Three Quality Ways to Give Your Children a Basic Education.

by Lisa

There are three ways to educate children in Washington State, Public School, Private school and Home School.  When most people think of school, they only think of public school.  Why is that?  (You have to wonder.)  Usually it's because they think of public education as something free, provided by the government.  But education is not free... you pay for it through paying taxes.  You might say, it is provided for by "WE," we the People.  Public schools therefore, belong to everyone who pays into the system, they belong to US... anyone who is a taxpaying citizen can use them for (what would appear to be..."FREE," but public school is not the only option for an education.

Private school is paid for by the people who attend it, AND these same people pay their taxes just like you and I.  Private "school" and tutoring is very much how education began...that,  and homeschooling.  Yes, homeschooling, it too has been done throughout all human history is a viable option for learning to be human, reading and writings too.  So what is a parent to do, just simply send your kids to "free" school?  Or should they hireg a private tutor or pay taxes AND fund their favorite local private or religious school?    Not everyone can afford to both pay taxes AND tuition for a private school.

So, while education in the public school is not the only means of fulfilling compulsory education laws, sometimes deciding the best educational route for your kids is difficult, and this for many reasons.    IT is true that some people do quite well in the public school system, but even in a good public school distrit, people should have choices in education.   Citizens of our country pay the taxes to make education possible, they elect governement officials and citizens who are parents of the children in our nation, not government officials, have say over where their kids will attend school, unless of course they are of no particular opinion on the matter.  This is where homeschooling comes into the educational equation.  Some parents choose to homeschool their children in leiu of sending them to either public or private school, and because so many parents were doing it, based on their conviction of heart that it was their right, or their duty, or perhaps a better option for their family than the local public school...homeschooling became a "legal" option for education..  In Washinton it took place in 1985.

Homeschooling in every state is now "legal," and just so we have no confusion on the matter...  "home schooling" is what parents and guardians may legally do what they do, (educate their kids) without being directly connected to or overseen by the local public school.  In fact, homeschooling is much like private school.  It is done without using any state money and without interference from well-meaning government paid educational professionals, people who work for the state.  There is an important distinction between "homeschooling" and "public-schooling at home," just as there is distinction between private and public school.  This articles is an attempt to set things straight between these three viable and quality ways to give your kids what they need to succeed in their lives.. a basic education..

Sometimes, thinking that children, all children, should be the property of the state, or believing that parents somehow begin sharing the responsibility of parenting with public schools when their children reach the ripe old age of four or five,  well-meaning individuals and teams of individuals, step way beyond the call-of-duty in being a paid public servant within the community and insist that public school is the only way to learn.  They are wrong.   Yes, all children should be learning, gaining a basic knowledge of the world, exploring ideas and interacting with others, discovering who they are, but they there are many ways to do just that, and for some people, it isn't in a classroom.

Compulsory Education Laws

We say education is compulsory, because we deem it so important, knowing full well that to be ignorant is not ever truly bliss. Reading and writing are important skills...the impetus of such a law.   But public tax supported school as an institute of the government is not the only choice in education.  There are several viable choices, including different kinds of private school and home school, all that thrive because they meet or exceed the basic education obligation as prescribed by our state law.   In fact, the concept of private schools and homeschooling predate the state run public school.

While this is true, homeschooling is often frowned upon by many who make their living from the public school system.  They see homeschooling as a threat to their opinion too. Theire are people who work very hard to make homeschooling and parent's rights of no effect or illegal, and for this reason homeschooling and homeschooling laws must be taken seriously and protected.  Private schools too, especially private schools that teach religious doctrines are often in the crosshairs of threat.  One reason is that more kids in public schools means more money for the individual school, and more jobs in education too. 


Where The Money Flows

Public school is funded by governmental taxation and state lotteries. Private school is privately funded by individuals, families or sometimes charitable organizations, maybe a church. Homeschooling, like private school,  is privately funded by the family of the child...but never is home schooling directly funded by or dependent upon  the money reserved strictly for the public schools run by the state. 

In Washington, there are three basic ways to educate your children,  all of which can give students a basic education a required by law. Public school, private school or homeschooling, are distinct and separate option, and all viable choices for education, but the decision about which kind of schooling and the control of direction is always first and foremost a parent's choice to make,but education does cost money, more than that, if you have kids... in a school or in the home, education will cost you time.

In the end, no matter what form of education you pick for your kids, or end up working with, one thing is certain... your children need your loving support and encouragement .  It is a parent's right and perogative, a aparents duty to oversee their children's education, safty and welfare.  ANd, if you think public school is the only way to educate a child, think again.  We do have options.