A few facts for you

There are lots of idiots out there. I guess it balances all the smart people. Its just a fact of life. Whether or not you or your kids turn out worthy of that moniker has a lot to do with you. I had lunch with someone today who obviously has a very poor opinion of homeschoolers. I get that a lot, but sometimes the people who hold that view surprise me. They are people who should know me and my values, but then again you can never predict what is going on in someone's head until they open their mouths. There were a few points brought up that I would like to address.

1. As I previously stated, you can be an idiot/uneducated person whether you go to homeschool, private school or public school. I am sure we can all think of a few examples of people who came from each educational arena and exhibit the same traits. If you have ever watched Jay Leno comb the streets and ask common folks about women's suffrage or state capitals then you know what I mean. We aren't the smartest country.......not even close. Most of what makes a person successful and intelligent is good genes and parental involvement. Parents have a duty to help a struggling child. You are responsible for not letting your child fall through the cracks because if you don't no one else will. Yes, if you send your child outside the home you may feel obliged to rest easy. You can't though. Your child needs encouragement, attention, and sometimes a bit of tutoring and that is all on you.

2. Yes, there are crazy homeschool moms that don't teach their kids anything. There are also public high schools where the students can't read, the test scores are awful and the drop out rates are staggering. There are always going to be people who just don't care enough to do things right. Laziness is not reserved for homeschooling parents or any other educational institution.

3. Yes, my children are tested. My children get annual testing to make sure they are performing at grade level. Public and private schools also have the same testing. Testing only shows how well a child takes a test or can regurgitate facts. It is not an indicator of learning or the ability to reason and think. Just in case you are wondering, most homeschoolers do better on standardized tests than their public school counter parts. Go read this article and decide for yourself. http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp

I understand that some parents don't feel qualified or think they have the time to homeschool. It is reality for some families. I honestly wish we had a public school system that was worthy of our kids, but the fact is we don't. We all as parents have to do the best with the choices we have made. I really hope as the kids are going back to school this fall that we can all make a renewed commitment to our children and their education. We don't have to repeat the lack of involvement we learned from our parents. If your parents were involved then you know just how powerful that can be. Lets take responsibility for our own kids education and not rely on a curriculum or an institution because at the end of the day those kids belong to no one but you.