O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
A bill (HB1268) proposing to overhaul state statutes for homeschooling parents by eliminating certain requirements reminded me of my own homeschooling experience back in the ’80s and ’90s. Its intent is to allow parents to decide their children’s education. They would no longer have to notify the school district after removing a child to begin a home school program nor retain records of his/her progress. The bill exempts home school students from the state’s compulsory attendance law, removes educational neglect as a reason for investigating neglect allegations and protects against home inspections without a warrant. Additionally, student data would not be included in the DOE’s database.
The bill’s emphasis on educational freedom contrasts sharply with norms of my parents’ generation when students sat in classrooms addressed by last names only and stood up straight to answer questions. My generation, decidedly less strict, nevertheless had measurable academic standards, attendance records and awards for good citizenship. My parents revered the public school system as did many immigrants who came to the US to give their children the best education possible, one promising economic stability and a rewarding professional life. They reminded us that though some teachers might be better than others, and some unfair, you had to make the best of it.
The bill’s ‘natural’ right of a parent to educate her children felt like both a wonderful opportunity and a huge responsibility. Homeschooling my own through elementary school seemed a natural outcome of our desire to farm land, hay fields, plant vegetables and tend to a barnyard and horse stalls. We could learn about and appreciate our natural surroundings while our ‘students’ would share responsibility for daily chores and farm work.
Homeschooling was a privilege with definite advantages. We were less rushed and could learn according to our interests and at our own pace. I could teach creatively and thematically across disciplines. Libraries and community enrichment programs provided ample support for friendships, socialization and civic engagement.
Yet, despite my independent spirit and ‘Little House on the Prairie’ fortitude and idealism, there were days I doubted my effectiveness and questioned what other resources and professional guidance I was lacking. Clearly, public school teachers had valid reasons not to teach their own; a parent can easily under or over estimate a child’s abilities causing friction or failure. Other concerns came to mind. How could a single teacher teach many subjects competently? How to avoid becoming too insular, less open minded by offering only one perspective? Should I follow a set curriculum and what standards should be used as a guide for mastery? What if a child rebelled against being ‘indoctrinated’ into homeschooling?
My anxiety was annually assuaged by the required visit of a certified teacher who reviewed the year’s work, complimenting my ‘students’ on the pride they took in their portfolios that included ‘research’ papers and science projects.
In retrospect, I wish I had received more input from professional educators and the reassurance of a framework to structure the farm work. I’ll always remember the rigor of my father’s red pen when I asked him to redact my college essay and his deep respect for institutions of learning which he instilled in us as a hallmark of family life. Today, my granddaughter continues his tradition while teaching her younger brother to read.
My concern is that some of these important educational values might be compromised if this bill to reduce academic supervision and accountability is passed.
Ann Podlipny lives in Chester.
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