One of the most inevitable things I have to deal with as a homeschool activist is parents who consider homeschooling as a reaction to events that are going on around them. In the wake of Columbine, every board member of our homeschool group in Wisconsin received at least 20 calls from parents who wanted to know how to homeschool their children because they feared raising their children in a world where incidents such as Columbine were a reality.

While it seemed to be a wonderful PR boon, there was a fundamental problem with their concern. They weren't dedicated to the concept of homeschooling, they were simply trying to protect their children from a world that, while admittedly dangerous, cannot be put off forever.

My advice was that maybe they should research homeschooling, attend conferences, speak with homeschooling parents. That way they could assess if homeschooling was right for them, simply because one of the LEAST understood aspects of homeschooling by those who don't homeschool their children is that, to homeschool successfully, you must be MORE dedicated to the concept of homeschooling than even "professional" teachers must be to their own profession. You can't simply go to an administrator and get textbooks or transportation for field trips, athletic activities, etc. Your curriculum isn't chosen for you, either. When your child is unruly you can't "pass the buck" by sending them to the principal's office while you deal with the other children in the classroom. Put simply, homeschooling is a lot of work.

My personal feeling is that the vast majority of parents are technically capable of homeschooling their children. But not every parent has the level of commitment required to do so. To homeschool is to "go against the grain"; you will constantly encounter critics, naysayers, and just plain busybodies who will work against what you are trying to do. While public school educators encounter this as well, they have a much larger and more visible support group to protect them.

So what might be the right idea might not be, simply because it is done for the wrong reason. If you're considering homeschooling, evaluate your motives and closely examine whether this is the choice for you and your family. It may be, it may not be, I can't say. But don't let reaction to situations around you be your sole basis in making such an important decision.