I don’t know how old your kids are, but one thing that I’m shocked no one has brought up is - how do your kids feel?
Obviously the discussion is moot if they’re too young to fully understand the difference between homeschool and public school, but it’s worth mentioning.
I went to public school all my life and now I’m attending a public college, and in my opinion - I might have benefited from homeschooling at a young age, but I’m very glad I went to public school later on. Some of the most useful skills that I have today were developed in a classroom environment - groupwork, leadership, public speaking, networking and forming social connections. Not to mention that most of my significant role models as a child/teenager were my teachers - without them to look up to, I don’t even know who I would be.
Homeschooling because you think you an provide a better quality education than the public school is one thing (I was very lucky to attend a pretty high-quality public high school, but I know that a lot of them out there are an absolute wreck, so that might be a valid concern) but if your goal is to shield and protect your kid from the outside world, I would be wary. First of all, do you really want your kid to grow up without meaningful exposure to more than one way of thinking? I get that you want your kid to have certain values, but how substantial will their committment to those values be if it’s developed based on…it being the only option? Second of all, what will happen when they get older and suddenly have exposure to new ideas, with nothing to guide them through it? I feel that if your goal is to raise your kid a particular way, it’s better to let them experience the outside world and mingle with folks of diverse backgrounds while they’re still young and receptive to your guidance.
I don’t doubt that homeschooling can be done well, but I’ve met so many kids who were homeschooled and ended up with underdeveloped skills that hurt them when they finally had to enter a classroom environment in college. Ranging from basic academic skills like reading and math, to more “general success skills” like how to give a powerpoint presentation or write a study guide.
And again, because it’s worth mentioning twice - talk to your kids! At the end of the day, they’re the ones being affected by this decision. And every situation is different. I was a socially inept little kid who needed deep immersion in a group environment just to figure out how to talk to people - a bubbly kid who befriends everyone they meet will feel less pressure to actively develop that skill. I went to a very good high school filled to the brim with academically motivated students - peer pressure was what encouraged me to work harder and develop myself intellectually. A poor school system with a genuinly concerning population constitutes a different risk for public schooling. My mother never could have homeschooled, even if she wanted to, because she is just not focused and disciplined enough to be an effective teacher. Other parents are more capable. So…think about it, and try to tailor your solution to yourself, your kids, and your environment.
