What's been the worst discrimination you've received because you homeschool?

Question

What's been the worst discrimination you've gotten because you homeschool?

Answer 1

Almost none.  Most people I've met seem genuinely curious about homeschooling and are open to the idea (or at least, not openly hostile about it).  

A school teacher friend of mine thinks it's a viable alternative to traditional school, which I find very inspiring.

Recently I needed a neighbor to watch my kids for me.  During dinner, several disparaging remarks were made about my kids' intelligence and insinuations were made that they never leave the house.

The only person who has openly criticized me for homeschooling is my step-father.  He did it in front of my kids which infuriated me.  His issue was socialization (surprise surprise) and would not listen to a word I said about it.  He even ordered me out of his house when I told him that his opinion didn't matter at all and was not going to change anything LOL.  That was in May of this year; since then, I make sure to mention every time I see him all of the social interaction my kids have with their friends.  He wisely keeps his mouth closed on the subject. :)

Answer 2

Socializing.....but this comes from people who are ignorant and get their education from television. Homeschooled kids have better social skills than public school kids and the only thing my child learns from public school kids is BULLYING, TEASING AND FILTHY LANGUAGE....lol....People try to tell me that it prepares them for the "real world" the abuse by kids, but if they had the brains to know anything then they would know that the years in public school are the worst years and adult life is easier than being in school because you are not forced to be in the same room as ignorants like in school....Dr. Phil did a real nasty program on homeschooled kids. He is an idiot!!

Answer 3

Weird looks and nasty comments are about as bad as it gets here.

Answer 4

The unbelievable amount of criticism from people who have NO CLUE.

For example, people always tell me my kids will be unsocial-one woman told me this while HER CHILD was biting MY child. People are blindly hypocritical in this area, and force their opinions on you by saying you are ruining your children, when.....well, I think if they took a hard look at their own kids, they might have a better grasp on whose child is more likely to be 'ruined'.

I always ask "My kids will be anti-social based on.....what? The way YOUR kid is acting?/Based on what peers tell them they should be?....well, if your child/half the kids who come OUT of public school are any example of "socialization" I think I'm glad we passed on that, but thanks for your concern!"

It's amazing that people really think that SCHOOL is the only place to have real life experiences or the only place that can prepare you for the real world....in fact, it's amazing that people think school can prepare you AT ALL for those things.

So, that is the biggest obstacle-people blindly believing ridiculous stereotypes, even though all the evidence points to the oposite being true

Answer 5

I've had people ask me if I was kicked out of school because I'm homeschooled.  I voluntarily took myself out of the public school system so that I could homeschool.  I wanted to learn twice as fast and at the same time have more time to do other things, like take up the violin.  I already play the sax and I learned by teaching myself.  Now I'm teaching myself the violin.  I will also have time to work full time.  The money that I earn will go towards violin lessons.

Answer 6

Well, since I am handicapped and my siblings were homeschooled too, my doctors don't think that I'm socially involved, Some people say "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you're homeschooled."

Answer 7

Thankfully homeschooling is very popular here so most people know of it and it's not a big deal.  

However, a teen we know tried to get a job in a local fast food place and as soon as the manager found out he was homeschooled he said he wouldn't hire the teen because homeschooled kids are stupid.   Those were his words!

After the mother sent a complaint to the head office the manager was quickly relieved of his duties, a formal apology sent to the teenager and a job was offered.

Answer 8

Well aside from comments made on here, and aside from the whole socialization thing, and aside from my government educated brothers (who are both college drop-outs and stuck living at home because they couldn't handle the real world) being jealous and saying that I'm only homeschooled because I "can't handle real school" or because I'm "a drop-out" or whatever... not that much.

The worst I ever really got in the community was being denied a student discount at the movie theater because my student ID said homeschool on it, and not a "real" highschool name.

Answer 9

I'm sort of new at homeschooling and extremely fortunate to live in an area that is very accpeting of homeschooling.  Our local parks department offers all their buildings and services to us as well as a supportive school system.  Of course we've already received the occasional glare from others in the store[you know that why aren't those kids in school look], but it is usually quickly replaced by a smile when they see my children interact with each other or other patrons.

Unfortunatly, coming from a long line of public school educators, like Terri the worst I've received was from our own family.  After seeing how great the kids are doing they have all calmed down considerably, but those first few weeks were beyond difficult "explaining " our decision to everyone.  Why can't everyone just make the best decision for their family and never mind what someone else decides what's best for theirs!?

Answer 10

Almost none. I hate that some people think home-schooled kids should be separated from school kids and I haven't really experienced that. I have about 37 friend, and only one of them is home-schooled! That is my BFF, so she counts as five or ten, but still. I get along great with my other best friends, and I was voted senior patrol leader in Girl Scouts in my first year, which is basically just a popularity contest. I quit last year, and my friend Marissa who still goes, says that everyone misses me!

Answer 11

I have received some pretty harsh comments from family members...and I've normally responded with questions like, "Did you raise me to be an idiot?"...which generally diffuses the situation.  Funny, how they brag about what a quality education I received, but berate me on how I'm incapable of teaching my own child.

That was the first couple of years...it calmed down over the past year (we're in our 4th year of hs) when they saw that my son is well-read, can carry on an intelligent conversation, is eager to do things alone or with others, and has no serious deficiencies, academically or otherwise.  Basically, I'm not scarring him for life.

The only other discrimination I've received has been on Y!A, where "well-meaning" but ignorant posters continue the never-ending stereotypes about how our kids (who often outperform their age mates) are going to be socially retarded idiots who will never see the outside of the cave they so obviously live in.  Uhhh...ok.  Thanks :-)

Answer 12

Discrimination, none really.

Criticism, do to lack of understanding plenty.

Those are the times if we do not get defensive that we have an awesome opportunity to educate them on what home schooling is, and I find that even though they may be opposed at first , they often look at it a bit different when their questions are answered, and some of the myths debunked.

Answer 13

When people try to say rude things in a 'nice' way like, "Well, you obviously did well with homeschool, but most kids wouldn't be able to cope with such a lack of social interaction," insinuating that I am weird for turning out ok.  Or, my favorite, "But you can't say you didn't miss out on anything.  There is so much stuff you don't even know about because you weren't in school."  Like what?  How to say no to drugs?  I don't need the D.A.R.E. program to help me figure that one out, thanks though.

Answer 14

they say that i'm anti-social

they ask me questions like: "how do you make friends?" or "do you even have any friends?"

they ask me if i'm a bad student so my parents took me out of public school

they ask me how i stay sane...

AND i agree with the answerer above me :)

Answer 15

I have heard that homeschool is sh*t

Answer 16

Just the other day someone asked me why I thought my kids deserved a special education. I assume she thought I homeschooled because I thought we were better than people who go to public school. Although my kids do get a better education at home, I do not think they are better than the children that go to public school, not any better than any other mom thinks about their own kids.

Answer 17

antisocial

Answer 18

Being completely shunned in a class, thought of as a freak by extended family members, and not having access to the educational system I'm paying for.

If I'm paying for the school near me to give music lessons, I think I should be allowed to take the music lessons. Yeah, it's another instrument they need but I'm not taking up a desk, or teacher time, or paper, or bureaucratic hassle.

Still, they leave me alone, I leave them alone.

You learn not to give a **** after a while.

I think the best c**p I've ever gotten was my cousin telling me that I'm sheltering myself from the real world by going to a camp specifically for unschoolers.

I'm a homeschooled atheist libertarian -yeah, bad screen name- and I'm not sure how much more of a minority you can be in. I have to defend every single thing I believe in every single day. My Roman Catholic cousin who lives in a middle-class suburb and goes to public school is accepted wherever he goes. Most people are in the majority, and can just go to any summer camp.

At Not Back To School Camp, we just chill and do stuff the way we're used to doing things, just like at a traditional camp the people there chill and do stuff the way they're used to doing it.

If anything, they're the sheltered ones. But we can't tell them that, that makes us extremist losers.

Answer 19

You mean other than in here? ;)

Actually, I've had it pretty good in the real world. I think the worst I've received was a teacher at a school playground trying to convince me that kids should really be in school for the social aspect (never mind that I'd gone there with my 2 kids plus 3 other homeschooled kids!). I have to say that I get more positive or curious comments more than I get no comment and almost never something negative. It's just soooooooooo common where I live that the general public is getting used to it.

Answer 20

the most harsh criticism and lack of understanding and support has been from family. Yes, those people that are supposed to love and accept.

Actual discrimination comes in the form of our city's unacceptance of homeschooling. As a group of homeschool families, we are not allowed to use city park soccer fields and baseball diamonds for our PE classes (not even during "school hours" when no one is using them) and our children are not eligible for scholarships offered through the chamber of commerce, because they don't go to "real school."

Our school district will not accept parent generated transcripts making it nearly impossible for those that must place their children in the schools for a variety of reasons (unemployment, loss of a parent, all those tragedies are compound by the outright disdain families face when they have to try to enroll their children)

that's just off the top of my head. I'm getting steamed so I better stop now. :/