Comment In my experience (Score 1) 1324
Most states in the US do require homeschool students to meet certain test standards. For instance, in NY, one of the more undfriendly states to homeschooling, we were required to inform our school district of an intent to homeschool. They in turn had to respond by a certain date and inform us what would be required of us if we wished to do so. If they did not respond, or they responded after that date, the homeschool family had no responsibility to interact further with the school district except to inform them of their intent to homeschool when the next year came around. Several of my friends in the next town over had school districts that didn't pay any attention to them. They still took end of the year tests, but chose to use California's tougher standardized tests rather than New York's sadly out of date ones. My school district did take an interest in us, and we took yearly standardized tests with a certified teacher at the end of every school year. Both my sister and I began testing at a post-high school level by the eighth grade.
For those who protest that religious reasons are an unacceptable reason to homeschool your children, I must respectfully disagree. Imagine, if you will, that you live in a society that is ruled by fundamental Islamsics, Hindus, Catholics, Christians, Scientology or anyone else that might attempt to force beliefs and teaching on you or your children that you don't agree with. (They do exist...) Would you not wish to teach your children at home? I believe that the choice to bring a child up with religious training (or non-religious) is still a right. (At least in the US. Correct me if I'm wrong.) I think that in very few instances should the government have the power to tell us how we can live our lives or interact with our family and run our homes. I do think that in cases of physical abuse the law is very clear. But when you start calling down emotional and mental abuse, the accusations are not as clear. The guidelines are much fuzzier. I've heard a lot of people call any kind of religious training brainwashing and abuse. I don't deny that in rare cases it does happen, but I think you ride a very fine line when you attempt to legally condemn an entire worldview.
For those who protest that religious reasons are an unacceptable reason to homeschool your children, I must respectfully disagree. Imagine, if you will, that you live in a society that is ruled by fundamental Islamsics, Hindus, Catholics, Christians, Scientology or anyone else that might attempt to force beliefs and teaching on you or your children that you don't agree with. (They do exist...) Would you not wish to teach your children at home? I believe that the choice to bring a child up with religious training (or non-religious) is still a right. (At least in the US. Correct me if I'm wrong.) I think that in very few instances should the government have the power to tell us how we can live our lives or interact with our family and run our homes. I do think that in cases of physical abuse the law is very clear. But when you start calling down emotional and mental abuse, the accusations are not as clear. The guidelines are much fuzzier. I've heard a lot of people call any kind of religious training brainwashing and abuse. I don't deny that in rare cases it does happen, but I think you ride a very fine line when you attempt to legally condemn an entire worldview.
