Our son has Down syndrome and had seizures as an infant. He is quite delayed. I spent two and half hours this morning in an IEP meeting with our son’s principal, teacher, and several other people. I would be surprised and dismayed to hear this language coming out of their mouths.

Re comparing test results. There are no mandated state tests that cover homeschoolers in the state of Ohio. I have attended several annual CHEO conferences. You may take a standardized test, or meet with a teacher who looks at a portfolio of your child’s work. S/he can submit a narrative covering the child’s work to the proper authorities, and state that your child is performing acceptably, basically to the best of his/her ability.

There are some standardized tests that show homeschoolers are consistently scoring higher than the norm. However, since these seem to be largely elective, I’m not sure how persuasive the data is.
Ed Ray is the speaker who covered the topic in the conference I attended.
http://www.nheri.org/

One family actually doesn’t homeschool. They recently began attending our church because they were the only family in their former church who didn’t homeschool and they were constantly made to feel guilty for not doing so.

The other instance is a family that left our church because no one in our church at the time homeschooled. Because we, as a church, didn’t promote homeschooling as the only valid option, they left for a church that had an abundance of homeschoolers in it.

I think these are examples of what Dan is describing. Certainly not all homeschoolers are like that. But it is interesting that out of the two families I’ve known personally who have been affected in one way or another by homeschooling Dan is so far 2 for 2 in his descriptions.

We have started to homeschool this year with our 5yr old son, I really am enjoying it. I also am interested in co-op’s (I have zero pride when it comes to understanding that I do not know it all).

The last ‘myth’ that I hope you talk about is the “you need to go to college if you want to be successful in life” mantra that continues to be preached even in christians communities.
Over the last couple of years the Lord has been teaching and continues to teach my husband and I what it really means to live and walk by faith, to truly trust Him for EVERYTHING. I say all of that for this reason: the Lord has graciouly shown us how much leaven of the world and its system had gotten into our thinking.

Home, Private, Public schooling all for the most part preach this message — “You need your education”. As a christian I am responsible to train my children up to know Jesus, to walk in His ways, to speak His truth, and to be a light in this dark world. I also am responsible to encourage them in the particular bent that they were created to go in and to pursue their God-given desires and dreams.

College education is not the great end-all. The Lord might be calling my son to go into the military ( to be a General of course—smile)
He might want my daughter to own her own business or to be an artist, my youngest He might lead to be a farmer or go into the ministry. I say all of this to conclude that I want to be faithful in raising HIS CHILDREN to fulfill their God-given destiny.
I really like your site, I have been reading your archives and I love so much of what you have written. I am a fan.
To God be the Glory, and be blessed today.

For me and my house we will serve the Lord. In that capacity making the sacrifrice to homeschool is the right thing to do. Will God direct us to send our child to a public or christian school? (Both equally need some salt and light) Perhaps. Until then. It is school at home for us.

Thanks for a well thought out post. Perhaps take some time to look at the other side. Benefits to homeschooling.