On the efficacy of homeschooling

On the efficacy of homeschooling

PORTLAND, ORE. - A man and his 12-year-old daughter spent the last four years living in a remote hillside in Portland's Forest Park, police said...

The pair went into the city twice a week to stop by the bank, attend church, buy groceries and clothes from Goodwill. Frank, a devout Christian, said he taught his daughter using the old encyclopedias...

Even though the child and father lived for such a long time disconnected from society, the girl had been home schooled and was in good physical shape.

In fact, the girl received a very good education from her father while living among the trees. Officials said the girl, who would be normally in 7th grade, is at a 12th grade equivalency.

"When we interviewed this little girl, she was very impressive. She really was very responsible, and she really looked as though she was way advanced in her years," said Portland Police Cmdr. Scott Anderson said.

So using my fuzzy public-school math and assuming that the girl started off 4 years ago as an average, public-schooled 3rd grader, she managed to learn 9 years of public school equivalence in 4 years, or a little better than twice as well as in school, with nothing but a committed parent and some books bought at Goodwill. Compare that to the fact that a public school will receive around $50,000 to do the same job in twice the time and you'll understand why I believe public schools don't need to be funded or reformed; they need to be dismantled. Schools are a menace to education.

The Uber-wise MikeT made a comment the other day about vouchers (he supports, I oppose) that strikes to the heart of the issue, however:

The only problem with having no vouchers is that most parents will scream about having to pay for their kids’ own education and even when that’s resolved, others will worry about the “vast number” of kids whose parents won’t be able to afford to pay for it.

The problem is that parents will scream about being responsible for their own children.

Of course, busy parents are a perfect fit for a school system designed to create docile, maleducated consumers, just like those parents. It means no matter how much money is thrown at schools, the results will be no different, because the schools are creating the product they were designed to create. But it also means that parents have no excuse for not educating their children - or at least ensuring that an individual (not a system) - does it. It is not difficult and it is not expensive. All it takes is time.

Unfortunately, for most parents that's too high a price to pay.

(hat tip: Vox Day)