Legacy magazine calls for federal regulation of homeschooling
The article from Scientific American discusses the magazine’s call for federal regulation of homeschooling. Published in a June 17 newsletter, the magazine argues that parents who choose to homeschool should undergo background checks. This proposal highlights concerns about the standards and safety of home education, advocating for more oversight to ensure the wellbeing of homeschooled children. This call for federal regulation by Scientific American brings a significant topic into the public discourse, emphasizing the importance of balancing parental rights with children’s rights to a safe and adequate education. Background checks can potentially serve as a measure to prevent abuse and neglect, which might go unnoticed in homeschool settings due to limited public oversight.
Opponents of more stringent regulation argue that homeschooling offers a tailored educational experience that can be better suited to a child’s individual needs than traditional schools. They also cite its benefits in providing a safe haven for children who might face bullying or discrimination in public schools.
Proponents, on the other hand, worry that without standardized checks and balances, some homeschooled children might not receive a comprehensive education or might be isolated from society, lacking in necessary social skills. They argue that these measures are not about infringing on parental rights but ensuring that all children receive their fundamental rights to education and protection.
The debate extends into broader issues of education reform, parental rights, and state intervention. This discussion from Scientific American could lead to more nuanced conversations and potential policy proposals that seek to find an equitable balance between rights and protections in the homeschooling sector.
Scientific American, a left-leaning legacy science magazine, called for the federal regulation of homeschooling on Monday, saying parents who homeschool should be subjected to a “background check.”
The editors of the magazine sent around their call in a June 17 newsletter, citing statistics showing 3% of American children are homeschooled and noting that the coronavirus pandemic saw the practice grow, saying the “true number is likely much higher.”
“Most states don’t require the same assessment of homeschooled kids that are required for their public school peers,” the editors stated in the newsletter while acknowledging that homeschooled children typically excel in academics.
“Parents are not required to have an education themselves to direct instruction,” the editors explained, identifying this as a problem. “And in most states, no one checks to see that children are receiving an education at all. In the worst cases, homeschooling can hide abuse.”
The newsletter called for “some basic federal mandates,” including that parents “undergo a background check — the same as K-12 teachers.” The editors also called for homeschool parents to submit documentation to authorities that proves “children are learning.”
“Education is a basic right,” the editors wrote. “We need to make sure kids have chances to investigate what makes them curious, study history and science and reading.”
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While the implication of what the Scientific American editors advocated appears to be government control over homeschool curriculums and practices, one of the most oft-cited reasons families decide to homeschool is to get their children out of government-run schools.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, which the editors cited for statistics on how many children are homeschooled, a 73% majority of homeschoolers said they decided to homeschool due to academic dissatisfaction with other schools. Eighty percent said it was due to school environment factors such as drugs and safety, and 75% said they wanted to provide moral instruction.
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