Moms 101: Not home schoolin’

No one can deny that home-school families are on the rise. In 2003, the National Center for Education Statistics counted 1.1 million home-schooled students in the U.S., up from 850,000 students in 1999.

But despite the upward trend, I’m not going to home-school my son. Why? Because I think it’s unethical and just plain wrong.

I can already hear the poison pens scratching on paper and the furious clack of keyboards pounding out hate mail. Yes, it’s your right to home-school your children. But why are you doing it?

The same NCES study that showed an upward trend in home schooling nationwide asked parents that question. According to 31 percent of the parents polled in 2003, they were home schooling because they were concerned about the environment in schools. Thirty percent said they were home schooling to teach religious and moral values. Only 16 percent of those polled replied that they home-schooled to provide better academic standards.

I’m not going to say home schooling is wrong because of the typical, hackneyed arguments like socialization or poor academics. I’ve seen home schooling done right for the kids. In my teenage years, I was good friends with a home-schooling family. The mom and primary teacher had an education degree and maintained high standards for her kids. She kept them social with plenty of outside activities, both church-related and secular. They were good kids who went on to do well in life.

My problem is not what home schooling does to home-school students. My problem is what home schooling does to schools. When you home-school your children, you’re not just taking you kids away from school, you’re robbing the school of yourself.

By definition, home-school parents are involved, caring parents who are concerned about their children’s educations. Ask any teacher what’s wrong with schools, and most of them will say lack of parental involvement.

If all parents who care about their children’s educations, who get personally involved, leave the public education system, what does that leave?

I’ll give you a hint. It doesn’t leave the parents who volunteer in the library. It doesn’t leave PTO presidents or parents who can help chaperone field trips. It doesn’t leave parents who help their kids with homework.

It leaves parents who use the public school system as a babysitter and nothing else.

If home-school parents are concerned about the environment in public schools, why leave instead of trying to make a change? And what moral and religious lesson does that teach? That the righteous should hide from problems instead of trying to fix them?

In 2007, the NCES home school statistic rose to 1.5 million students in the U.S. In that study, most parents, 36 percent, cited religious reasons for home schooling. Twenty-one percent were worried about school environment and safety. Seventeen percent said they home-schooled to give their children better academics.

I’m a parent, but I’m also a concerned, responsible citizen. By keeping him in school, I can teach Daniel some vital lessons.

First, that he is a valuable member of society, and he can make a difference.

Second, that every system has problems.

Third, that he can’t fix problems by running from them.

Contact Shannon Carey at shannon@ShopperNewsNow.com. Find her on Facebook, shannon.b.carey, follow her on Twitter @Shannon_Carey, or read the Moms 101 blog on Knoxmoms.com.

Moms meetings

The International MOMS Club has several chapters in Knox County and the surrounding area. For meeting times and activities, e-mail the chapter leaders. They are: Farragut, momsclubfarragut@hotmail.com; North Knox, KnoxMomsClub@yahoo.com; Northwest Knox, MOMSClubNWKnox@yahoo.com; Maynardville area, maynardvillemoms@aol.com; www.momsclub.org.

La Leche League of Knoxville meets 10:30 a.m. every first Tuesday at the West Knoxville Library. Monthly meetings cover topics such as the benefits of breastfeeding, at home with your new baby, the normal course of breastfeeding, avoiding and overcoming difficulties, weaning, and nutrition.