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What you call "social schism" I call liberty. I think the universal availability of public schooling is, in general, a great good. But the idea of the governme

What you call "social schism" I call liberty. I think the universal availability of public schooling is, in general, a great good. But the idea of the government telling me that I can't home school my children makes my skin crawl. The US constitution correctly defines strictly limited roles for the government, and carves out huge spaces for individual liberty - liberty which is meaningless if I'm forced to allow the government to indoctrinate my children in ways that I may strongly disagree with. Turn it around. Imagine that schools taught a sort of religious fundamentalism that you found abhorrent. Would you want the government to be able to force you to send your children there? Making home schooling illegal turns the government into a master precisely when it should be a servant, and a jailer when it should be a helper.

justinlaster 10y ago
>Imagine that schools taught a sort of religious fundamentalism that you found abhorrent. Ironically, home schooling seems to be used for this purpose.
- zeveb 10y ago
  You left off the key next sentence: 'Would you want the government to be able to force you to send your children there?' Home schooling permits parents to teach their children their values, which is their right as parents. Public schooling forces all taxpayers to subsidise the teaching of values with which they may or may not agree; in some places, it also forces all parents to have their children taught values with which they may or may not agree.
  - justinlaster 10y ago
    >Home schooling permits parents to teach their children their values, which is their right as parents. The public school system does not stop them from doing this, in any way shape or form. >Public schooling forces all taxpayers to subsidize the teaching of values with which they may or may not agree The public school system is built to be incredibly neutral, and in my opinion sometimes too neutral. So I'm not sure what "values" are being forced through the public school system.

justinlaster 10y ago

>Imagine that schools taught a sort of religious fundamentalism that you found abhorrent. Ironically, home schooling seems to be used for this purpose.

zeveb 10y ago
You left off the key next sentence: 'Would you want the government to be able to force you to send your children there?' Home schooling permits parents to teach their children their values, which is their right as parents. Public schooling forces all taxpayers to subsidise the teaching of values with which they may or may not agree; in some places, it also forces all parents to have their children taught values with which they may or may not agree.
- justinlaster 10y ago
  >Home schooling permits parents to teach their children their values, which is their right as parents. The public school system does not stop them from doing this, in any way shape or form. >Public schooling forces all taxpayers to subsidize the teaching of values with which they may or may not agree The public school system is built to be incredibly neutral, and in my opinion sometimes too neutral. So I'm not sure what "values" are being forced through the public school system.