Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
The Badman Report calls into question the adequacy of the current English law on homeschooling. It asserts: “International comparison suggests that of all countries with highly developed education systems, England is the most liberal in its approach to elective home education.” He mentions Germany, “most European countries” (without specific elaboration), and New Zealand.

The omission of the United States as a comparison is a blatant error when it comes to the subject of home education. There is little doubt that more children are being homeschooled in the United States than in the rest of the world combined.

It is important to note that, just as in England, the United States cannot provide a precise count of the number of children being homeschooled.

If the implication that the inability to give a precise count of the number home educated children was an indicator of educational failure, it should have become apparent in the United States by now. The numbers are simply too great for the problem to have been hidden.

Once the United States is brought into play in the international comparison, it is simply unfair and inaccurate to suggest that England is the most liberal in it is approach to home education regulation. The Education Act of 1996 is similar to some of the older American home education laws.

I’ll be back next time with more on homeschooling in England. I’m Mike Farris.