The NEA vs. Homeschooling

I found this recent information interesting...
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The National Education Association recently held its 2007 convention in Philadelphia and passed a number of resolutions, including one on home schooling. Below is the national teacher's union's position on what should be adopted by each state regarding home education. This is a reminder of why we must be actively on guard to defend our freedom to homeschool.

"B-75. Home Schooling. The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being born by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

"The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools...."
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As my children near high school, I've been questioning myself about the homeschooling journey.
What if they could get better academics in a different institution? (Public or private)
What if they could have access to better extracurricular activities?
Is homeschooling the BEST option for where we are in our lives right now?
Should we continue to homeschool through high school?
And the ultimate question-- why are we homeschooling?

As I've been searching my heart, I've had to figure out what is most important to me. Do I just want smart children? Or do I have a higher goal?

The NEA doesn't seem to think that we (homeschool parents) can provide everything that our children need for a "comprehensive education experience." And I wonder what they mean by that. Perhaps I won't be able to provide the absolute best academics in every subject or access to all extracurricular experiences. But what I can provide is much greater! A stable home environment where they can learn to love God and serve others. A place where they can learn more about our Lord and where they can learn how to defend their faith against the attacks from the world instead of having to fight those fights before they are ready.

In 2003 NHERI (National Home Educators Research Institute did a study and found that 75-85% of CHRISTIAN youth who attended public schools renounce their faith and/or quit going to church within 2 years after high school graduation. While 93% of homeschooled students continued to attend church and 94% of homeschooled adults strongly agreed to the statement: "My religious beliefs are basically the same as those of my parents."

And for me, I realized that my ultimate goal is to raise children who love the Lord and want to glorify Him in everything they do, say, think and feel. Not that they always attain that goal, but that they want to. And homeschooling provides the best odds of them succeeding in the ultimate goal of knowing God and learning how to serve others.

And so I've been asking myself, questions like "So in light of my ultimate goal, does it matter that they may not get the latest, most-up-to-date Science with fabulous labs? Does it matter that they may not have access to multitudes of opportunities for extracurricular activities? Does it matter that I don't have time to do everything that I want to do with them? And how can I make my priorities line up with my ultimate goal?

And I don't have all the answers yet. But I did talk to my dh about this and we are in agreements that our ultimate goal is to raise warriors for the Kingdom of God and that homeschooling is the BEST option for us to accomplish this goal. Of course we don't know what tomorrow will bring, but best case scenario we will continue to homeschool through high school despite what NEA or anyone else may think.

And lest anyone, think that I am slacking on academics...ask my children or my friends. ;-)