S/O Why do you homeschool--did Sandy Hook or other school safety issues impact your decision?

[brehon]

We started homeschooling long before Sandy Hook, but after Columbine. School safety doesn't even make our top five list of why we homeschool. Academics is the number one reason.

[Brit29]

School violence is definitely included in the reasons we homeschool. I was in middle school/early high school when Columbine, Jonesboro, etc happened. There were multiple threats at my own high school. Although nothing ever happened, we were frequently on lockdown. It was stressful, it divided the school, and it freaked people out. Logically I know the likelihood of an attack is low, I can't imagine putting my own kids under that stress. We would homeschool even if it was puppies and sunshine, but it IS a factor. 

 

 

[shinyhappypeople]

It's not why we homeschool elementary, but it is a significant factor in our choice to not send the girls to middle school.  At nearby middle school last year in SIXTH grade there were TWO rapes, widespread drug use, kids suspended for having sex on campus, plus the supposedly normal levels of bullying, fights, and gang activity.  In sixth grade.  (Oh, wait, actually the sex on campus suspension was for a couple of fifth graders at one of the elementary schools.)

 

I have no idea why any parent with a choice would send their child there. Boggles my mind. 

[Violet Crown]

The first time Great Girl went to a classroom for her education, she was auditing an English course at the university, and this happened: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/28/texas.university.shooting/

I was waiting for her at the corner to pick her up for a dentist's appointment when everyone started to go berserk and the Univ PD ordered me to drive on as campus was in lockdown. The SWAT van went by me as I pulled away. It was hours before I could contact her and come get her. It was many hours more before I could contact dh, who was in a building near the library (where the tragedy centered) and, due to false reports of a second shooter, was being detained with everyone else and searched. He said there's nothing quite like having police run in, guns drawn, and order everyone to put your hands up and line up against the wall.

 

Homeschooling is no protection against gun violence in our society. May the soul of that poor boy find rest.

[luuknam]

Bullying is on my list of reasons to homeschool. It's far from the only reason though. Academics is another big reason. I learned so much more outside of school than in school, where I was usually bored out of my mind. The only reason I ever survived school was that I was at home 'ill' about a fourth of the time (I had a lot of common colds and other minor illnesses that my mom okay'ed letting me stay home over).

 

Edited because n/m.

[PagesandFields]

We don't homeschool because of the kind of violence to which you are referring, but one of my children does have some quirky things that I truly believe would have led to bullying. So in that sense, we did take safety and violence into account. But most of the reason we homeschool is for academic and family reasons.

What she said... 😙

[FloridaLisa]

It was not a reason we started homeschooling. Those school shootings are horrific and it does make me feel grateful that my kids have safe days in our home. However, I'm not naive. The thing about that kind of violence is that it's so random: a movie viewing, in the mall, at the Boston marathon finish line, in the university library during finals week. I've not made decisions based on the way to avoid every danger. <-- That's myth land. We can manage it, but we have no ultimate control over it. I mean, I get on the interstate everyday. 

 

 

[Guest]

I'm an accidental homeschooler. But it wasn't school safety--it was that school was killing my son's soul. Crushing his spirit. We did grades 2-8.5 at home.