Unwanted Homeschool Help: When Strangers Impose
The public reactions to a homeschooling family range from intrusive to damaging. Many homeschoolers try to avoid being in public during the day to avoid the stares and questions. Others keep their children in the house until PM, even when schoolwork may be finished at noon, so they do not “bother” the neighbors. We, homeschoolers are hardly being paranoid either. People question us, show obvious disapproval and go as far as to attempt to cause us to stop homeschooling.
Homeschoolers have to deal with people forcing their opinions on them
One incident in particular happed when my daughter and I were shopping in the afternoon around the time school children are let out. A cashier asked the usual question to my daughter, “Did you have fun in school today?” My daughter replied that although she did have fun, she did not go to school as she home schools. Then the cashier proceeds to tell me that her child goes to a good private school and that I need to go there and enroll my children. She was actually trying to hand me a piece of paper with the school information on it. I tried to politely decline her assistance by saying no thanks, I have two kids and private school is just too expensive. She, still insistently replies that they will let me work for them in exchange for tuition. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!! I screamed in my head while aloud I only said, “We are good where we are. Thanks”. She was apparently insulted. Perhaps she heard my silent scream. My child and I are still trying to understand the logic in that exchange. She obviously felt I should get a job as a cashier to pay for private school, or give up homeschooling to teach other children instead of my own. To us, that is just absurd.
Homeschoolers find social workers at their door due to reports from strangers
Another indecent was recently reported by the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). A family preparing to sell their home called a house inspector only to find a social worker at their door a few days later. The inspector apparently felt it was his duty to report that the parents were unfit to care for their children. He stated that their house needed minor repairs, the family had a battery storage and windmill, and that they were homeschooling! HSLDA lawyer Chris Klicka diffused the situation, and advised the family to send character references to the social worker.
Whenever a homeschooler is profiled in the news, negative opinions follow
What I find even more disturbing is that homeschooling cannot be celebrated publicly. Whenever a homeschooler is profiled in the written or digital news, an avalanche of letters follow stating that homeschoolers are misguided at best.
So what do you do when strangers impose on your right to homeschool? Should homeschoolers carry around a statement proclaiming our rights and our lawyer’s information? Should we even have to defend ourselves at all? For us, in most instances, I just let my children reply. They are fortunately poised and articulate enough reply to questions and unwanted intrusions. There are other times, however when I must speak up and let people know in no uncertain terms that our decision to homeschool is not their business.
