Really? How would you go about doing that? I mean, would you just reassign someone’s library card, or would you put the parents in the classroom, or what? The “resources” that go into homeschooling, like the resources in other schooling, come in a lot of guises. In the last week alone, for example, my kids spent 2 days at a national park (with school-type activities designed by the parks system) attended a free professional performance of Henry IV, and participated in a co-op designing some of their group activities for the coming year. The parks and theatre were free and open to all, but there weren’t any school groups there. There wasn’t a person in the co-op, for example, who wouldn’t have been happy to have that conversation in the context of a school environment, but the school environment isn’t open to mixed age groups. So how are you planning to “pool and rededicate” resources the system has already rejected?

Most of the teachers I had in school wouldn’t be able to get a job there, now, and that’s a loss the system created. The prestigious private prep schools hire teachers who wouldn’t be permitted to teach in the public schools. Neither of my husbands, (my late husband, the statistician, and my current husband, the analytical chemist) both college professors at one time, are credentialed to teach a high school subject… except to people who can hire them outside the constraints of the public schools.

The public schools exclude resources … how do you propose to put them back?

” I’m a strong believer in public schools precisely because I want people to have choices. ”

Which choices would those be? Charter schools ARE public schools, so discussion of those are moot. But people who have their kids in private school or home-education environments already pay for the public schools, as well. They don’t get a rebate just because they don’t use the services. Most of the parents I know with kids in public schools pay for education outside that environment, too. YMCA sports? Art lessons? Museum classes? Instrument lessons? Summer nature camp? What are those things except “homeschooling?” How many of these resources could be brought into the public school system, and why would that be a better place for them?

Despite the enormous dedication of teachers, the advocacy of administrators, and the support of the community, school systems continue to fail a sizable percentage of their students, by any measure chosen . I doubt that anyone knows for certain why that is. Pending that information, how would the application of more “resources” help? How would the removal of those resources from other venues be justifiable?

Here’s the wand. Tell me what happens.

I would love to hear more about your reasons for homeschooling, your experiences with it, etc… Keep it coming!

My non-homeschooling friends aren’t sad about not homeschooling. My bottle-feeding friends aren’t sad about not breast-feeding. My heterosexual friends aren’t sad about not being gay. Most of the schooling parents I know are BEYOND excited to get their time back. The home-schoolers are busy overcommitting for a new year. People who have choices generally make them, however much they may kvetch.

So don’t worry. You’re still disenfranchised, lol.

I’m a public school teacher in a high-poverty district and I always find myself feeling very guilty about my repressed anger at homeschooling. (whereas I don’t feel particularly guilty about my anger at private schools. why is that?) I would definitely give up the majority of my income if it meant I could give so much personalized attention to each of my kids’ (by which I mean my students) learning. I’m obviously biased but I can’t think of many people in the country who need it more than they do.

nonetheless I am rationally glad that some families are able to give their children the kind of functional / potentially wonderful / all-encompassing education that I would wish for everyone.