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Percentage of homeschooled evangelicals shrinking?
As Emily reported earlier, a Department of Education report found that the number of homeshooled children is going up, from 1.1 million in 2003 to 1.5 million in 2007. (That’s 2.2 percent of the school-age population in 2003 to 2.9 percent in 2007).
The number of people homeschooling for “religious or moral instruction” increased from 72 percent in 2003 to 83 percent in 2007, but the report didn’t ask about religious affiliation. Dan Gilgoff reports that experts say the evangelical portion of the homeschooling movement is shrinking. He quotes the Home School Legal Defense Association estimating that evangelicals now account for just one half of homeschooling families — down from two-thirds in 2000.
For those of you who are homeschooling parents, do you find that homeschooling has grown more diverse?
back to top20 Comments to “Percentage of homeschooled evangelicals shrinking?”
It is mandatory for all Christians with chidlren (or grandchildren) to home-school, whether you send them to another school or not.
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This is yet another instance of a fringe idea (”What, take your kids out of the govt-run skools operated by degreed profeshnuls?”) gaining wider acceptance.
You can be critical of the public schools and how they (mis)treat or (mis)educate your child without being any type of “religious kook” which is what secularists all too often want to believe about homeschoolers. I’ve known homeschoolers with PhD and other advanced education. No school would hire any of them to teach. Why? Cuz they lack prereq pedagogy classes? Never learned how to fill out and submit a lesson plan??
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We homeschooled our five children for over 10 years until we moved and a solid private (Christian) school became available. At the beginning, the mix of parents in our local homeschool group were almost entirely choosing homeschooling from a spiritual motivation. By the end of our time homeschooling, the mix had shifted to include more secular perspectives. But even those parents had concerns with the direction of the public system which involved the lack of morals and ethics in the classroom. There were also significant safety concerns with current public school environments.
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I grew up homeschooled ’til I went to community college at age 14, so I’ve been out of the loop for 8 years. However, I have definitely noted my mom remarking on fewer evangelical Christians in our various groups. I heard some fairly disturbing stories about the homeschool prom that was held the year I graduated– I didn’t attend, but my friends told me that it was not too different from a public school prom with the level of carousing.
Homeschooling is a really good idea for kids (worked for me!); I’m not surprised that it’s catching on more among non-evangelicals. I think the diversity within the movement could be very helpful in growing and maturing how we think about things.
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My husband did a rough survey of homeschool parents and why they chose homeschooling for their children but that was fifteen years ago. It was interesting that most said it was due to the experiences the parents had had at public school. As for now, we have not yet become involved with our local home school group so don’t really know but suspect it is similar. My public school experience was not bad but it was not the wonderful memorable experience people talk about and I suspect that is not so abnormal.
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Not to stir the pot further or play devil’s advocate, but here I nonetheless go..
How do homeschoolers make up for the loss of organized band, choir or theater/performance?? I now look back and recognize that many many young adults out there will most likely never have the opp to act in a Moliere play or play clarinet in a Beethoven sonata. Providing future blue-collar folks their exposure to such things is one of the few things I think the public schools where I grew up did right.
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Sawgunner,
My daughter plays clarinet in the school band class. Son plays alto sax or trombone or trumpet or …whatever his choice will be this week. I am very pleased with the band teacher, he is helping to build interest in music. But it is a long daily drive taking a large chunk out of the homeschool day so the kids have asked to be relieved of that duty. We are pursuing a dvd orchestra course but the band teacher lets people outside play in the school concerts so we will see.
First batch of kids, went to private lessons but did not get the concert time. But they did get art classes and sports involvement, drama, etc.
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Sawgunner:
We homeschool our children and we live in a state where we are allowed to dual-enroll them in the public school. They can (and do) take band, or any other class. They can also be in extra-curricular activities like sports. Our kids have taken speech, science courses and math courses. This has worked out well for our family.
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I was a homeschooled student, and I have seen homeschooling grow more diverse over the years. It has become less of a “kooky” thing to do. Also, general dissatisfaction with public schools has motivated parents of many religions and cultures to homeschool in America.
Homeschooling today requires less dedication and effort than it did 20 years ago when I was homeschooled. I think that has watered down the strength of the movement quite a bit.
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#6, the Christian school where my oldest is in first grade has homeschoolers involved in music, including All-State festivals, operetta productions, and various choirs/choruses, and in drama and sports. Several years ago, when I served as a member of the school board there, high-school-aged homeschoolers also were permitted to enroll part time in at least some courses (lab science, math, etc.); I think that’s still the case but am out of the high-school loop these days.
There are a number of homeschool co-ops around here (southern/central Maine) that also provide music and drama opportunities, and homeschooled kids are allowed to play on public school sports teams.
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I think the wide availability of online training has been a boon to homeschooling, no doubt about it.
On now to something semi-related
On the townhall dotcom George F. Will writes about school districts which have been SUCCESSFULLY sued for all sorts of goofiness. A young boy did what young boys do. He went down the slide face first and broke his femur. The lawsuit alleged “inadequate supervision”. The Will piece is frightening for the insight it gives into the educational nanny state at its absolute worst. In comparison, homeschooling now seems better than evva.
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There is a whole other group that does Pagan Homeschooling
A little odd.
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That’s pretty wierd, man.
Maybe the whole less-evangelicals-homeschooling thing is a choice of teens, who are realizing that public high school can be a mission field.
On the other hand, the growing diversity may make homeschooling a mission field as well, especially with programs like COVA.
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Sawgunner,
Because homeschooling is growing, the opportunities for electives like you describe abound, especially in small cities like Greenville, SC, where they have soccer, drama, prom, etc. all for homeschoolers. This also solves the “socialization” argument that is often bandied about.
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I have been homeschooling now for 18 years. There has been a huge change over those 18 years for the reason people teach their children at home. 18 years ago parents were “called” to keep and teach their chidren at home for strong religious convictions. Now 18 years later I see fewer parents who have strong religious convictions about homeschooling or frankly many other things. The church is drifting and with it our children and their molding. There are many new types of homeschooling from pagan to elite education and everything in between.
In answer to Sawgunner for us we are heavily involved with boy scouts which is very well rounded, helping with a women’s shelter up close and personal and various music lessons and groups. We participate in the YMCA sports programs and are very well rounded. Our first three kids are now grown and gone. One is a social worker, one is a nurse and one is studying to be a microbiologist. All graduated with honors.
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Sawgunner,
A public school band instructor, who is also a homeschool dad, took it upon himself in our area to start a Christian community band for homeschoolers and private school kids who wanted to be in a band. Our daughter plays 2 instruments there (advanced band and beginner band). He lets parents and grandparents join, too. Cuts down on the cutting up!
It’s such a blessing for us, and helps him provide for his family, too. Win, win.
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I’m plugged into a homeschool support group, but we are mostly evangelicals. I haven’t personally met many homeschoolers who aren’t making this choice from religious conviction, but I don’t doubt that others are seeing the benefits and wanting to give it a try.
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My boys would enthusiastically point out that Tim Tebow was homeschooled!
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Our schools are no place for Children. In every way I can think of young men and women are physically, mentally, and spiritualy degraded, in that order to increasing degrees. Non Christian students are also capable of having their souls damaged. It’s not just a matter of saved and not. It is also a matter of close and far.
Sadly, this all seems deliberate.
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Although I personally know alot of Evangelical Homeschoolers, I also know of some families who homeschool because:
they travel alot;
their child has cancer;
their child has serious lung problems and catches every bug going around;
their child has serious ADHD and the public school wanted the child out;
the public school could not guarantee the child’s safety.
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