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I’ll add my anecdote. One of my relatives homeschools their two children. They are part of a commonwealth(?), and follow the Thomas Jefferson method which I think is kind of popular? One of their children who is 8 cannot read. The other is 6 and is far behind in all disciplines. My relative loves their children and wants the best for them, but is failing. Won’t send their kids to school for religious reasons. I’d like to know the chances of a single adult being a good teacher vs. at least one of multiple trained adults being a good teacher. I’d also like to see the downside of lack of socialization.


Is this legal in US? I'm pretty sure this would be classified as neglect in many/most European countries.


The vast majority of states have little oversight on homeschooling, some have none whatsoever. There’s a powerful lobby called the Homeschooling Legal Defense Association that led massive deregulation since the 80s.

In some states people who are under investigation for child abuse are allowed to take their kids out of school (the place that abuse is usually reported). The situation is pretty bad.

There was a whole John Oliver episode about it just weeks ago.




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