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Did you know that homeschooling your children is illegal in every country in the EU except for the UK (and it is very rare there)? For Americans, this is shock
by socialist_coder 10y ago
Did you know that homeschooling your children is illegal in every country in the EU except for the UK (and it is very rare there)?
For Americans, this is shocking (it was to me). "I can't homeschool my own children?!? That isn't freedom!" But in practice, the vast majority of homeschoolers are evangelical christians or other religious extremists. For the good of society, I would gladly take that trade.
Think about this another way: in the US, homeschool parents can impart any view they want on their children. They "win by default" because there are no competing viewpoints. In the EU, parents are still free to try and impart their beliefs on their children. But in this case, they need a stronger argument than what the school is providing. They will not "win by default" like in the US. I can't see anything "unfree" about that.
- dottedmag 10y agoWhen did Denmark, Slovenia, Italy, Ireland, Hungary and France leave the EU?
- socialist_coder 10y agoThanks for the correction. I thought it was illegal everywhere. I think my point is still valid though, especially because in many of those countries, yearly inspections are mandatory (unlike the US).
- literallycancer 10y ago>I think my point is still valid though, especially because in many of those countries, yearly inspections are mandatory (unlike the US). The inspections ensure that your parents can't fuck up your life. I think it's a good middle ground between allowing everything and nothing.
- socialist_coder 10y agoI don't disagree. Yearly inspections seems like a great middle ground (for us). But, think of it in terms of the original argument. Are you still "free" if you are forced to teach what the state wants? The OP would say no, I think.
- dottedmag 10y agoYou are not forced to teach what the state wants. You are forced to make sure your children pass exams.
- Klockan 10y agoI fail to see the difference, exams are there to make sure that you taught your kid what the state wants.
- irishcoffee 10y agoOne is a subset of the other.
- ooqr 10y agoWe're planning homeschooling. We're religious (none of the above), but planning on exposing children to math and science at an early age, using Socratic dialogue to ferret out poor reasoning, teaching skepticism... Sometimes homeschooling is just better because the public school system isn't very good.
- ue_ 10y agoI agree very much; the presence of school would in some cases offer an alternative viewpoint or explanation and although the power of parents over children is strong, children develop critical thinking skills too. I think if anything it encourages one to consider alternate positions rather than just accepting something on authority of the speaker.
- xupybd 10y agoI think you are giving schools too much credit here. At best I think you'll find they just learn to accepting something else on authority of a different speaker.
- literallycancer 10y ago>Did you know that homeschooling your children is illegal in every country in the EU except for the UK (and it is very rare there)? Pretty sure this is wrong. You can homeschool your children, as long as they pass an exam every year (or every 6 months maybe), to prove that their knowledge/skills are good enough (e.g. at least at the level of a public school attendee of the same age).
- xupybd 10y agoYeah but what you're saying is that the state has the right to impart it's beliefs on these kids. I know you don't like the evangelicals beliefs and prefer what the state is currently teaching. But what if the tables were flipped. What if you lived in a country with a religious rule and your kids were forced to learn that religion. The only free and fair system I can think of is to allow parents the right to teach their beliefs to their children. As not everyone in society is ever going to agree.