What happens if you don't let your kids go to school?

Question

What would happen if a parent were to decide to "homeschool" their children but they never taught them anything? They just left the children at home and went to work like usual everyday.

If by 12th grade the kids couldn't comprehend basic concepts over kindergarten level, would anything happen? Would the parents get in trouble or are they allowed to do whatever they like?

Answer 1

In the UK, if you just don't send your children to school, then you can suffer a fine and even jail.  it is a criminal offence.  You can of course home school, and I assume someone checks up that it is done properly!  I guess it might be harder to spot a non home-schooled child who was not taught, but I am sure if there were a phone call to the local education authority - even anonymous - they would be obliged to follow it up.  In many ways it is a human rights issue.  Youngsters are entitled to expect an education as that provides them with teh tools to care for themselves and support themselves.  In the UK we also havepolice who do a sort of truant patrol - if they spot school age children in teh town centre, for example, they will approach them to find why they are not at school.  Local schools in turn let the police know if there are activities that take the children into school.

Most parents would not do awful things to their children - but unfortunately some will - in the papers this morning a man who had locked away his daughter for 25 years in the basement (alive!)  So sometimes the community has to watch out for youngsters' welfare.  better to be nosy and wrong than ignore something like that for decades.

Answer 2

Frankly the only way any child could reach 12th grade and be at a kindergarten level would be if they were were mentally retarded, and I mean that literally. Any normal child will learn A LOT simply by living in the world and plenty have gone on to university after never having had a single formal lesson in their life.

I suggest you read up on informal / autonomous / unschooling. "How Children Learn at Home" by Thomas & Pattison is a very good book describing research done into how informal learning works.

p.s. In the UK the Local Authority has no right to monitor home education and truancy patrols only have the right to detain children who are registered at a school and absent without permission, their powers very specifically do NOT apply to children who are home educated.

Answer 3

I would assume it would be considered educational neglect. The child  would probably take it upon them self to go to an adult literary class but if a child has not taken an interest in the world around them already there are serious issues that the school system couldn't even fix.

Dave S - Home school looks very different from public school. My son only reads 30 min a day. He finishes a 100 page chapter book in that time because the books he chooses to read are to easy for him. They are three grade levels above where he is placed and 4-5 years ahead of where he should be. I don't stress that he spends 30 minuets reading. His reading covers science and social studies.

He spends about 5 - 15 minuets on the new math program he has. Hopefully this one works well for him if not he's still ahead level for his age. If it does work for him he'll be at least two years ahead of his grade at the end of this coming year and continuing that pattern.

Anyone looking at us is probably like OMG he does 35-45 minuets of work. How is he learning anything? The rest of the day he's asking us questions about the books he's read, playing educational video games, asking us why? for any little thing that pops into his head, watching educational movies and learning anything that interests him. I have to complete 900 hours with him a year. If I take out his sports he plays for PE that leaves 2 hours a day, every day, 365 days a year. Yes, I consider a day of discussions of why this video game character falls when you do x an educational day because we usually spin off into gravity, animation, art or game physics.          

I really do wish I lived in a state with no testing or record keeping because it is hard not just on the parents but on the kids too because scope and sequence is so diffrent.

Answer 4

It's impossible.

You have to file as a homeschooler, you don't just pull your kids out of school. Just pulling your kids out of school would mean you weren't educating them and would result in child abuse charges.

Answer 5

smiley, your wrong. In Michigan there are no regulations, no yearly plan, no standardized tests,  NOTHING. I know some1 who his parents ( for no reason ) will not let him go to school and the only thing he does is reads a book for 20 min a day.  So it does happen.

Answer 6

I don't know where you're from, but most places now require parents to file a general plan at the start of the year, and  a report at the end stating what was done. On top on that, the studenst still have to take standardized tests to prove they are up to standards.

If you suspect someone is not teching their kids, report anonymously to family/community services, and they'll look into it for the welfare of the child.

Answer 7

In most states, there is an anual evaluation, or an evaluation at certain grade levels (3, 6, 8, 10, or something) to check a student's progress. Some states do not regulate homeschooling, but anyone can report a case of child neglect, and if you are leaving your children at home unsupervised all day at a young age, that is neglect regardless of what schooling is going on. Typically though, most parents who decide to homeschool do in fact have their child's best interests in mind and at heart. And they tend to do an excellent job facilitating the child's education. This is not to say that there aren't bad people in the world however. Child abuse/neglect can happen in any family, homeschooled or not, but when that is the case it is usually caught and yes, the parents would have the law to deal with.

Answer 8

I found your word choice, let, to be odd.  Most people force their kids to go to school, and homeschoolers allow them not to go.  

I really think you are giving school too much credit.  You'd be amazed what kids can learn on their own.  Of course they do need a rich environment to really thrive.  

Leaving a child (under age 10) home alone would be child neglect and is a crime.  And probably for 8 hour days, 5 days a week, they should at least be a teen.  

As for comprehending concepts, if by age 17/18 a person can't get kindergarten level, well something did stunt their brain development.  There are very few things things that have a critical period, so they should be able to catch up quickly.  At 18 a person should be able to understand more than a 5 year old regardless of formal education.

Unfortunately even public schools have kids who graduate with the skills of a kindergartener.  The schools don't get punished, they just get low ratings.

:D

Answer 9

It is possible, but most children enjoy learning and will continue to learn regardless, but as to what level they would get to I don't know.

It is very possible that this may be happening somewhere, but most parents who choose to homeschool because they care and want their children to learn.

In a case like you are talking about most likely someone in the community would notice and call the authorities for investigation.

Answer 10

Your just being hypothetical, parents wouldn't do that.

Annissa is wrong, parents can pull their kids out of school without filing in many states.  The school let my kid get abused/bullied, so we left.  The principle said I didn't need to write a letter or call anyone. My kids are smart and are only in elementary school, so I'm glad I don't need to keep accurate records.  The decision to take them out was quick and very necessary.   Look up the rules for different states at          http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Dave S,...I doubt your friend does that every week.  He might of been giving himself spring break early or just making a joke.  His mother probably only works part-time.  Was he under 10 years old?  You don't know if he was finished  with his other subjects early and his parents wanted to see him write a good essay on a book. Maybe homeschooling is new for them, but he can't be at school, the 1st year is an adjustment. Some kids finish their Online school work early.  Smart kids are teaching themselves at home better.  Who doesn't have internet, libraries and bookstores, workbooks can be bought, too.