A few reasons, in no particular order, certainly not all-inclusive (some pirated from other people's lists published on the net that I totally agreed with):
1. Because I think schools damage a child's self-image, ability to make unassisted decisions, motivation, trust in him/herself.
2. Because I think I am more intelligent and more capable than many teachers my child might have in a school. (How's that for elitist?
3. Because I think schools shortchange girls in science and math education and encourage violence in boys.
4. Because I do not value traditional measures of success.
5. Because my school experiences were boring and useless.
6. Because I don't trust people who don't love my children to have their best interests at heart.
7. Because I don't want my children's socialization to be hampered by being stuck with a random group of 25 agemates for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.
8. Because I don't believe in traditional measures of "appropriate" child behavior. (aka "I've seen normal, and I don't like it.")
9. Because I want my children to have the freedom and flexibility to learn what, when, and how they choose.
10. Because I think schools are enormously ineffective places for learning.
11. Because schools are fundamentally anti-intellectual, emphasize peer acceptance over moral values, and promote all the most trivial aspects of socialization.
12. Because we believe a strong family life is important. This is impossible when families are separated for most of their waking hours. We *like* being together.
13. Because spending most of the day indoors with two dozen kids the same age is unnatural, unhealthy, and very, very limiting. Children need to see much more of the world than that.
14. Because schools promote the status quo, conformity, obedience to authority, passivity, intellectual dependence, emotional dependence, group identity, intergroup conflict, hostility towards achievement, and antipathy towards thought. Oh, yeah, and they are a colossal waste of time.
15. Because we do so many interesting things, I don't know how we'd fit in time for school.
16. Because I think homeschooling helps my child be more secure, happier, and more accepting of others.
17. Because I don't like the idea of a school trying to teach values.
18. Because I don't trust the gov't with my money. Why would I trust them with my children?
19. Because I think learning is more meaningful when it is intrinsically motivated.
20. Because our children can be exposed to more of the world by being with me than by being in a school.
21. Because I adore my children. I intend that they have the widest, most broadening experiences I can provide.
22. Because homeschooling allows long, uninterrupted blocks of time to work on an activity (which might involve daydreaming or planning or brainstorming).
23. Because children can spend more time outdoors.
24. Because children will have time to pursue interests such as sports, art, music, drama, dance, etc.
25. Children will become more responsible for their own education. They will not be passive recipients of subject matter selected by their teachers (actually administrators or government committees), but will at least have input into designing their own education and eventually take over full responsibility.
26. Children learn how to learn, not just how to be taught.
27. Children will learn to relate to people regardless of gender.
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