Wednesday 8 December 2010

Public opinion

One of the difficulties which everybody has with home educating parents is that there seems to be a far higher proportion of crackpots and cranks among them than is the case with the general population. In other words, if you were to take a group of home educating parents and set them alongside a group of people who sent their kids to school, the home educating ones would contain more peculiar individuals than average. This is not necessarily a bad thing of course. Weird and atypical people sometimes produce great inventions, write fantastic poetry or have radical idea which revolutionise human thought. These are the exceptions. Most weird people are just.... well, weird!

I suppose that when 99.9% of the population do something as a matter of routine, then the odd 0.1% are bound by definition to be out of step with society. This would be the case whether it was being prepared to accept blood transfusions, living in flats and houses rather than caravans or sending your children to school. What happens though is that very often these people forget how peculiar their behaviour is, because they gravitate to other people who share their peculiarities. Jehovah's Witnesses hang out with other Witnesses, travellers cluster together and home educators frequently join groups and online communities full of other strange people who don't send their kids to school. Often, friends and relatives stop mentioning that it is really odd not to send their children to school like everybody else and so after a while, they regard it as perfectly normal.

The difficulty arises when those with these unusual notions come into contact with ordinary people. The family whose child desperately needs a blood transfusion to save her life, for instance. It is crystal clear to the hospital staff that this is a vital procedure. They hand the form to the parents as a matter of routine, only to find that they refuse to sign it on the grounds that the Bible forbids this common practice. For anybody but Witnesses, this is barking mad and demonstrates a callous disregard for the child's life. In the same way, teachers and local authority officers take it for granted that children should be taught. They come up against a parent who assures them that this is quite unnecessary and that they are opposed to the practice on principle. Small wonder that they think the parent is showing an irresponsible attitude to her daughter's welfare and future life prospects.

This is not to say that either the Jehovah's Witness or the home educating parent are actually wrongheaded and negligent of their children's welfare; only that ordinary people who are not members of the group, cult, call it what you will, believe this strongly to be the case. If it were only doctors or teachers who felt this way, then one could perhaps dismiss this as professionals prejudice. Unfortunately, it is not. For the man or woman in the street too, the idea of refusing either blood transfusions or teaching for a child is almost criminally negligent.

It is this problem that many home educators must confront, although many seem unable or unwilling to do so. The fact that their way of life is seen by many as bizarre and running counter to their children's best interests. Any debating position which fails to take this into account is pretty pointless, because ultimately it is the mores of society which tend to become codified into law. Until the man on the Clapham omnibus is persuaded that schools and teaching are not necessary for children's development, then home education will always be at hazard of regulation or suppression.

26 comments:

  1. Old Webb says-Until the man on the Clapham omnibus is persuaded that schools and teaching are not necessary for children's development, then home education will always be at hazard of regulation or suppression.

    im not so sure people do see state schools as the best way to educate children a lot of people with children at school are unhappy about the education there kid is geting also schools/teachers have not been looking after children as good as there used to teachers are not respected so much now beciuse of the way many of them behave.
    The tide is turning against state schools and people are looking for anther way.This scared the last labour government which thought it could stop so many children being home educated by attempting to bring innew laws to slow down home education but it was to late the horse had bolted and people just do not take much notice of government! just been talking to the washing machine repair man i asked him what you think of M.Ps bunch of crooks he said! all that money there claimed! what you think of home education i said to him its good your saving me money thanks he said! and good luck with it he said! nice chap he was!

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  2. Simon said, 'One of the difficulties which everybody has with home educating parents...'

    Woah, hold your horsies!

    EVERYONE has difficultieS (more than one, even!) with home educators?

    Do they? Everyone? How many people have you surveyed? I'll try it later on with the people I meet today. "Do you have any problems with Home Educators? If so, how many" I'll let you know my results.

    More research needed on this claim, I think.
    Margaret

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  3. 'In other words, if you were to take a group of home educating parents and set them alongside a group of people who sent their kids to school, the home educating ones would contain more peculiar individuals than average'

    This has not been my experience.
    Margaret

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  4. I really liked this post. I thought it was really well explained and you are right - Home Educators are seen as odd or weird.
    The number of times I hear "Oooh I could never do that" or "I couldnt spend all day will my kid" or the worst one "what about socialisation" and many others simply illustrates to me how we are seen as completely odd. What people are really saying is "oh you odd little woman" lol.

    I think the only way to counteract ignorance is to meet it head on with openness and friendliness. I dont want people to think I have anything to hide, or that it's hard or selective. I want poeple to see it as a normal thing to do, a valid option, and the way to do that is to answer all those stupid questions people ask over and over (and over and over....)
    I think we can change opinions but we cant do that by going out of our way to appear different and unapproachable.

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  5. 'EVERYONE has difficultieS (more than one, even!) with home educators?'

    Is that what they call hyperbole? I should perhaps have said almost everybody. Having said that, I am bound to observe that all the people I know who have come into contact with more than one or two home educators have remarked on the fact that there seem to be more strange people among them than average. You are right though, more research is indeed needed on this. Perhaps a double-blind test in which a sample of ordinary people are introduced to individuals without being told which are home educators and which not.

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  6. The tide is turning against state schools and people are looking for anther way. This scared the last labour government which thought it could stop so many children being home educated by attempting to bring in new laws to slow down home education, but it was too late the horse had bolted and people just do not take much notice of government!

    Exactly! They really didnt want people to reject their system and rather than fix the system they tried to make laws to prevent people escaping it.
    I think we must always question what is happening in government and also not take them too seriously.But a good way to correct their thinking is to keep showing them what normal, average, happy people we are.

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  7. Perhaps I should remind readers at this point that I did not send my own daughter to school for a single day and am, coincidentally, a very strange person. I have every reason to suppose that all those with whom I came into contact while I was educating my child viewed my approach with a sinking heart, muttering to themselves, 'Oh no, here comes that mad home educating father again!'

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  8. approx 10 million children age 5-16 in the UK.
    In you book you say there may be a minimum estimate of 20,000 home educated.
    and maximum estimate 100,000.

    Do the maths!

    That would be 0.2-1% of English children are home educated

    In the last census 0.3% of people in all age ranges identified as Buddist in England .
    0.5% were Bangaldeshi and 0.4% were Chinese.

    So?

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  9. 'In you book you say there may be a minimum estimate of 20,000 home educated.'

    'Do the maths!'

    I have done the maths. Read page 17 and you will see why local authority figures might be unreliable and overestimate the incidence of home eduction.

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  10. 'In you book you say there may be a minimum estimate of 20,000 home educated.
    and maximum estimate 100,000.'

    I actually say, also on page 17, that even more extravagent claims have been made that the true figure is one hundred and fifty thousand. I don't think you have read the book.

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  11. "In the same way, teachers and local authority officers take it for granted that children should be taught. They come up against a parent who assures them that this is quite unnecessary and that they are opposed to the practice on principle."

    I don't know any home educators who are opposed to teaching on principle. I know many who are opposed to teaching against the child's will, but that's completely different. Are you using this phrase as shorthand for, 'taught in schools by professionals'?

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  12. C-says-.But a good way to correct their thinking is to keep showing them what normal, average, happy people we are.

    Who cares what government thinks? we dont! take very little notice of what our M.P's think! most of them are a bunch of crooks!

    What is normal? 2.2 children married? dont think so 40 years ago yes but UK has changed from those days thank goodness!

    your daughter on the protest march Webb today over those higher fees? hope she doing it peacfully LOL

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  13. I care what the Government thinks, especially if they have got it wrong. If I snub them, ignore them and act like they are nothing but scum, of course they arent going to think much of me or my choices.
    Normal is about perception. They think HE is abnormal but we have to show them it is just another valid choice, NOT because I think we chould change or conform to their standard of 'normal' but so that their definition 'normal' is widened and extended to include us.
    If I can show them I am a resonable intelligent human being who has different viewpoints and opinions but is willing to talk rationally and discuss them, I think it will make a difference.

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  14. Should something have to be considered 'normal' to be allowed to continue unhindered if it's not harming anyone?

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  15. It shouldn't! (And I truely wish they would all leave us alone.) But whilst we are considered odd, I dont see any other option but to keep extending our hospitalities and trying to debunk the myths.

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  16. It depends on how we extend out hospitalities though. If the way we behave suggests we agree that people are right to be concerned about our choices, by agreeing that spot checks to be sure HE children are alive and well are necessary and only right, for instance, then I think we are making a big mistake and reinforcing the idea that not being normal is automatically suspect in some way. We should argue against this idea, not agree with it. Suffolk plan to carry out spot checks with Police officers in tow. How can this be right and acceptable behaviour?

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  17. C says-if I can show them I am a resonable intelligent human being who has different viewpoints and opinions but is willing to talk rationally and discuss them, I think it will make a difference.

    pigs will fly to! goverments dont care about what you say or think! The only time government really takes any notice is when very large numbers of people take to the streets and the people clash with the police then those old dogs in the house of commons sit up and start to worry!
    i guess you just dont understand how things work but i can assure you that showing your nice and normal will not work with our leaders as they only understand strenght bullying and winning at all costs!
    I take my chances on the street over the coming year should be fun to watch! lets hope we get a warm summer!

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  18. I've met several politicians, LA officials and other authority figures - all who are incredibly lovely, friendly individuals. All of whom have been very interested to learn that HE kids are just like any other, sometimes even better.

    I think everyone has very different opinions on officials based on their own experiences of them. I am assuming that you have had very negative experiences or maybe something else has caused you to believe that they are all bad people. I have had better experiences so therefore have more faith in them.

    Its a shame they cant all be nice people. :(

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  19. "Until the man on the Clapham omnibus is persuaded that schools and teaching are not necessary for children's development, then home education will always be at hazard of regulation or suppression."

    Looking forward to that day!
    Any of you London Folk fancy a trip on the Clapham Omnibus to show that man that children do manage to develop without schools.

    As for teaching Simon, we all accept and welcome teaching when we want to learn something, even the children of those crazy believers in Autonomous Education.

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  20. C says-I've met several politicians, LA officials and other authority figures - all who are incredibly lovely, friendly individuals.

    are you mad? or taking the piss? these people hate home education and wish to outlaw it! yes we had a very negitive experince with threats made to us and that is ok?

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  21. Im not either of those things. I have clearly been very lucky in my interactions with individuals.
    Its definitely a bit of a postcode lottery who you get and how recpetive they are.
    Sorry you have had such a hideous time though, its totally unfair.

    There really needs to be a standard way of them treating us.

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  22. C says=Sorry you have had such a hideous time though, its totally unfair.

    Its made us far more willing to stand up for our self and to make as much fuss as possible! These LA officers should be put before the courts for making threats to us and our son! and for the lies they tell!
    Im afraid sorry is not enough for what we have been though We will never allow them to set foot in our house or to see our son!
    Politicians are crooks who steal our money you just take a look at the money there claim and see wha there spend it on? its a disgrace one day it been them up before the court!

    why dont you speak up on your blog about all of this?

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  23. It sounds like you have had an awful time and I suspect that I would feel the same if I had suffered such horrid experiences.
    Speak up on my blog about all of what? I am sure you have noticed, my blog isnt a HE one so I wouldnt put HE stuff on there.

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  24. C says-It sounds like you have had an awful time and I suspect that I would feel the same if I had suffered such horrid experiences.
    Speak up on my blog about all of what? I am sure you have noticed, my blog isnt a HE one so I wouldnt put HE stuff on

    We have had an awful time really bad! if i could get my hands on those LA staff! best i cant i guess! the lies there told and then try to get out of it! and that ex head teacher i like to meet up with her!

    yes speak up on your blog about how bad we are treated by LA staff! there want to destroy home education we want justice for home educators who are treated bad by LA;s can you help?

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  25. How can I write about what happened to you when I dont know and wasnt there. It would be wrong for me to speak for you - surely you are the best people to represent yourselves.

    Do you have your own blog to write on?That might be a helpful way to get the word out about how you were treated.. Maybe the press would be interested too?

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  26. C says-How can I write about what happened to you when I dont know and wasnt there. It would be wrong for me to speak for you - surely you are the best people to represent yourselves.

    thats what they hope that others wont speak up and say how bladly we been treated! lies where told about us by HCC LA! and threats made to us by them! and the school told lies to! how come there can tell lies and make threats yet if you complain nothing is done that cant be right.i find a way to get my own back on them there got to be a way!

    we been on TV and our son has but loads was cut
    out!

    we got a blog click on our name should take you there!

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