is homeschooling child abuse?

[Blue3]

My cousin has been "homeschooled" after having a nervous breakdown in 9th grade, and that part of our family definitely isn't rich.

[Blue3]

It is something for the economically privileged.

You mean middle class, right?  Because every home school application I notarize is for the middle class.

They can be middle class on one income?

For my cousin's case, it means self-teaching. Neither of her parents home-schooled her. The state told them the requirements and tests that must be passed to advance to the next "grade."



And yes, plenty of people are middle-class on one income. I know people who the mom of 3 kids was just a cable technican, and the dad stayed at home. I know of a prison guard who's wife was laid off, also 3 kids, and she decided to stay at home even after unemployment insurance ended. I know someone else with 2 kids where the mom didn't work until the youngest turned 6, and the dad was computer troubleshooter/technician. Etc.

[Blue3]

It is something for the economically privileged.

You mean middle class, right?  Because every home school application I notarize is for the middle class.

They can be middle class on one income?

For my cousin's case, it means self-teaching. Neither of her parents home-schooled her. The state told them the requirements and tests that must be passed to advance to the next "grade."



And yes, plenty of people are middle-class on one income. I know people who the mom of 3 kids was just a cable technican, and the dad stayed at home. I know of a prison guard who's wife was laid off, also 3 kids, and she decided to stay at home even after unemployment insurance ended. I know someone else with 2 kids where the mom didn't work until the youngest turned 6, and the dad was computer troubleshooter/technician. Etc.

How much do these people make? Where do they live? The one family I know on one income is where the husband is a doctor. I know that if I had to support myself and two or more other people on my income, which is above average, it would be stretched tight. I cannot afford to buy a single family house in DC, that is for sure.

First case: $45,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Second case: $40,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Third case, $50,000, suburban/rural-ish Connecticut.

[Blue3]

It is something for the economically privileged.

You mean middle class, right?  Because every home school application I notarize is for the middle class.

They can be middle class on one income?

For my cousin's case, it means self-teaching. Neither of her parents home-schooled her. The state told them the requirements and tests that must be passed to advance to the next "grade."



And yes, plenty of people are middle-class on one income. I know people who the mom of 3 kids was just a cable technican, and the dad stayed at home. I know of a prison guard who's wife was laid off, also 3 kids, and she decided to stay at home even after unemployment insurance ended. I know someone else with 2 kids where the mom didn't work until the youngest turned 6, and the dad was computer troubleshooter/technician. Etc.

How much do these people make? Where do they live? The one family I know on one income is where the husband is a doctor. I know that if I had to support myself and two or more other people on my income, which is above average, it would be stretched tight. I cannot afford to buy a single family house in DC, that is for sure.

First case: $45,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Second case: $40,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Third case, $50,000, suburban/rural-ish Connecticut.

A person making $50,000 a year and paying 25% tax has $37,500 annual take home pay... That much would not be enough to qualify as middle class here. One big difference between Connecticut and where I live is home price. In Connecticut, the average home price $243,000, which translates into about $14,880 payments on a 30-year mortgage. In the DC area it is about twice that. A person making $50,000 annually here would be spending about 80% of her take home income on the average home. Obviously out of reach.

Household income of $50,000 is too high to be "middle class" to you? Especially when you have 2 kids and a spouse?

Middle class is $20,000-120,000/year per household to me.

There's still my other examples too.



And why are you implying that if it can't happen with that income in DC (though I bet it could), then it doesn't count?

[Blue3]

It is something for the economically privileged.

You mean middle class, right?  Because every home school application I notarize is for the middle class.

They can be middle class on one income?

For my cousin's case, it means self-teaching. Neither of her parents home-schooled her. The state told them the requirements and tests that must be passed to advance to the next "grade."



And yes, plenty of people are middle-class on one income. I know people who the mom of 3 kids was just a cable technican, and the dad stayed at home. I know of a prison guard who's wife was laid off, also 3 kids, and she decided to stay at home even after unemployment insurance ended. I know someone else with 2 kids where the mom didn't work until the youngest turned 6, and the dad was computer troubleshooter/technician. Etc.

How much do these people make? Where do they live? The one family I know on one income is where the husband is a doctor. I know that if I had to support myself and two or more other people on my income, which is above average, it would be stretched tight. I cannot afford to buy a single family house in DC, that is for sure.

First case: $45,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Second case: $40,000, suburban Rhode Island.
Third case, $50,000, suburban/rural-ish Connecticut.

A person making $50,000 a year and paying 25% tax has $37,500 annual take home pay... That much would not be enough to qualify as middle class here. One big difference between Connecticut and where I live is home price. In Connecticut, the average home price $243,000, which translates into about $14,880 payments on a 30-year mortgage. In the DC area it is about twice that. A person making $50,000 annually here would be spending about 80% of her take home income on the average home. Obviously out of reach.

Household income of $50,000 is too high to be "middle class" to you? Especially when you have 2 kids and a spouse?

Middle class is $20,000-120,000/year per household to me.

And why are you implying that if it can't happen with that income in DC (though I bet it could), then it doesn't count?

No I'm saying it's too low to be middle class. Your other examples are even lower. $20,000 is not middle class, that's poor.

I'm just relating my own experience. I'm not saying it can't happen, just that it's unusual and unlikely. The average family household making $50,000 in the DC area is not middle class.

In the cases of homeschooling I know, this is the average income.

[Blue3]

glad to have established that a clear majority of Atlas users support abusing children by forcing them to disengage with their peers and live a life of cold isolation when learning to build social networks face to face is a vital component still in development

it is funny to note how people equate abuse with future failure - while it certainly makes integrating into society more difficult, it doesn't necessarily make future outcomes worse. sexual assault victims can go on to lead perfectly normal, healthy lives, too. but the scars remain.

parents are perfectly capable of helping their children with their homework and being teachers in that way after they have come home from school. they are also able to influence public curriculum if they so choose.

there is nothing admirable about possibly handicapping a child's socialisation skillset

Socialization can happen outside school. In fact, with homeschooling, it's probably more likely to happen outside school with the more flexible schedule.

Homeschooling might also be best for children who are naturally introverted. Introversion is a good thing, not a disease to be stamped-out like left-handedness.

Or for those like my cousin, who developed such social anxiety in high school she would have dropped out completely if not for homeschooling.