I don't think usually doesn't turn out well for socially. I knew a guy who was homeschooled but he was able to play on the tennis team in school so he was able to make friends that way. Not really sure how it worked but I'm guessing the school let it slide since he was so good.

I am for a plan that allows kids (or their parents) decide where they go and get the funds for it. What ever amount of money is allocated per kid through property tax for a county should be able to be spent at a public school, private school, or homeschooling. It seems unfair that a child who is homeschooled or private schooled is not given access to the same resources as public schools. I went through the public school system in southern california and its a joke. It is not set up to get kids to be their best, but rather to teach everyone to the same low level.

I wish I was homeschooled.

Is that legal? o.o

Yes. Local school districts control (generally) the type of ciricculum involved.

Are public schools in the States all overburdened with strict guidelines?

I went to school in The Netherlands. There are very few private schools, almost all schools are publicly funded. Each school has it's own identity, there is a lot of freedom for schools and teachers how to teach each subject.
I went from a general kindergarten school, to a Montessori elementary school, to a Catholic high school. There I had everything from a far right wing history teacher to a socialist left wing religion teacher. (Opening and closing the year in church and 1 hour of religion/philosophy class a week was as far as religion went in the school)

There are 3 different types of eduction in high school tailored to your abilities based on an affinity test at the end of elementary school. There is a standardized test to graduate from high school, but that only makes up half your final grade. The other half is filled in by the school.

With that background I don't see the need for home schooling. It's not difficult to find a school with the education and philosophy you want for your children. Growing up together, working on projects together, competing in sports, excursions, school plays, school dances, class outings all are part of your social education.

Plus cycling to and from school keeps you fit. US/Canada should get rid of the school bus system and invest in bicycle paths.

There's your solution to child obesity

1. Yes. And on top of that there is the teachers union which makes it hard to get rid of bad teachers or too even identify them. Bassically kids are taught to pass standardized tests that are given to all kids across the nation (as far as i know)

2. Everyone recieves the same education regardless of abilities. I think that is the biggest problem.

Every person I know who was homeschooled spent time at a regular school (usually public school). IMO they were better for the experience of being in a regular school, but they also didn't suffer any for being mostly home schooled. Depends on the kid, the parents (can they do a decent job of home schooling), the locally available schools and ther approach to education, the overall quality and range of choices in the education system.

Zealots who say homeschooling is the best way for everyone are as bad as those who say homeschooling is bad. The worst thing you can do with education is try to make things one size fits all.

The problem with the American public school system is that the balance of local-state-Federal control is skewed. Money should be evenly allocated and school boards should have stricter guidelines about how money should be spent (in my home district and i imagine in many others, the bias is on athletics for athletics sake), the Federal guidelines should be focusing more on a holistic approach to education rather than the pointless test-oriented math-reading blitz

I'd rather there be a national core cirriculum (with the ability to diversify based on regional or personal taste around the edges), as well as national teaching standards, with established systems through which teachers can be suspended or outright fired, with more severe consequences for firing and less severe on suspension (to allow underperforming teachers to reform themselves)

As far as the problem of teachers' unions go, you need an environment where teachers aren't going to be afraid that the bean-counters are out to get them (looking for an excuse to fire someone to save budget), but where standards for teaching are also enforceable. Better allocation of funds, along with universal teaching standards, would fix both.