. The movement has been led by passionate, pioneering individuals who have had to fight for the rights we now enjoy. This passion, vision, and progress has become diluted as the homeschooling movement has grown and expanded. As it has become more commonplace, many families are entering the ranks without a real commitment to the lifestyle. They are merely recreating school at home, not a bad thing, but not really what homeschooling is about. Complacency has crept into the homeschooling movement.
I am very concerned that we are being seduced into an alliance with government schools that we will regret in the future. I want my children and grandchildren free to homeschool if that is what they want. I want them to be able to incorporate a Christian worldview into their teaching, I want them to be free from the tyranny of standardized testing, I want them to be able to make free choices without government interference...and I think that if the current trend continues the homeschooling ground we have gained over the past decades will quickly be eroded. I am afraid we are selling our freedoms for a free computer and some curriculum.
Like this:
Not all charter schools are created equal. My daughter is enrolled in a "homeschool" charter school, and although according to the state she is a public school student, we also fall fairly neatly into your definition of homeschoolers. We "pick the resources and curriculum that (we) use." I have "the ability to change the curriculum and schedule at any time", and if I choose to use any Christian/religious curriculum, I may "pay for (our) own materials." I even "have freedom to integrate their Christian worldview into their teaching and to use curriculum that expresses a Christian viewpoint."
I do consider myself to be "in charge" as any classroom teacher would be, though I do submit to the authority of charter school administrators, just as one would submit to a boss, police officer, or any other authority figure. Not necessarily a bad thing.
I agree that there are many ways of schooling successfully to raise godly, educated children, but charter schools always seem to get a bad rap from the Christian community. My charter school may be different from ones in your area, but we should not make incorrect generalizations about them.
Thanks for your comments. Our county is very unfriendly toward homeschooling families and several Charters by us have gotten into serious trouble for doing just what you have described. My goal was not to give charter schools a bad rap and I tried to be clear that I think it is a viable option...but amongst the families I speak with most have never considered any of the reasons to not join a Charter and I wished to offer the other side of the issue.
You make some very very good points. If homeschool families accept money, then they must, in a sense, conform to the rules of those who give the money. Nothing is free. I love your last paragraph. Clear and compelling.
A Substantive Education provides more than a solid academic foundation. It is a life-long passion to know more of the world, it's people, and it's Creator. Substantive Education doesn't just prepare one to make a living, but to live a full and significant life.
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