The
myth of socialization
Perspectives
From a Home-schooled Child
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Posted: April 27, 2002
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
By looking at the e-mails to the editor this week, questions about
home-schooling are still in play. Along with doubts about the
home-schooling atmosphere and educational results, there is large
concern over whether home-schoolers are properly socialized.
These concerns are spread throughout America, accusing home-schoolers,
because they are educated at home with a loving parent, of not learning
the necessary socialization skills required in later life.
I, as a home-schooler, am tired of my intelligence being insulted
every time I turn around. Probably the most fabricated or misconstrued
idea about home-schooling is that the child is inhibited from obtaining
essential socialization skills.
The largest group spreading this disinformation is the National
Education Association. In its 2000-2001 Resolutions, it writes,
"The National Education Association believes that home schooling
programs cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education
experience."
In a letter to NEA President Bob Chase, the National Home Education
Network wrote asking what their resolution regarding home schooling was
based on. He replied, saying, "During the 1998 [Representative
Assembly], delegates approved the policy on homeschooling. They were
concerned that homeschooled students were not provided a comprehensive
education experience because they did not have an opportunity to
interact with students of different cultures, economic status or
learning styles." In other words, because I stayed at home with my
mother, brother and sister and not several hundred other children down
the street, I will fail.
It is obvious that home-schooling has stepped in the way of the NEA's
agenda, and because of the fact that home-schoolers make up less than 1
percent of the American population, groups such as the NEA are able to
spread this obvious disinformation and deceit.
The premise of the war against home-schooling is that children do not
obtain the needed socialization skills. By agreeing with that, you have
to concede the point that public schools, private schools, etc., are the
only source for socializing.
Ever hear of church, sports, community events or neighbors down the
block? Many home-schoolers, such as myself, play sports, go to church,
attend community events, play musical instruments and many other things.
Maybe if public schools learned from home-schoolers and focused less
on socializing in class and focused more on learning, the average
test score for public school students might be greater than 50 percent.
Critics state that the majority of home-schoolers are antisocial. In
contrast, dare I suggest that, in proportion, there are more antisocial
students in public schools rather than home-schools.
With one-on-one learning action with parents, many home-schoolers are
able to communicate far better with adults, compared to their
public-schooled peers – leading to a greater success in the future.
Because of the rough peer pressure (pressure to have sex, use drugs,
commit crime, cheat on tests, or pressure to commit other unethical
behavior) and social situations, many are left out in the cold by other
pupils – unlike the alternative choice of home-schooling.
Tied to the antisocial claim is that home-schoolers will most likely
fail in later life – quite humorous. Even if you were to concede that
home-school students are antisocial in grade school, saying that they
will fail in later life because of it is nothing short of absurd. Just
because a person is not a part of the "group" in their
childhood does not mean they can't communicate in the present or future.
Although home-schoolers make up less than 1 percent of the
population, you find home-schoolers winning the national spelling and
geography bees, as well as being Rhodes Scholars, doctors, politicians,
presidents, founding fathers and much more.
The start of the public education system only began in the previous
century, but using the NEA's logic, all people educated before 1900,
including all the founding fathers, government officials, doctors,
lawyers and people from all occupations were not given a comprehensive
education experience and not properly socialized.
So, stop the spread of this deceit and disinformation. The NEA says
that I have not obtained the necessary socialization skills (or
communication skills), but I just communicated information, facts and my
beliefs to you.
Kyle Williams is 13 years old, home-schooled and lives in a rural
community in America's heartland. His column title, "VERITAS,"
is Latin for "truth." He particularly enjoys following current
news events – and writing about them – and is extremely interested
in politics. Kyle believes he may one day have a career in journalism.
For now, he offers his unique perspective to the readers of
WorldNetDaily.
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