Your idea is EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE. Child welfare workers sex trafficked a girl in AZ. Teacher sex trafficked children in school. Why don’t you MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND LEAVE FAMILIES ALONE!?
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I live in AK and have homeschooled my daughter since kindergarten; she is now in 5th grade. There are a couple state homeschooling programs set up that give a tiny percentage of what we pay in state property taxes that are allotted for schools, around $2,500 per child, for curriculum and other materials related to our child’s individual learning plan; which is on file with the program and is designed by the parents. The parents receive the $2,500 to be reimbursed if it meets certain criteria (fits the ILP, is not paying for private school, is not religious), but there is a larger sum that stays with the program leaders who invest it in contact teachers, activities in the many communities where we live. an office space in central locations for curriculum libraries, study kits… so many things. Our contact teachers are certified teachers, almost all of whom were homeschooling parents, and are assigned to the kids. Parents are responsible for turning in samples of their child’s activities that relate to their ILP (I have been known to send in pics of us baking - using fractions, tide pooling - biology, swimming - PE…). There are no intrusions on our space or our learning styles and they only give curriculum ideas if a parent asks. If I ever felt they were intruding on our family, we’d simply opt out of receiving the allotment.
I realize I mentioned we can’t buy religious books with the allotment - we are not impeded in any way from using religious curricula, the state just won’t pay for it. There are no testing requirements, but regular testing is available if we want to know where our child stands. The program is AWESOME! Just look up IDEA Homeschooling in Alaska if you’re interested in a program that works.
I do not believe government should ever be allowed to audit our decisions as parents. If someone sees or notices an issue regarding child welfare there is already an agency to call to investigate that.
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Unfortuantley there are sick people teachers or parents … there must be someone or something that can protect the child no matter who that sick person is … They are not just in one place
Why are we not going to intervene for the “bad apples”? That apple is a child and should not be a sacrafice just to make the majority happy
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As a parent who pulled her kid to homeschool in a state that tried to unlawfully regulate what I was doing, I’m definitely not in favor of regulating homeschooling. There’s already too much overreach to control. The example you’re giving is definitely not the norm and should not punish parents who work hard to give the best, and even better, education than the public school system. I think a lot of parents would agree that the Fed and state need to stay out of our personal lives and how we choose to run our families.
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Back-round checks, for parents?
I could not disagree with that more.
I sort of wonder if this post (suggesting that home-schooling parents need to be regulated) is serious or if the intended purpose was to stir the pot.)
Assuming this post is serious, I would reply that I do not agree. I say this as a former home-schooling parent of four. I recommend home-schooling but I also see the value of public school. Teachers we interacted with were all caring and dedicated professionals.
But regarding the rare instance where parents are just pulling their kids out of school and abusing them, there are other safety catches like neighbors, medical providers, hospitals, relatives, family friends, church nurseries and Sunday school classes. (It’s difficult to be closed off from the world entirely however we all know of exceptional cases.) These people will contact the authorities if needed.
In short, no, I do not agree that home-schooling parents need to be regulated.
Seriously? You would put undue burden and GOVERNMENT oversight on millions of innocent families in the hopes of saving just a few? That’s like telling people they can’t drive because so many are killed in accidents each year. No amount of government oversight will protect all the children all of the time. I would rather the government spend more time on oversight on the rise of teachers (particularly women) who are being caught abusing students for sexual pleasure in the public schools. Our tax payer dollars already go there. Why add more tax payer dollars and burden of “proof” on private individuals implementing an unnecessary program when we already have social services as a watchdog? There is simple IOWA testing to determine achievement level - again, homeschooling children are leaps and bounds ahead of public schooled peers. This is still a solution in search of a problem. Leave well enough along. I have taught and known hundreds of homeschool pupils and it’s a non-starter.
Children are a protected population and trying to compare what I am saying to car crash deaths is comparing what adults do and their mistakes of driving to innocent lives of children. Since they are a protected population saving just a few is important
I dont know what the answer is to school reform and preventing these sick people from getting access to children … but I dont think the answer is as simple as just homeschool.
The Constitution gives us Liberty, along with our inalienable rights which “are rights that cannot be taken away by legislation, majority vote, or executive command. They are fundamental rights that are protected by every constitution, under the law”. Meaning that People can’t be regulated, but functions in which they engage, might. For example, you mention regulating the Parents. You say that the reason for this is that parents might have difficulty based on a number of possibilities: jail time, poverty, single parent having to raise children and support a household, all the things that we come up against in a world that is not friendly nor helpful in its own right. Why not include programs to ASSIST parents within the Home Schooling paradigm by way of their own education and personal growth? Also, let’s create a program where the parent learns along with the child as to how to administer some of the necessary functions while home schooling. While we are at it, let’s pay these parents because educating a child requires time and attention which working parents find difficult to give at times. This way, you are not regulating the Parent, you are regulating the curriculum that the parent administers while providing both the student and parent with choices, chances, options, and opportunities. Let’s move toward a more wholistic approach to education. Parents in control, students with choices, and a new paradigm of funding, curriculum, and innovation. I’m with you on that! 
Let’s think outside the box and build something better. The time is now. 
Excellent post