I love homeschooling. I’m a huge advocate of the lifestyle. But when you scope the landscape, there are some glaring problems.
For one, it’s lily white in here.
I’ve rarely met a black homeschooling family. I know they’re out there. There’s the National Black Home Educators, and Black Homeschoolers Magazine, and there are rumors that the number of black homeschoolers is growing rapidly. But there are no hard numbers, and even less anecdotal evidence in my personal experience.
I threw out a query to a homeschool group on Facebook 21,100 strong. I was looking for black homeschooling families of whom I could ask a few questions. I got one response, from a Hispanic mom echoing my concerns and letting me know how lonely a road it can be as a minority homeschooler.
This being the week we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. has me pondering. Maybe things aren’t as equal and unified as we’d like to think.
I subscribe to a homeschool magazine, close to 200 pages in each issue. It’s the industry standard. I thumbed through this latest copy. I found one black boy – a cartoon character; one black mother; and a brown gingerbread man. Of the 17 staffers, not one minority is represented.
I can see, from the outside looking in, why blacks and other minority groups would second-guess joining our ranks.
I’m encouraged when I hear that more and more black families are jumping on the bandwagon. But if they’re joining, and I’m not seeing them represented in my magazines, support groups and meetings, then we’re going down the segregation route again. Why do we always go down this road?
It is my hope that within this burgeoning movement, we won’t grow apart but rather grow toward one another, creating something unified and diverse.
While living in central Tennessee, I had an experience I still regret. Eating out in the middle of a school day there was a black family in the restaurant. As is often the case, when a homeschool mom is out while school is in session and sees another mom with kids, you eye each other, wondering. Sometimes you have the nerve to ask, “Do you homeschool?” Sometimes you just walk away. I didn’t ask. I should have made a connection, but I didn’t.
In honor of Dr. King – whom I truly revere – I vow not to allow another opportunity like that pass. Even if they aren’t homeschoolers, maybe I’ll get a chance to forge a new bridge.
You can always dream.
Do you know any minority families that homeschool?
Tell us in the comments.
Meredith Phillips
6:22 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
I think you are ignoring a significant socioeconomic factor, that homeschooling is an upper-middle-class luxury for families with two parents in residence who can afford to have one parent not working outside the home. It's almost like you are whining, Gee, I wish there were more blacks in my country club....
Andrea McKenzie
8:07 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Interesting judgment, considering you don't know me. I'll just say that my husband and I live on what the government considers below poverty level. We make huge sacrifices to live this lifestyle. Believe me, it's not a luxury.
Meredith Phillips
8:42 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Touche. However, you can't ignore that: "According to the [census] bureau’s estimates, the number of black children living with two parents was ... 38 percent in 1990 and 35 percent in 2004. In 2007, the latest year for which data is available, it was 40 percent." (NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/us/17census.html). With more than half of the black population growing up in single-parent households, it's naive to expect to see more blacks represented in home schooling populations. Nice that you want diversity, but naive. For the record this is the poverty level: The 2011 Poverty Guidelines for the
48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
Persons in family Poverty guideline
1 $10,890
2 14,710
3 18,530
4 22,350
5 26,170
6 29,990
7 33,810
8 37,630
For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,820 for each additional person.
psam ordener
9:42 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
I talked to a Black mom I met on a field trip. She said that it was really hard for her to leave the school system since her parents had fought so hard for her to be allowed to go to integrated schools. She thought there was a greater pressure on Black families to follow the norm and not be "other". Interesting. But, her child was thriving at home, and had been dying at school. One of her white neighbors was homeschooling and talked her into it "just for a month or two; if it doesn't work, he can always go back to school." Three years later he was at the museum on a field trip and clearly had friends in the group.
My son is grown now so this was probably ten years ago. I'm sure there are more homeschoolers of color now.
Andrea McKenzie
9:57 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
What an encouraging story, Psam. Thank you so much for sharing!
Phyllis Nelson
10:43 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Andrea, I can understand your observations, but I do not know of any closed homeschool support groups. We homeschooled our two from start to finish-they are now 20 and 23. Doing very well I might add. Throughout the years we did have a few black families come through-usually military-so transient. I can think of two right now in the area that I am friends with. Also, last year many of us were involved in letter writing and supporting MaryAnn Godboldo in Detroit who had her daughter unjustly taken away from her. This is a link to the FB pg we followed the case on. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-Maryanne-Godboldo/178678602179610 What I am saying is please do not give the impression that the community of homeschoolers is closed because it is not. People choose to do what they want and I know from experience the tremendous pressure society puts on those of us that choose this alternative, to not homeschool. The pressure may be even more intense in the black community.
For those that seem to know so much about those that homeschool-financial status, etc, here is a link that has information about the largest study ever done on this movement. http://www.nheri.org/Research-Facts-on-Homeschooling.html
Andrea McKenzie
10:50 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
I have never seen any purposeful exclusion. I was just looking around me in a philisophical way, trying to see how it looks from the outside. I can see how minorities would think that we MIGHT be exclusionary when in reality, I think we'd be very accepting. Sometimes perception can be our worst enemy! If we don't talk about it, it will never change. Thanks for your insight, Phyllis. I'm so glad to hear from a trailblazer such as yourself!
Phyllis Nelson
10:47 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
We sacrificed to homeschool and most I know do. I choose to have a home based business rather than pursuing a career outside of the home. Many just live smaller on a single income. Homeschoolers come in so many different shapes, sizes and situations. We know single moms and single dads doing it, but it means sacrifice. A most worthwhile sacrifice. Home educators are committed to all parents having the right and responsibility of directing their childrens' education. Freedom of choice for everyone.
Michelle Tracy
11:30 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
I'm just curious how a single mom or dad with no inherited money or monetary support from another individual, would go about homeschooling successfully? I can't fathom what we could possibly sacrifice that would make this a viable endeavor...
Andrea McKenzie
11:55 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Michelle,
I hear you. It's incredibly difficult. There are resources within the community to help, such as this http://www.homeschoolfoundation.org/index.php?id=5, and this page with 105 links to resources that can help a single parent homeschool http://singleparenthomeschool.christianhomeeducation.org/resources.html
(Just a heads up, this is overtly Christian.) But you are right; I can't imagine the hardship.
latl
6:14 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
I am a black homeschooler. Our homeschool community is inviting. It is true that many black homeschoolers do not participate in groups, but this is their choice. One cannot assume that a group is uninviting if one does not attempt to be a part of the group. In my opinion becoming a homeschooler isn't considered 'joining the ranks' of whites since this is how generations before us were taught.
John Yannacci, Sr.
7:10 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
I don't understand what the heck the problem is. If you're schooling your kid at home, what do you care what other people are doing? This is much ado about nothing.
Charles
9:25 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
You know I read this and you wonder where the black homeschoolers are? Is this a real article or is this like the onion?
It is your choice that you chose to raise your kids this way.
However, you do know that they will be forever teased and made fun of, they will always be the funny religous kids that were home schooled.
It is your choice but your kids probably hate it.