Stones Cry Out

Hi Doug,

I respect your decision to homeschool your children, and I'm impressed by anyone who is able to do so. I know a lot of good kids who were homeschooled. While you seem qualified, I simply don't have the background to homeschool my kids, so I believe they're getting a better education in the public schools.

Regarding your post, I don't believe you have a valid point. Statistics continue to show that more children die of gunfire in their own homes than at school. Children who do bring guns to school most often get the guns from home. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/yvfacts.htm

So that's why I don't have a gun in my home. It seems to me that my kids in a public school are safer than a homeschooled child in a home with guns.

Your thoughts?

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, homeschooling is not for everyone. Although, I think more parents could homeschool than do. A "background" really isn't all that necessary. There are so many curricula to choose from, even computer-based ones that do the grading for you, that it takes a lot of the work and worry out of it these days.

The web site you sent didn't, as far as I can tell, mention the percentage of deaths by gunfire at home, vs. school or anywhere else, nor about where guns in school come from. You may be correct in your assertions, but that web page didn't really say. For example, I'd like to see how gang-related deaths contribute to the total. While the school-related deaths are a small percentage, the home-related deaths may be equally as low.

I would also note that when a kid is in a home with no guns, they are safer than in a school with them. Again, the numbers are hard to come by, but I would hazard a guess that most homes in general don't have guns, and thus neither would most homeschool homes. That's just my guess -- could very well be wrong -- but that's the feeling I have. If it's true, then you have a situation where, considering safety only, homeschooling is safer.

Now I will say that my two older children went into public school starting in 9th grade, and are doing just fine. This isn't a blanket condemnation of public school by any means. At the same time, it's not only guns that give public schools problems. I was just noting that this particular item for sale does say something about the safety issue.