As a parent

I think a family has the right to make that decision themselves. However, for my own family it isnt the right decision. I have 2 special needs children that need the "specialists" of the school system plus the routine. Also for me to be a better Mom I need the few hours break a day from the kids.

My daughter starts kindergarten at a public school on Monday. I am confident that the people who went to school to become educators will do a fine job.There may be bumps in the road. We will deal with those as they come. My hubby and I both went to public schools, and got fine educations. We are involved parents. And that I think is key to the best education we can give her. Cooperation with the teachers. Now, that being said, I am not against home schooling. I would just take a different tack. One of my best friends is a teacher with her master degree in Education. She teachers at a local school here. I would get advice and information from her. I would also obtain our districts curriculum and follow that. And that may be a choice we have later. My daughter has wonderful social skills. She wants to GO to school. Things would have to take a drastic down turn. Cooperation with schools and educators is my 1st choice.

I am in favor of a parent's right to home school but I also know from personal observations that there needs to be more oversight in some counties/states than there is now and more support for parents who want to home school. This is why I feel this way: Situation #1: My daughter is 17 and has had a friend for many years who is now 18 and can barely read. Why? Because she was "home schooled" by a mother who was too lazy to get her to school on time and who never taught her a thing. The only requirements for this child year after year was that she turn in completed work book type assignments, which her mother did instead of her many times because they were late and I believe there might have been a couple of tests that she was able to take at home so guess who took them? This young woman reads at probably a fourth grade level and has no math skills or any education at all really. Situation #2: When we moved to south Florida four years ago I was not working and wanted to home school my daughter who was going to be in the 9th. grade. Now, granted, we live in a very rural area and the school district is a small one but no one had any information for me about home schooling at all. They told me that I could contact the state capitol and ask someone there...but were unsure what agency to even call. On the other end of the spectrum, I worked for many years at a community college and met many very well educated kids who were home schooled so I know that it's possible to do a good job and to give your child a good education at home.