'Homeschooling: The Future of Liberty' - Ron Paul Texas Straight Talk April 8, 2013

[sailingaway]

A common feature of authoritarian regimes is the criminalization of alternatives to government-controlled education. Dictators recognize the danger that free thought poses to their rule, and few things promote the thinking of “unapproved” thoughts like an education controlled by parents instead of the state. That is why the National Socialist (Nazi) government of Germany outlawed homeschooling in 1938.

Sadly, these Nazi-era restrictions on parental rights remain the law in Germany, leaving parents who wish greater control over their children’s education without options. That is why in 2006 Uwe and Hannalore Romeike, a German couple who wanted to homeschool their three children for religious reasons, sought asylum in the United States. Immigration judge Lawrence Burman upheld their application for asylum, recognizing that the freedom of parents to homeschool was a “basic human right.”

Unfortunately, the current US administration does not see it that way, and has announced that it is appealing Judge Burman's decision. If the administration is successful, the Romeikes could be sent back to Germany where they will be forced to send their children to schools whose teaching violates their religious beliefs. If they refuse, they face huge fines, jail time, or even the loss of custody of their children!

The Administration’s appeal claims that the federal government has the constitutional authority to ban homeschooling in all fifty states. The truth is, the Constitution gives the federal government no power to control any aspect of education. Furthermore, parents who, like the Romeikes, have a religious motivation for homeschooling should be protected by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.

The federal government’s hostility to homeschooling is shared by officials at all levels of government. Despite the movement’s success in legalizing homeschooling in every state, many families are still subjected to harassment by local officials. The harassment ranges from “home visits" by child protective agencies to criminal prosecution for violating truancy laws.

Every American who values liberty should support the homeschoolers’ cause. If the government can usurp parental authority over something as fundamental as the education of their children, there is almost no area of parenthood off limits to government interference.

Homeschooling has proven to be an effective means of education. We are all familiar with the remarkable academic achievements, including in national spelling bees and other competitions, by homeshcooled children. In addition, homeschooled students generally fare better than their public school educated peers on all measures of academic performance.

It makes sense that children do better when their education is controlled by those who know their unique needs best, rather than by a federal bureaucrat. A strong homeschooling movement may also improve other forms of education. If competition improves goods and services in other areas of life, why wouldn't competition improve education? A large and growing homeschooling movement could inspire public and private schools to innovate and improve.

When the government interferes with a parent's ability to choose the type of education that is best for their child, it is acting immorally and in manner inconsistent with a free society. A government that infringes on the rights of homeschooling will eventually infringe on the rights of all parents. Homeschooled children are more likely to embrace the philosophy of freedom, and to join the efforts to restore liberty. In fact, I would not be surprised if the future leaders of the liberty movement where homeschooled.

I believe so strongly in the homeschooling movement that I have just announced my own curriculum for homeschooling families. Please visit this revolutionary new project at http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com.

This column may be reprinted and/or redistributed by electronic means provided author credit is given and no alterations made.

http://www.the-free-foundation.org/tst4-8-2013.htm

 

[tttppp]

Eventuallly the free market should take over education and place school online. I don't know why that's such a hard concept for people to understand.

 

[Occam's Banana]

Eventuallly the free market should take over education and place school online. I don't know why that's such a hard concept for people to understand.

Because most people (1) don't understand freedom, or (2) understand it and want nothing to do with it.

 

[tttppp]

Because most people (1) don't understand freedom, or (2) understand it and want nothing to do with it.

It all comes down to people are stupid. The only solution is to spend more and more money at the problem. Just throw money at the problem and hope it goes away.

 

[Ivash]

Eventuallly the free market should take over education and place school online. I don't know why that's such a hard concept for people to understand.

Online schooling is actually pretty difficult to pull off, particularly because of testing. Imagine how easy it would be to cheat on a university test given online. This might not be such a problem for some topics where writing is more important than test taking (though even then big classes will keep the professor from reading everything) but in things like the hard sciences and mathematics it will be difficult to completely pivot away from test taking.

While I believe that technology will eventually make decentralized schooling the norm, I do not believe the (current state of the) internet will do that. My guess is that some future innovation will make it possible.

 

[Ivash]

Also on topic, I had an extremely unusual schooling career. I went to public schools, private schools, homeschooling, abroad for school (AKA where I did not live with my family), at both domestic and international schools. I must say that the public schooling I received by far the worst of any of the above, and in many ways shaped my entire life by destroying my passion for science and maths (an elementary school teacher strongly discouraged my inquisitive nature). I believe (though I admit I have no statistical proof) that the years of elementary schooling are in many ways the years that set up the rest of one's life, and it is important that all sectors of schooling in the nation are up to standard.

 

[tttppp]

Online schooling is actually pretty difficult to pull off, particularly because of testing. Imagine how easy it would be to cheat on a university test given online. This might not be such a problem for some topics where writing is more important than test taking (though even then big classes will keep the professor from reading everything) but in things like the hard sciences and mathematics it will be difficult to completely pivot away from test taking.

While I believe that technology will eventually make decentralized schooling the norm, I do not believe the internet will do that. My guess is that some future innovation will make it possible.

You are right, innovation will make it possible. But nobody is going to put up the money with the government in the way. Plus, even now the pros way ouweigh the negatives of online schooling.

 

[Ivash]

You are right, innovation will make it possible. But nobody is going to put up the money with the government in the way. Plus, even now the pros way ouweigh the negatives of online schooling.

Education serves two general purposes. One, it increases the knowledge of the student. Two, it indicates the level of education to interested parties (employees, etc) who only have a very limited amount of time to shift through (potentially) many applicants. No one is arguing that online education cannot do the first. People are worried that it will not be able do the second, in part due to the problems I listed above.

 

[RockEnds]

Public education no doubt trains future employees. The bell rings. You drop what you're doing and change the subject. You are constantly monitored by supervisors. You are expected to memorize rather than master a subject. The list goes on. Home schooling doesn't necessarily operate with that as the goal.

 

[sailingaway]

Online schooling is actually pretty difficult to pull off, particularly because of testing. Imagine how easy it would be to cheat on a university test given online. This might not be such a problem for some topics where writing is more important than test taking (though even then big classes will keep the professor from reading everything) but in things like the hard sciences and mathematics it will be difficult to completely pivot away from test taking.

While I believe that technology will eventually make decentralized schooling the norm, I do not believe the (current state of the) internet will do that. My guess is that some future innovation will make it possible.

You can get approved proctors in each area for exams.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Government high school and college already has online only options. The younger students are, the harder it is to make the online only system work. Maybe some day. Austriala and Alaska already us through the mail systems, I believe.

 

[tttppp]

Government high school and college already has online only options. The younger students are, the harder it is to make the online only system work. Maybe some day. Austriala and Alaska already us through the mail systems, I believe.

They have online options but they charge even more for the service and don't reduce the amount of time in school.

 

[Keith and stuff]

They have online options but they charge even more for the service and don't reduce the amount of time in school.

There is an online government high school in NH. It doesn't have any tuition costs. I think FL and other states have similar online high schools. You can learn more about them here. http://vlacs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143&Itemid=216

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Online schooling is actually pretty difficult to pull off, particularly because of testing. Imagine how easy it would be to cheat on a university test given online. This might not be such a problem for some topics where writing is more important than test taking (though even then big classes will keep the professor from reading everything) but in things like the hard sciences and mathematics it will be difficult to completely pivot away from test taking.

While I believe that technology will eventually make decentralized schooling the norm, I do not believe the (current state of the) internet will do that. My guess is that some future innovation will make it possible.

It's not. ASU has hybrid and fully online classes, and the exams are done online. IDR all the details of how it worked (it was ~7 years ago for me), but it worked. I was surprised none of the exams were proctored. I did a few home study classes in HS to get ahead, and all the exams were proctored.

 

[tttppp]

There is an online government high school in NH. It doesn't have any tuition costs. I think FL and other states have similar online high schools. You can learn more about them here. http://vlacs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143&Itemid=216

Do they let you graduate in less than 4 years or do they waste your time?