Negative Effects of Homeschooling

Homeschooling is a great idea. You get to be with your kids, help them grow and mold them into well rounded individuals. They will be open minded and vote on issues that they are well informed, help out in the community, and be generally happier in life. These are ideals every parent wants for their children. When deciding on homeschooling kids, we got to look at some of the negative aspects as well some arguments comes from public schools, while other from concerned parents. All the information listed is conjecture and is not definitive. These are the opinions of institutes, parents, and other organizations. It is almost impossible to properly study and survey such an abstract idea, since there are so many other variables that account for a child’s mental and social development.

Political and philosophical issues

A lot of teacher’s unions and the National Education Association oppose homeschooling. Their reasons are quoted as:

• Inadequate standards of academic quality and comprehensiveness;

• Reduced support by their parents of funding for public schools;

• Lack of socialization with peers of different ethnic and religious backgrounds; the potential for development of religious or social extremism;

• Curricula that often exclude or inadequately cover critical subjects;

• Children sheltered from mainstream society, or denied opportunities that are their right, such as social development;

• Potential for development of parallel societies that do not fit into standards of citizenship and the community.

Rob Reich, writer of “The civic perils of homeschooling” (2002) thinks that homeschooling can give student a one-sided view. This is something their parents may unwittingly press onto their children by the style of teaching. He argues as well that homeschooling reduces student interactions and homeschool children are not as socially developed as children who go to an institutionalized school.

The Gallup polls show a recent change in this attitude now. In 1985 73% opposed homeschool while in 2001 54% opposed.