Swilkie,

I do not know one ‘wealthy’ home educating family. I do however know many single parents (some who juggle work and home educate); I know many single income families who work hard to make ends meet; and I know many families who have joint income from a business they run at home in order to be able to share the workload and educational responsibilities. Home ed is not for the wealthy any more than it is for the poor. It is an educational choice, not an economic one and for many low income families it is the only alternative they have to the public system as they would never have the means to consider private schools.

In my family, there is one income, and let’s just say, we get taxed at a very low rate. It does cost more to home ed for us than it would in school, but we made the decision for the welfare of our children and so, we manage with one car, we grow our own veggies out of both necessity and the desire to give our children the best we can offer. I feel that two income families are driven out of consumerism and not real need. If we can manage with a large family on a small income, so too can anyone, but we are willing to make the sacrifices to see our dreams be made reality. So many in this world, feel that life is just not worth it unless they have 2 cars, a new home, the best appliances, and everything new. It is sad to see them working themselves to the bone for things they never have the time to enjoy.

To be continued.....

Hi Jolanda, I have never suggested that there should be less choice in education, quite the opposite actually. In fact in a previous post to you I said that:
” it is good both exist, as choice in education is important.”.

Forgive me for thinking that you used distance education exclusively, I was led to that assumption, as in another post you had said:
“You are right about many wanting to set their own curriculum when homeschooling. I am not one of those as I find it really difficult,”

You are correct when you say that parents and students need to be shown more respect. There is a lack of respect towards parents and students that is being displayed by the Victorian State Government at the moment. They are attempting to bring in a new Education Act, without allowing any time for discussion or debate. The proposed Act is very anti family and will adversely affect all parents whatever educational choices they have made.

In my opinion home educators are rich: we are rich in time for one another; rich in the ability to see past the norm and enjoy what we have; rich in creative solutions to costly problems and rich in the knowledge that we don’t have to have lots of money to be happy. My list of things I feel grateful for in our present state of life could go on for pages.

You ask about home educators satisfying their own insecurities. Perhaps this is so in some cases, but no more than the ordinary Mother satisfying her insecurities that she is not ‘there enough’ for her children by buying them everything they could ‘want’ and denying them the time they need by working longer hours to get them. Everyone has insecurities, and everyone has to try to overcome them in their own way. At least home education is a wholesome and creative outlet to help overcome parental fears because it actually solves the problem by giving you the time with the kids you need to become a good parent and the capacity to be there.

Oh, and by the way, you argue that as we are so fortunate, we should be able to spare the time to help in the cause of children in institutionalised schooling. We help our community on a day to day basis. We work in community groups as a family and help to lessen the environmental impact of the industrial society on our world, we get involved in projects to aid disadvantaged families and we live life with the attitude of 'see a need, fill a need'. We also make a stand by home educating to help shed light on the inefficient school system. Most home educating families I am friends with have similar levels of community involvement. I guess your experience with Home educators is rather limited?

Swilkie, you wonder how many people home-school due to their own insecurities. What sort of insecurities do you have in mind?

I have insecurities, and I try to be aware of them. I have fears, and try to face them. I have limitations, and learn what these are as I go along. I make mistakes and use them for self-correction.

I know that it took courage NOT to send my child to school, not to conform, when I'd decided to embark on home-based education. I know that it was scary NOT to return to the workforce and reclaim my status as a productive member of society (bestowed only on those with a job title). It's taken guts to act on my belief that home education is the way for us.

I ask you to clarify, Swilkie, what sort of insecurities you suspect drive the choice to home-school. (And how these are absent from the decision to send one's child to school.)

eCarol

TonyC - I sincerely hope that you are not teaching your children social history.

The introduction of Broadband internet has no doubt massively increased the amount of information available but a lot of it is opinionated drivel that has been selected to support a particular point of view. Just try looking up something that you know a lot about to see what I mean.

I am beginning to think that the idea of increasing regulation and using only prescribed curricula for homeschooling may not be such a bad idea.

Swilkie,
Your feeling that home educators are wealthy is of course totally erroneous. Many are poor and many struggle financially.
This is why the Bracks’ Government has decided to attempt to oppress this growing movement, as it feels that home educating parents have not the economic resources to fight back. They are essentially trying to bully the home educators out of existence. It would seem that they too have a knee jerk reaction to something that is different to the norm.
Home educators receive no funding or assistance from any government; state or federal, so how is it that we are taking from school education which receives much funding and assistance? Why do you feel that home educators must help a system that receives so much, when they receive nothing?
How does it detract from society, for some to choose to educate out side of the school system? Surely any healthy society thrives on diversity, rather than the opposite, so why is educational choice so abhorrent to you?
I would recommend that if you are interested in this discussion, you further research the home education movement, to better understand it rather than to make ill-informed assumptions.