Homeschooling Stereotypes

What do Albert Einstein, one of the greatest intellectual minds of our time, and Tim

Tebow, a natural born athlete, have in common? One was born in the 1800s, and the other was born in more recent times. At first glance it would seem that these two share no similarities. However, these prosperous men have one thing in common: both were homeschooled. I believe that homeschooling played a crucial part in both men’s lives and immensely contributed to the status gained by both.

Today, sadly, homeschooling is typically associated in a negative light. Various adverse labels have been attached to this movement. Stereotypes can range from the geekiest nerd, to the sluggish slacker and includes the religious maniac. In today’s world, the majority

John Holt, a professional educator from Massachusetts, was a key innovator in the beginning of modern homeschooling. In the 60s, he laid the groundwork for education apart from the government by writing, “How Children Fail”, a book criticizing the public education system. He was one of the first to write about public education and how it could be improved. Today, “His ideas of “unschooling,” or education without any formal structure or coursework, are still very popular, especially in the northeastern region of the United States.” (Homeschooling: A positive trend giving hope to American education, UC

The Society of Sisters was an Oregon corporation that devoted itself to the religious instruction and educational instruction of orphans. The state wanted to enforce an Oregon Act that required all children to attend a public school. In the ensuing case the verdict was as follows: “The state does not have the power to, ‘standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only.’” (Education, Schooling, and The Children’s Rights: The Complexity of Homeschooling, UC Library). The cases of Meyer and Pierce make it clear that parents have a constitutional right to control their children’s education and that the government may regulate it to ensure that the children are indeed receiving an