Today I sent this letter to the editorial board of Harvard Magazine.
Dear Harvard Magazine,
Thinking people take objection to the implications in your article, The Risks of Homeschooling. Harvard has been considered the epitome of prestigious and elite higher education until the past couple years, and unfortunately, this article heralds this. Not only are many of the comments in your article false, you have not cited sources so that people can look this information up for themselves. In fact, when I look up the same arguments, I find the opposite of what you have said is true. Are you trying to use the prestige of an Ivy League school to enforce false propaganda on the masses who, frankly, feel quite differently?
As one of America’s most prestigious schools, you should be doing your best to inspire an atmosphere of freedom in learning and patriotism. America is the greatest country on earth. Our founding fathers changed the world when they developed our Constitution and Bill of Rights, allowing common people to have a say in their government and granting them their God-given rights. It is a gift that has to be protected, because there are many villains in this world who would crush the Constitution simply because they love power more than people. Many schools promote anti-American sentiments, whereas homeschooling families tend to be more active in the government, more learned in our history, and more appreciative of our Constitution.
You are concerned that states don’t regulate homeschooling enough. Harvard, you say you are concerned about this because homeschoolers might have a lack of education or will be kept in abusive homes. You’ve even cited a source for this, the memoir Educated, By Tara Westover. However, you cited one person. Not a study. If you look at the statistics, you will see that in general homeschoolers do better on tests than children who attend school, and that homeschoolers “are doing well, typically above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development (Ray, “Research”).” If homeschoolers lived in abusive homes, this would not be the case. Tara Westover’s up-bringing is an “isolated case of a family that slipped through the cracks (O’Donnell, “The Risks”).”
The practice of homeschooling does not isolate children, either. Many homeschoolers are more involved in their communities than children who go to public school, including, but not limited to, attending church and youth group, serving within their communities, participating in sports and scouting troops, etc. Plus, many homeschoolers participate in co-ops, which allows them to see people and participate in educational and enrichment classes. Because homeschoolers are not trapped in a set schedule, they can do more, learn more, and actually visit the places they learn about. Homeschoolers are, most assuredly, not isolated (Klicka, Chris, “Socialization:”).
You also state that one of the reasons homeschooling should be banned is because, “… A majority of such families… …are driven by conservative Christian beliefs (O’Donnell, “The Risks”).” Are you discriminating against Christians? To ban homeschooling because many homeschoolers are Christians is a violation of the First Amendment. As for your comments that we “question science and promote female subservience and white supremacy (O’Donnell, “The Risks”),” please share where you got your information. It is false. Homeschooling is growing among people of all ethnic groups (Ray, “Research”). Homeschoolers also tend to be more tolerant of different viewpoints (Tuccille, J.D. “Homeschooling”) and more exposed to “democratic values, ideas about nondiscrimination and tolerance of other people’s viewpoints (O’Donnell, “The Risks”)” than kids who go to public schools (Ray, “Research”).
Finally, where would the rights of parents towards their children go? To the government? One need only to look at the last century to realize this doesn’t work. It’s a dangerous ideology, one that Hitler himself would approve and applaud you for. Bartholet’s quote, “I think it’s always dangerous to put powerful people in charge of the powerless, and to give the powerful ones total authority (O’Donnell, “The Risks”),” could very well apply to the government far more truthfully than to parents.
So I ask you, what is your true concern about homeschooling? Your article leads me to believe that it is because many of those who homeschool hold a different worldview than you. The claims you cited in your article are unsubstantiated, and that is an embarrassment to Harvard University. Many people wouldn’t be gravitating towards homeschooling if the public school system hadn’t failed. Harvard, you were founded as a Christian university, and you have fallen a long way since then. Articles like this one continue to show that you have become more of an “agenda driven” school rather than one that wishes to teach the truth.
Sincerely,
Kenna Hartian
Christian, Homeschooled teenager, precinct committeewomen.
Works Cited:
Klicka, Chris. Socialization: Homeschoolers Are in the Real World. HSLDA, Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2007, hslda.org/content/docs/nche/000000/00000068.asp.
O’Donnell, Erin. The Risks of Homeschooling. Harvard Magazine, Harvard, 17 Apr. 2020, harvardmagazine.com/2020/05/right-now-risks-homeschooling.
Ray, Brian D. Research Facts on Homeschooling. National Home Education Research Institute, NHERI, 23 Mar. 2020, www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/.
Slatter, Ian. New Nationwide Study Confirms Homeschool Academic Achievement. HSLDA, Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2009, hslda.org/content/docs/news/200908100.asp.
Tuccille, J.D. Homeschooling Produces Better-Educated, More-Tolerant Kids. Politicians Hate That. Reason.com, Reason, 22 Jan. 2019, reason.com/2019/01/22/homeschooling-produces-better-students/.
Wow!! Well spoken, well researched, well done, Kenna! I am proud of your ability to stand firm in your convictions and write a well written rebuttal to Harvard’s comments.
Very proud of you!
Love, Kim
Thank you so much Mrs. Lacognata! Miss you guys!
Kenna,
That was fantastic I am so proud of you for sending this and taking a stand! I had no idea about your blog etc…
Way to go! Miss seeing you each week!
Mrs. Polito
Thank you so much Mrs. Polito! I miss seeing you too!
Kenna I am SO PROUD of you for doing this!! You have obviously done some excellent research, and you stepped out in faith and wrote to one of the biggest-named schools in the world!! You are awesome and a huge inspiration. I miss you so much!!
Thank you so much Holly! I miss you too!
Great article! I thought of three more points you could add… There are various cases of children attending public school WITH multiple referrals to DCFS and yet nothing was done for them. If the state/city/county can’t take care of the kids that are already “under their care” why would they want to add more children to their watch? Also, the increased police violence against public school students for minor infractions. Finally, each state dictates what they want to require from homeschoolers. Some states require a lot and some don’t even require a homeschooling family to notify them. That is up to the states, they can change it if they want to. Many families have tried to get Tebow laws passed in their states that would allow their children the ability to attend public school for extracurriculars and possibly sports. Many states have denied these requests repeatedly. If the state was really concerned with oversight or being able to check on the children’s well-being, I would think they would be more open to something like this, but they’re not. Just my two cents.
Thank you Marie! Those are great points, and it just goes to show that it really isn’t about the welfare of children; they would rather have it regulated so no opposing worldviews are shared.
Well written, Kenna- quite impressive. Harvard is assuming a one size fits all approach of encroaching on the freedom of the masses in order to keep a small sliver of the population safe. Incidentally, I wonder what is the percentage of reported abuse within homeschooling families as compared to the percentage of reported abuse reported within public schools, especially among the disabled populations? I am not criticizing public schools, but rather pointing out that cases of abuse happen in just about every sort of environment. Obviously, abuse in ANY environment is unacceptable and needs addressing. I wonder- what might be a solution for protecting children from abuse whose families use “homeschooling” as a ruse for control rather than providing an actual education, but that would not encroach on the freedoms of those who actually do homeschool? For example, consider the Turpin family case. Both matter- protecting the innocent and protecting our freedoms. Well written rebuttal, in any case, to Harvard’s lack of consideration for parental choice and freedom.
Thank you Mrs. Marciniak! I don’t think Harvard really cares as much about the purported abuse as much as what type of worldview the majority of homeschoolers hold. It’s true, though that abuse happens in all environments and that it needs to be addressed no matter what the environment is.
Multiple people have actually mentioned abuse in public schools to me; I feel sorry for anyone who is abused. That would be awful.
Great job Kenna!
Well written & your passionate heart comes through.
The last thing they want is intelligent, well-informed Christians like you who are bold & brave enough to make their voice heard….so keep it up!
Way to stand up for truth!
Love,
Mrs. Michaels
Thank you, Mrs. Michaels!
Bravo, Kenna!!
🙂
Kenna, I don’t know you, but someone you know shared it (Mrs. Polito). You are very well versed and your letter so well articulated. You, and your ‘teachers’ should be so proud. I look forward to reading Harvard’s reply. It is a bit ironic that everyone is home-schooling right now.. Hopefully there will be a new appreciation for it, and that these families who are new to it will actually reach out to the parents who’ve home-schooled all of their children.
Really – so proud of you Kenna. Here there or in the air young lady! Bravo
Mrs. McGuire
Thank you! I hope Harvard replies as well. It is ironic that everyone is doing school at home. I think it’s hysterical. I hope that there is a new appreciation for homeschooling as well, and that more people move away from the public school system.
Thank you for defending homeschooling with gracious succinctness and incisive reasoning! Fight the good fight!
We are proud of you.
Mrs. Fiedler
Thank you so much Mrs. Fiedler!
Kenna, you blow me away! I am so encouraged by your boldness and profoundness. I am so proud of you for not just letting this article slip by, but instead putting your foot down! SO well written!!!
Thank you so much Sydney!
Hey, good job, Kenna! I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but I’m another Christian teenage homeschooler. If I’d seen that Harvard article I’d have been mad, but not done anything. So good job for standing up for our minority! 😀
Hi Rebekah! Thank you for your kind comments! Let me encourage you to use your irritation to take action and stand up for our rights. Christian teenage homeschoolers unite! 🙂
Hopefully your researched article, with sources cited, will help those at Harvard who struggle with that sort of thing.
The author of the Harvard Magazine article seems to have a problem, not just with homeschooling, but also with private schools or any form of education that is not controlled to ensure that children will only be exposed to a government-approved value system.
I appreciate you taking the time to articulate what so many in our homeschooling community have been thinking and discussing. Well done young lady.
Thank you!
Kenna, This is the first time I’ve ever read your blog, and I am so impressed! Your letter to Harvard was so well-informed and well-written. Your perspective on homeschooling included so many good insights. I’ve definitely seen the value of homeschooling in our family and in my students.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with Harvard and with us all. As a new subscriber, I look forward to reading more of your blog.
Thank you so much Mrs. Colwell! I really appreciate your kind words.
A well articulated response. Exactly what I would expect from a homeschooler. Blessing on you for stepping up and being a voice for a learning option that proves to be true and valuable.
Thank you so much! It’s important that people speak up so we don’t lose our God-given freedoms!
Phenomenal job Kenna!
Thank you Jenna!
Dear Kenna,
You said so many things that I only thought about but didn’t write. Bravo! Thank you for representing us so well! As an English teacher to homeschoolers, I’m happy an eloquent, homeschooled teenager wrote a persuasive response to Harvard University. I hope they read it!
The problem with the Elites in our society, Kenna, is their arrogance. They think they’re smarter than the rest of us, so they want to be able to tell others how to live. Ironically, they actually lack wisdom because they do not know God nor study the most important book ever written: the Bible. You politely put them in their place using facts and citing studies rather than making gross generalizations like that professor did. Well done!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Reiter
Teacher of English Composition & Grammar
Heartland Home School Co-op (HHSW)
Thank you so very much Mrs. Reiter! I hope they read it as well.
That makes a lot of sense. Hopefully, when their pride causes them to fall, they will be led to Christ.