Here is the reader comment I just left on the New York Times website for this story about a Republican bill that proposes to offer a tax credit to homeschooling families.
Article: Do Homeschoolers Deserve a Tax Break?
I'm a homeschooling parent active in the homeschool community and a homeschool blogger for about six years. I don't know any homeschooler who is asking for this.
Contrary to reality most non-homeschooling adults I know already think that we get a state tax break or local tax break or are given free teaching advice and free materials by our town's school system: FALSE.
So who is asking for this anyway? I don't know of any grassroots homeschool organization behind this (such as a state homeschool support group) nor any nonprofit agency acting on behalf of homeschoolers.
Some people joke that it would be nice to have a little windfall -- but remember it's not truly a handout since we are taxpayers -- who are also usualy stretching dollars to live on one income to boot. I honestly don't know anyone in real life or homeschool bloggers or people from across our country who chat on homeschool discussion groups who want this.
We want to be left to homeschool in freedom. So long as education choices in this country are limited and we feel our options are limited 2% of us may choose the DIY route.
I hope this does NOT pass.
4 comments:
I do not support any tax breaks for homeschooling because it's the "camel's nose in the tent" for additional regulation for homeschoolers. I do, however, strongly believe that all families should have the option of enrolling their children in a "virtual charter" that provides a stipend for curriculum & classes if they desire. Those who want the money and are willing to put up with the strings attached can do so. Those who want to homeschool privately should be subject to the exact same regulations as traditional private schools. If B&M private schools are not required to administer standardized tests to their students, then neither should private homeschools.
Hi Crimson Wife, I totally agree with you.
However if a "homeschooler" suddenly joins a virtual charter school that provides a stipend or free curriculum or a free computer that student is no longer a homeschooler, technically they are a public school student receiveing charter school education. Larry and Susan Kaseman have explained this well in their columns in Home Education Magazine. It is important that we use proper language and don't call those virtual charter school kids "homeschoolers" as they are not.
If a student is receiving his/her education at home, he/she is a homeschooler. Some homeschoolers are enrolled in private schools (independent study programs of a traditional private school or single family private schools). Other homeschoolers are enrolled in public schools (district ISP's or charters). It is unnecessarily divisive to pit one segment of the homeschooling community (those whose children are enrolled in private homeschools) against another segment (those whose children are enrolled in public schools).
As a Catholic Christian, the whole debate reminds me very much of those who narrowly define Christianity such as to exclude certain denominations including mine. It's unnecessarily exclusive.
Hi Crimson Wife, I beg to differ or perhaps we're not using the same language, I'm not sure which.
If a student is enrolled in a virtual charter school they are legally considered a public school student by the state. The state pays funds to the virtual charter school.
This is not the same as a homeschooler who chooses to enroll in some umbrella school for homeschoolers. Those students are still considered homeschoolers as no monies from the state or town or city are attached to that student.
When K-12 advertises to homeschoolers, in some states like mine (CT) they are not legally considered a virtual charter school and so a homeschooler using that service pays for it out of their own pocket and it is totally different than in some other states where a student enrolls with K-12 as a virtual charter school, the government (local, state) pays K-12 for the services, and the child sits in their house to do the lessons. Those are two different things.
Here is one article by the Kaseman's that I think explains it well.
http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/193/mjtch.html
This one is also food for thought.
http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/252/takingcharge.html
I am not interested in dividing up homeschoolers but there is a legal difference between public school virtual charter school students funded by government money and legally defined as public school students who sit at home to do lessons than regular homeschooling families who pick and choose their home education path who are not funded by any government money.
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