I’ve often said how I find homeschoolers to be exceptionally passionate, vigilant, and articulate in defense of their freedom. Now, thanks to Harvard Magazine, there’s even more evidence to support this observation.

The publication recently posted letters received in response to an earlier interview with law professor Elizabeth Bartholet, who argues that homeschooling should be all but banned.

You should read these letters for yourself. They praise homeschooling with the authentic voice of those who have seen how the educational option has benefited their own families.

As such, they offer a powerful contradiction to Bartholet’s claim that homeschooling is a health and safety risk for children and a threat to society.

Speaking from Experience

Just skimming the backgrounds of the writers is impressive in itself.

Of the roughly 40 letters championing homeschooling, about 24 are signed by graduates of Harvard. (And these aren’t all—the magazine editors say there were more letters they didn’t post.) Among the writers are attorneys, medical doctors, authors, academics, a retired military officer, and one rather passionate, self-described “homeschool mom of three.”

One writer clerked with US Supreme Court justices Anthony Kennedy and Neil Gorsuch (the latter when he was still a circuit judge). Another is studying at Oxford.

One set of homeschool parents sent a son to learn Mandarin in China. Another couple simply enjoyed the ability to read aloud to their children.

Powerful Message

Something else that struck me about these letters is the language their writers employed to describe what they value. Again, there’s no substitute for reading the originals, but I wanted to cite several words I feel capture the essence of these responses:

  • Learning.
  • Democracy.
  • Diversity.
  • Faith.
  • Respect.
  • Dignity.
  • Freedom.

One thing’s certain, these letter writers cherish homeschooling for the flexibility it provides: not to sequester children but to help them explore, grow, and thrive. To quote Nathaniel DeVries:

Homeschooling gave me the tools to independently acquire new knowledge. Instead of being spoon-fed by teachers, parents, or peers, I was increasingly encouraged to seek out answers, ask questions, and discover the art of acquiring knowledge.”

Sounds like success to me!