Why I Am Considering Public School

For me, there are two ways to look at public school. One is through a historical lens, and the other is in the context of American life today.

Over the course of my research into home schooling, I have come to realize that compulsory public school is a relatively recent institution. It has existed less than 200 years. (Our church, interestingly, was organized twenty years before the first compulsory education law in 1852 in Massachusetts. Alaska was the last state to pass such a law, in 1929). Two hundred years ago, kids were learning at home, and most were learning quite well. They also learned from the community with apprenticeships and the like. Public Schools are a modern development and have become so ingrained in our culture that they are a fact of life. For us, the certainties of life include not just death and taxes, but school as well (David Guterson).

However, before public school, it was only the rich kids who were able to attend schools: expensive private schools. It is the American ideal of equal opportunity that lead to public education. Why should the rich have access to schools and thus greater opportunity for careers and advancement, the achievement of the American dream? The opportunity to become whatever you want to become. Sure education is compulsory, but it is also free. Immigrants whose kids need to learn English and American culture are guaranteed the chance!

Schools have done wonderful thing for equality. In fact, equality seems to be the main stamp upon public schools, their identity and purpose. "No Child Left Behind," right? These are wonderful, American ideas. In fact, during the civil rights movement, schools were at the front lines of the battle. Public schools have accomplished much and represent much to us, as Americans. By sending my kids to public school I would be supporting those ideals and by being an active and involved parent, I would be doing my part to improve them, and thus improve education for all of America's children. Home school looks like an undemocratic thing to do, in this context. It looks like a shrugging off of so many things struggled for. The problem is, I don't really believe that.

Public school has served an important purpose. But it has become a surprisingly inflexible machine for all its youth. Efforts to help public school change and adapt to match the pace at which modern life changes and adapts have simply failed. Our schools look pretty much the same as they did thirty years ago and yet our modern lives DO NOT. I have come to believe that home school can become an important part of American education and that public schools should evolve to include the option and support home schoolers. I think this is the logical modern path and should not be resisted. No, I do not believe that more that, say ten percent of families will ever home school, but I do think they should be a welcome and regular part of the modern education scene. Regularly visible in the public schools themselves. The problem with treating everyone the same is that we are not all the same. The other half of the American ideal, that compliments equality, is the importance of the individual.

OK, so I have argued my way out of sending my kids to school simply because it is a part of American identity, or because of historical value. Although both are important, they aren't important enough. This leaves me to think about the every day reality of school itself. Moving out of the theoretical and into the literal. And this is where I start to feel real yearning to see my kids get on the yellow bus. (Thanks to Rebecca for being honest about the sadness she felt on the first day of school when her kids didn't.)

I am going to list these thoughts in no particular order and many of them I will present simply, without elaboration.

1. I do not want to control my kids. I want them to have secrets! I want them to have private lives!

2. Over the last month, I have had many online conversations about home school and have come across many opinions and all degrees of passion. The entire spectrum from "I love home school" to "I HATE it." And this has been fun for me! I have always enjoyed the debate, the give and take of ideas. I like to hear what people have to say. As the sole teacher of my kids I will offer one opinion: mine. I see this as a tragedy. A classroom has the potential to contain thirty different perspectives and world views. I don't want them to miss out on that.

3. Teachers. These can be inspired individuals who can touch the lives of my children and open their eyes to all kids of possibilities and see in them thing sometimes a mother's love can make her miss.

4. I do not wish to shelter my kids from the world.

5. I want my kids to take part in a shared American experience. This may sound like a contradiction, since I ruled out public school's value as an American tradition way up at the top of this entry. Logically, that isn't where school gets its value, but personally, it seems sad to think of my kids never having to memorize a locker combination or stand in a lunch line. It's just something we all share, and I imagine it ties us together a bit.

So there are about five reasons. Five reasons I want to send my kids to public school. Are the big enough? Are they insurmountable? Difficulties with home school seem more easily overcome than difficulties with public school, yet this begs the question as to parental control, does it not?

Finally, I believe in God and have a personal relationship with him. I believe that he has an acute interest in our lives. I have researched and studied, discussed and pondered and will continue to do so, but feel confident that the ultimate decision will be made with divine guidance.

(One more thing, for anyone who is curious, Dillon, my husband, Homecoming King, was on the home school band wagon the first time I mentioned it! I think it is mostly because he trusts me to make the right decision and do a good job, Oh the pressure!) Oh and thanks for reading, I welcome any comments.
And a picture, because pictures make things more fun!