I don't really agree with your first point. In my experience, most music, arts, and sports programs are in the form of after school activities that are open to

I don't really agree with your first point. In my experience, most music, arts, and sports programs are in the form of after school activities that are open to all kids, and don't usually happen at school. Those sorts of things are a lifeline for homeschooled kids, as it's one of the best ways for them to still be around people their own age. As far as your second point, I have definitely met a number of people as you describe, but they are significantly outnumbered (at least in my area) by perfectly well adjusted people whose kids just can't make it in school for whatever reason. Not every kid is capable of tolerating 8+ hours a day of institutionalisation, especially if they have some kind of medical issue. I think the approach that local government takes with homeschoolers in my area (of the US) is too hands off: I never once met someone from my educational service district who might have checked that I was even alive and not just a tax cheat. However, I think that we should be careful not to restrict the ability of people to home-educate if they want to. Its an important backstop if they can't make the school system work for them, and trying to fit every edge case into the school system is a recipe for some seriously unhappy kids.