Nothing is worth more than this day.
         Goethe

Click here for Part I of this article.

Home Schooling in Name Only
Despite all of the attractions for homeschoolers, virtual charter schools are supporting homeschooling in name only. Parents who enroll their children in these virtual charter schools are actually creating small public schools in their home.

As seen in the Alaska example above, most charter schools will not allow funding to be used to purchase material that is religious in content. Thus, parents that would normally incorporate their faith into their teaching curriculum will only be able to do so at an extra expense to them.

Last week, I talked to a Christian lady who is a teacher in a large ‘brick and mortar" charter school program in Colorado.  She said many Christian families are using the program and enrolling their children in the charter school. I asked her if the teachers could teach the Bible.  She said, “No but we can teach virtues.” I asked if she was allowed to teach the children about salvation and she said, “We are not supposed to.” If you cannot teach the Bible and the children about Jesus, what is the point of Christian education?

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an educational voucher program has been operating for several years.  It has been touted as one of the best examples of a successful government educational program. What many do not realize is that any Christian school that enrolls students who are using the government vouchers must comply with over 300 additional regulations.  Two of the requirements even prohibit the Christian school from mandating that these children with vouchers attend chapel or Bible class!

 Is this compromise worth it? If we turn our back on Jesus Christ and His command to proclaim the gospel simply for government money, how much longer will God withhold His judgment?  

 Homeschool parents originally fought to be separate from the public schools in order to have the right to choose the curriculum that they believe would be best for their child. Parents removed their children from the public school system because of the non-christian curriculum. So why would they want to go back to the same humanistic material? But this is happening with homeschoolers who enroll in charter schools or public school programs for homeschooling.

With little power in choosing the curriculum, parents in charter schools also face limited ability to incorporate creative teaching methods. The specific curriculum requirements often demand parents to 'stick to the schedule' dictated by the public school, rather than use creativity in complimenting their child's learning style.

HSLDA members who have participated in virtual charter schools complain of this very thing. As one California homeschooler shared:

"Having been in a car accident and having been limited in my physical capabilities, I found myself not as able of getting my kids out as much as I felt they needed. Home educating independently for 3 years I was reluctant to try a charter school but I thought, "How bad could it be? I'd have access to educational materials and my children would have an opportunity to meet other home educated children." At first it was exciting, though enrolling was very institutional. Then it came time to meeting with a teacher. We sat and talked and I stated that I had been home educating independently for 3 years and was not interested in meeting weekly and that I would bring their work in monthly as they are required to turn in work at least monthly. That worked out great the first month. The next month however the teacher wanted to plan out what we'd be doing for the following month. After being independent I was not interested in being told what my kids would be learning, so we agreed we'd do the work we wanted and would write up the plans retrospectively. This was not ideal but do-able since the kids enjoyed the Monday co-op (classes) and fieldtrips.”

"The next time we met, I took the kid's work but left the children behind. I never read or signed anything stating that my children had to be present. To me, turning in the work was the requirement. It soon became apparent that the teachers were required to talk to the children at these visits and assess them not only on their academics, but also on their physical appearance...looking for signs of abuse and/or neglect at their discretion. I had gotten so used to living my own life and had forgotten just how involved the government is in the lives of families enrolled in public schools.”

 “ Make no doubt about it, a charter school is a public school...it's homeschooling in technical term only. Enrolling in a charter school will give you more freedom than the traditional public schools, but still strips you of the independent responsibility of educating our own children. It is still an institution, which believes we need interference from trained government agents that we are incapable of educating our own children.”

"The principal was very eager to work with me, bending the many rules. I appreciated her efforts greatly. However, I found that we were limited in what we would learn and forced to learn in the "one size fits all" methods of the schools in which I desperately avoid. It's my opinion also that charter schools try very hard to embrace all philosophies of home education; however, they are still run by "government agents" paid to spy on us, and dictate our parenting and educational skills. They still work under the framework of the "one size fits all" mind set, and some teachers forcefully dictate (assign) the work. We found ourselves so consumed in getting the work done that my children were not retaining any of the subjects. It was simply a race to get it done and turned in, stereotypical of schools. To me academic work should be savored to allow them to retain it and enjoy it.”

"In a charter school we found that the kids are still categorized by age, they maintained their institutional mindset. "You're this age, in this grade, you should be doing this or that." "You're in fifth grade, oh you need to be studying American history, ancient history's next year." I found this train of thought to be very limiting. Charter schools are still public schools, which are basically training kids to do well on standardized tests. Their first priority is their precious ADA; they want their $4,000 per child. Secondly, they still program the children for taking standardized tests to get good results, typical of schools."

This homeschooler shared further that when she finally tried to remove her children from the charter school program, she was contacted repeatedly by Child Welfare Services demanding that she place her children in school!

Is government money worth it? Are not these the types of controls we cast off with much sacrifice and risk in the 1980’s?  Are we willing forge new chains to limit our liberty?

Most homeschool parents want to be free to educate their children without this kind of government oversight.

Top Education Officials Have Warned Against Vouchers
Although we differ from the philosophy of many of the former Federal secretaries of education, their statements are valuable since they evidence the intent behind government funding of private education. Lamar Alexander, former Secretary of Education under George Bush explained the transformation of private education that was publicly funded when he said:“ a public school would become any school that receives students who brought with them public monies . . .^[i]

Former U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, had strong reservations about vouchers and government funding of private education. No doubt, his reason for opposing government funding of private education was mainly to protect the current public school system, but he has some interesting warnings for private schools:

You have to be accountable with public tax dollars . . . when it comes to taking federal tax dollars and giving those to parents and then having the absence of accountability as far as their children’s education . . . If you have accountability, then you lose the private and parochial nature of those schools . . . It’s bad, we think, for private schools and parochial schools. It takes away from them the private and parochial strength, which is being totally free from any federal regulations . . .^[ii]

[Vouchers] threaten the very nature of private and parochial schools. It makes them less private and less ^{parochial. [iii]}

Chester Finn Jr., former Assistant Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan, declared how government controls were inevitable: “There is no doubt in my mind that there will be some new regulations with voucher ^{plans.” [iv]}

If the highest public school bureaucrats in the nation recognize the loss of freedom to government funded private education how can we deny it?

The Experience of Other Nations
Other nations have experienced the effects of government funding. Private education has almost completely disappeared.

For example, in Australia, over 10 years, private school and Christian schools took more and ore government funds. The regulations gradually increased until the difference between public schools and private schools is non-existent. Homeschooling in Australia is the last bastion of educational freedom.

In South Africa, in 1996 their new National Education Act was passed that officially transformed all publicly funded private schools into public schools.

In Alberta, Canada homeschoolers enjoyed more liberty than almost all of the other provinces. Then several years ago, legislation was passed giving homeschoolers $500 per child in government funds. The very next year, one of the most regulatory legislative bills was passed, implementing restrictions on homeschoolers.  When asked why, the Minister of Education stated that if they were giving money to homeschoolers they had to know who they are and have certain standards.  These regulations apply to all homeschoolers—not only those who receive the government funding.

Many European countries have experienced similar scenarios.

 
Charter Schools Increase Government Spending on Education
Charter school proponents claim that the resulting competition between educational providers will drive education costs down, while increasing the quality of education offered.

Charter schools do not charge tuition, but are funded according to their enrollment. Charter school students may be eligible for state and federal funding. There are over 5.5 million children who do not attend public schools in this country. If these children suddenly began using money from the state's treasury for their schooling, taxes would have to be raised to generate the additional revenue. It is highly unlikely that public schools would reduce their budgets in order to provide funds for private schools. Today, non-public school parents are being double taxed-they pay tuition for both public school children and their own children. With vouchers these parents would be triple taxed. In addition to footing the bill for their own children's tuition, they would pay for the public school students and the students participating in charter schools.

Alaska's I.D.E.A. program serves as a good example of the increase in government spending. According to Eddy Jeans, Finance Director at the Alaska Department of Education, Galena School District received $15,020,053 in state funds for fiscal year 2000. Of this amount, $14,093,136, or $4,104 per pupil, was received for the 3,434 students in I.D.E.A. The balance of the funds in the amount of $926,917 was intended for the 226 students who receive classroom instruction as regular on-site students.

Each student enrolled in I.D.E.A. receives an allotment averaging $1,600 per year to cover curriculum and related expenses. Considering the $4,104 per pupil received from the state, Galena School District enjoys a gross profit of over $2,500 per pupil in I.D.E.A. for a total of $8,585,000 for fiscal year 2000. What amount of this profit is reduced by I.D.E.A. administrative expenses is unknown, but there is no question that this is a moneymaking enterprise for Galena School District.

In Texas, a two-year pilot virtual charter school is being established. The money -- potentially $2.5 million -- would flow to a secular homeschool program founded in 1999 by William J. Bennett, K12 Education Co. (K12 is also operating virtual charter school programs in Pennsylvania and Colorado). It would receive the tax dollars as a subcontractor to Houston Gateway Academy, a charter school. The homeschool component of Gateway Academy, called Texas Virtual Charter School, will serve students in kindergarten, first and second grades. By September 26, 2001, the virtual charter school has so far enrolled about 300 in central and southeast Texas, including Houston and Austin. The virtual charter school could receive $5,000 for each homeschooled student. Yet surveys show the average cost for a homeschool program is only about $450. This sounds like a major waste of our tax dollars.

Let’s Choose Freedom
Government schools are failing everywhere. They are not providing students with the moral training necessary in any society, and students continue to fall short of academic standards. Why would homeschool parents wish to support this system by accepting funding to participate in it?

In spite of the enticements offered by charter schools, parents should realize that charter school programs are simply creating little public schools in our homes. The teaching may take place in a private home, but the government is pulling the strings.

The soul of homeschooling has its foundation built on the incredible sacrifices of many parents who risked all in order to win the right to be free from suffocating government control and to be free to teach their children according to God’s ways and in obedience to His commands. God honors those who honor Him and who trust in His sovereign love and power.

We do not need the government’s “free” money.
The price is too high.  

[i].  Friesen, Lynda, “Vouchers: Free Ride or Hidden Trap?” Home School Court Report, July/August 1992, p.4.
[ii]. Riley, Richard, U.S. Secretary of Education during a September 20, 1995 radio interview, The Diane Rehm Show, National Public Radio
[iii]. Riley, Richard, U.S. Secretary of Education, “Third Annual State  of American Education Address,” Maplewood-Richmond Heights Senior High School; St. Louis, Missouri; February 28, 1996.
[iv]. Miller, John J., “Opting Out,” The New Republic, November 30, 1992, p.13.