“The educational system of a country is worthless unless it [revolutionizes the social order]. Men of scholarship, and prophetic insight, must show us the right way and lead us into light which is shining brighter and brighter.”

– Carter G. Woodson

For the past few years, I’ve been questioning the current conditions of our Public School System—not just the cyclical acts of violence (Stoneman Douglas High School) but the overall formula. Many parents are openly voicing their frustrations about how unprepared their children are for the next grade level, and the relevance of certain subjects that are being forced on them have also become an issue. It’s to the point where many are looking for other alternatives to educate their kids, and I can’t say that I blame them.

According to The Odyssey, public education in the United States is in dire need of an overhaul. Standardized testing, the concept of learning for a test, creates a “read and regurgitate” mentality; it shows a single way of teaching and stifles creativity. Budget cuts in the arts, physical education, and music courses are being cut from the curriculum because there’s no money to fund them. Teachers aren’t paid enough to care about their students, so they just teach them to pass tests; which creates distrust between teachers and students, as well as high levels of disinterests on both ends. And the attendance policy and school hours, particularly for high school students, have become extremely problematic; some high school students have to get up at 5:00 am just to be at school by 7:00 am, which can cause a safety hazard.

Other issues like bullying, funding for schools in low-income neighborhoods, and cafeteria food have also been argued upon. But my focus is generally centered around solutions, and the most obvious solution would be to homeschool your children. So I did further research, and to my surprise, homeschooling is currently on the rise; with the percentage increasing from 7.7% to 15% yearly, by way of the National Home Education Research Institute. They’ve advised that a homeschooling atmosphere “provides a natural setting in which parents can deliver an individualized method of instruction that matches the child’s unique interests, ability, and learning style.”

Here are few more benefits:

1. An excellent education
2. Dedicated teachers with a great teacher-to-student ratio
3. Consistent learning
4. A curriculum specifically made for the child
5. Better teaching materials

According to The Atlantic, my community has become the fastest-growing segment of this movement in recent years. An estimated 220,000 African American students are being homeschooled, with Black children making up 10% of the nation’s homeschool demographic; they make up 16% of all public school students. The main cause of this has been due to the low expectations and unfair treatment of African American youth, especially the boys. Homeschooling can protect those kids from institutionalized racism, stereotyping, and biased, miseducation—which supports my stance on the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case being the worse thing that could’ve happened to Black children.

Given the current state and future direction of the Public School System, homeschooling seems like the best alternative for parents who want to mold and protect the minds of their children. Once communities get involved, this movement will rightfully blossom to the next level. Which I hope will be sooner than later, because our tax dollars are being fed to a system that is doing a disservice to us and our youth. And the next generation of game-changers deserve so much better.

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Armstrong, S. (2016, December 26). The Problems With The Public Education System. Retrieved May 14, 2018, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/problems-public-education-system

Huseman, J. (2015, February 17). The Rise of Homeschooling Among Black Families. Retrieved May 14, 2018, from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/02/the-rise-of-homeschooling-among-black-families/385543/

Martin, J. (n.d.). Homeschooling 101: What Is Homeschooling? Retrieved May 14, 2018, from https://www.parents.com/kids/education/home-schooling/homeschooling-101-what-is-homeschooling/

Why do people homeschool? (n.d.). Retrieved May 15, 2018, from https://www.familyeducation.com/school/benefits-homeschooling/why-do-people-homeschool