By Grace Nilsson
Why does it matter?
Did you know that there is a day set aside in honor of homeschooled students? Most homeschoolers are probably unaware of this so I would like to tell you about it. The reasons for the establishment of this day might also surprise you. Just two years ago the advocacy group Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) declared April 30 to be Day of the Homeschooled Child. You may imagine this as a cheerful celebration of homeschooling, but the founders of the CRHE have something more in mind. They intend this day to be used to shine a light on the portion of homeschooled kids who actually shouldn’t be homeschooled–those who are being neglected or abused.
According to the CRHE, lax homeschooling laws in many states leave some vulnerable children with no guaranteed access to help if their parents are abusing them or failing to educate them properly. If you’re from somewhere where homeschooling is strictly regulated, you may be wondering how much of a problem this could be. However, here in the U.S. only 21 states require parents to submit evidence of homeschooling, 18 just require notification, and 11 require absolutely nothing.
Of course there are many loving, responsible homeschooling families who don’t need laws to keep them in check. The American homeschooling community is large and diverse, and resources are abundant. I was homeschooled in the U.S., and while my experience wasn’t flawless, I do not regret it overall. But let’s imagine that things had gone wrong. What would have happened? If we were living in Texas at the time, probably nothing. The local authorities would not have even known that my siblings or I existed, let alone had the power to oversee our education. This is the kind of situation the CRHE is worried about.
What to Do
The CRHE recommends to:
- Wear green to represent homeschooled children
- Listen to the stories of homeschoolers
- Spread the word on social media
- Sign their bill of rights for homeschooled children
The Day of the Homeschooled Child and the bill of rights may lead to mixed responses from those within the homeschooling community as shown by this discussion on the Well-Trained Mind forum. I believe that the bill represents an admirable standard for homeschooling, even if some of the points are a bit vague.
And finally, I want to make it clear that I am not advertising for some anti-homeschooling organization. The goal is to keep kids safe and help parents homeschool well. In fact, if you are a homeschooled teen looking for advice they have it.
On April 30, consider speaking out about homeschooling, no matter where you are from or what you have to say.
