Such a basic question that rational people sometimes forget to ask.  Homeschoolers’ ’socialization’ skills, philosophical/religious stands, and political labels are bandied about as ammunition by those with a cause. We lose focus trying to defend ourselves from people who are downright hostile towards our lifestyle.  Why the hostility?

What is the point for those who oppose homeschooling?

[update] Dana at Principled Discovery has a bit to say to a ‘researcher’ (term used loosely) fella that makes my head hurt.  If you read on here, you too might need to pull out the aspirin.  Sorry.

In scanning readers’ comments to many homeschool articles and in reading Vin Suprynowicz’s ‘To Train School Children in … Loyalty to the State’,  the oftentimes ferocity of anti-homeschooling sentiment is unsettling.  To each their own all too often does not have much potential in the Land of the Free. 

Mr. Suprynowicz’s views would have seemed absolutely paranoid to me 20 years ago.  Now, it seems to make perfect sense as I research and observe the goings on in our society.  Our family history lesson studying many primary sources in the founding of our country, has had an impact too.  (I do mean "our" as I did not learn most of the fascinating and marvelous goings on of these imperfect and learned men (and women) when I was in school.)

But the SF Gate illustrates this point from the unanimous California appellate court ruling:

"A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare," the judge wrote, quoting from a 1961 case on a similar issue.


1961 to 2008…..here we are with little scientific pricks of technology entering the scene as well.  The temptations of databases and sharing lots of information is too tempting.  Who could garner ALL of that information but our government? 

The same government that was to be limited in order to protect natural rights.  With a ht to Valerie, I was led into looking at A trend: Who owns what makes you….you?

I think these thoughts shared by Gary Pugh, director of forensic sciences at Scotland Yard and DNA spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, are also current in the United States without much of a blink by too many.  One example coming from our law enforcement agency to support another governmental agency in Illinois: Fight Crime: Invest in Preschool.
Here’s the UK version in the Guardian article about "undesirables":

Put young children on DNA list, urge policechocoholics

Primary school children should be eligible for the DNA database if they exhibit behaviour indicating they may become criminals in later life, according to Britain’s most senior police forensics expert.

Long live homeschooling!