We’ve received a number of emails from members and friends of HSLDA who are concerned about The Washington Post’s recent series on homeschooling. The articles discuss a variety of topics, including concerns about the safety of homeschooled children and the validity of research on homeschooling achievement, as well as calls for more government involvement and regulation.

We want to assure you that we are aware of these articles and engaging where appropriate.

One of the articles in this series, published on December 2, was headlined, “What home schooling hides: A boy tortured and starved by his stepmom.” Although the article should have been more accurately entitled, “The Failure of CPS,” the Post’s reporting laid the blame for this child’s unconscionable death on homeschooling.

I want to emphasize that homeschooling is based on the conviction that every child is precious, and that parents are their children’s first and fiercest protectors. So it is an unspeakable violation when parents harm their children rather than love, guard, and nurture them. Our hearts are with the victims of this terrible harm, and we have been working with homeschool organizations across the country to help adopt policies that protect children.

On December 12, Peter Jamison interviewed me for what would become the last article of the 2023 series. The topic was HSLDA’s approach to legislation—what kinds of regulations we advocate for, what types we oppose, and why.

I carefully explained that HSLDA advocates for freedoms that enable parents to make educational decisions that prioritize their children’s academic and emotional well-being. It is not just homeschoolers who have discovered that education is most effective when it is nimble and tailored to each child’s individual needs. This is why we oppose legislation and policies that apply generic bureaucratic requirements to unique children and families.

As homeschooling continues to grow, we can expect more resistance and criticism. I recently described this kind of scrutiny—and what I expect to see in the next few months and years—in a speech at our national conference for homeschooling organization leaders.

Here is an excerpt from that speech, given in September 2023, that I feel is helpful and appropriate for our current situation.