In a stunning display of the cynical and defeatist output the American public school system manufactures, podcast co-hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan recently went viral for disparaging homeschooling families on their show, “I’ve Had It.¨ They described parents who homeschool their children as “incapable of critically thinking,” and labeled homeschooling itself as “selfish,” and “child abuse.”
The controversy began after a caller on the show complained that she could not “stand these morons attempting to homeschool their children,” and even added, “they probably should not have even had children to start with.”
Unsurprisingly, the podcasters immediately pounced on the topic, focusing on Christians in general. Sullivan remarked, “You would not believe how many people in Bible study homeschool their kids.” She continued, “I mean, I just think homeschooling is a bad idea from soup to nuts. I do not care if you are a nuclear physicist; I think it is just weird as f*** that you want your kids around you all day, every day, and all night.”
At this moment, it was obvious that their issue wasn’t truly with homeschooling. Welch and Sullivan reject the idea of Christian liberty: the idea that parents should have the freedom to educate their children as they best see fit. Sullivan went on, “I would have gotten up on my hands and knees and strapped them to my back and crawled to get them to school every day just to get them where I wasn’t. So, I do not trust somebody who wants to be with their kids 24/7.”
Imagine being that desperate to place a divide between you and your child in such a degrading manner. It is heartbreaking to see mothers horrified when confronted with the idea of being responsible for their families’ well-being. Welch and Sullivan further demoralize the homeschool community, essentially narrowing their assessments down to three major faults: unintelligent students, ineffective education, and selfish parenting.
With these bold claims, here is an analysis of whether the statistics support or debunk these accusations.
1. Examining Homeschooled Students.
It is well known that many stereotypes surround homeschoolers in America. However, a lack of intelligence among either mentors or students has never been one of them.
In fact, on average, homeschool students score higher on the SAT, ACT, and other standardized academic tests than public school counterparts. Furthermore, 62% of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement report that homeschool students outperform those in institutional schools.
Notably, a 2015 study found that Black homeschoolers tend to score 23 to 42 percentile points above Black public school students. Additional data suggests growing success within this community.
The data speaks for itself: homeschoolers consistently outperform public school students on nearly every major metric, and these standards are set by the public education system itself. These findings are clear evidence that homeschooling empowers families to meet their children’s needs and adapt to their individual circumstances.
However, the notion of restoring authority and significance to the home appears to conflict with the ideology presented by Sullivan and Welch.
2. “Homeschool Parenting is Irresponsible/Easy”
Despite the vast gap between reality and the misconceptions promoted by the far-left media, there’s one undeniable fact: homeschooling remains a parental choice.
As of February 2020, an estimated 9 million Americans had experienced homeschooling. Today, approximately 3.4 million homeschool students make up roughly 6% of the nation’s school-age population. Furthermore, this number continues to grow rapidly.
During her segment, Sullivan stated, “I think a lot of dumb people do it because it is just easier, and that is a concern.” Welch agreed, adding, “These are people that fear critical thinking more than anything on the planet.” She continued, “They are incapable of critically thinking. They’re incapable of deduction skills.”
The two women reduced all of home-based education to a single mindset. As Welch put it, “I am a dumba**, so therefore, I am gonna make sure you are a dumba**.”
Yet, homeschooled students’ performance speaks louder than her expletives. If the public schools are truly the sole logical option, why do homeschoolers consistently outperform their peers? In addition, homeschooling is far from a lazy option, but rather requires careful attention, preparation, and training from parents.
Contrary to the podcasters’ claims, homeschool students score above average on academic tests regardless of their parents’ formal education or household income. Research consistently shows that a child’s academic achievement does not depend on whether their parent holds a teaching certification.
3. Choosing to Homeschool is selfish.
Welch commented, “I think it is selfish for parents to push a religion on a child and make them believe just one before they are old enough to hear about all of them or none of them and decide for themselves. I think it is all child abuse, honestly.”
Welch suggests it’s cruel for parents to instill morals, values, and principles in their children, and that caring deeply for your family is somehow the greatest evil.
Welch’s claims about child abuse are especially insulting when considering that homeschool students, statistically, suffer less abuse and neglect than those in conventional schools. In addition, homeschoolers tend to be more politically tolerant than average.
When a parent chooses not to conform to the societal norms of this world and teaches their child to think independently, they develop sharper cognitive and logical skills.
The reality is that many homeschool families selflessly sacrifice convenience and comfort to ensure their children receive a proper education, free from the poison found in the public school system.
Why?
While the hosts of “I Have Had It” seem eager to distance themselves from their children, homeschooling families across the nation are willing to sacrifice much comfort to provide their families with the love, guidance, and education they need.
Choosing independence comes at a cost.
Homeschool parents intentionally disrupt a system that would make it easy to withdraw from parental responsibility. Instead, they refuse to separate themselves from their children’s upbringing. It’s inspiring to witness more families choosing to put their children first.
In short, while media commentators like Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan may use their platform to criticize families across America, homeschoolers should feel proud to exercise their freedoms as well by continuing to embrace a culture of family, faith, and excellence.
*Lijah Ruth Acda is a Young Women for America (YWA) Chapter President in Virginia.
