Maybe this won’t be the last time that I state this, but it must be said. Homeschoolers are not strictly Conservative Christians. We are not blindly motivated to separate and cloister out kids from others in a blind effort to keep our kids innocent, and protect them from the heathens. Sure when homeschooling first became popular, that was the goal of many, but the vast majority of homeschoolers now come from every walk of like imaginable.
Sure, at one time, about 15 years ago, most homeschoolers that you encountered were Conservative Christians, and most homeschooling was religion based. But, even back then, there were homeschooling families who did it to give their kids more freedom. As word about the success of homeschooling spread, others (non-Christians) have begun to latch on. In fact the largest growing population of homeschoolers right now are African Americans. While many African American Homeschoolers are Christian, religion has little to do with the reasons they homeschool. (I am included in this demographic.)
To see what kind of homeschoolers exist right now, you only have to look at the wide Diaspora of homeschool groups. I was able to count 19 Pagan Homeschooling groups and three pagan umbrella schools. I found 13 Jewish Homeschooling Groups on the Internet. I even found 10 Islamic and Muslim homeschooling groups. If found that each state has several secular or inclusive homeschooling groups (that are not religious based). From my personal involvement with secular and inclusive homeschooling groups (which I prefer, even though I am Christian), I have found that these groups tend to be much bigger than the Christian or other religious groups.
I feel like people focus on Christian homeschooling because Christian homeschoolers are easy marks. Christians are the last group of people who it is OK harass, minimalize, and ridicule. It is easy to say, “Homeschoolers are Radical Christians who should be stopped” because it is easy to find people who will nod in agreement. Making true statements like “homeschoolers are interested in a better education for their kids”, or “Homeschoolers want their kids to spend more time in the community with people of all ages”, would not get the same response.
Related Articles
On Homeschooling and Religion Part 1
On Homeschooling and Religion Part 2
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
*Words a homeschooler Should Know