by R. Michael Straight

Created on: May 23, 2008

The cons of Christian homeschooling are no different from any other type of homeschooling: limited exposure, lack of breadth and little, if any, social assimilation. Part of schooling-either public or private-is the students' access to a vast array of knowledge, points of view and opinions, many of which can drastically question or simply contradict their own. This is not a bad thing. It sets children up to be critical thinkers, to question what they are told, and to examine closely their own preconceptions, as well as those of others.

It is virtually impossible for homeschooling parents to provide the same expertise as that of an entire faculty of well qualified teachers. This is not an attack on those parents who decide homeschooling is the best option for their children; some may be perfectly capable teachers and mentors. However, unless the parents can devote as much time as a teacher does (including preparation, information gathering, etc.) as well as hold down a full-time job, there just isn't enough time in the day. Christian homeschooling has the unique disadvantage of adding a spiritual aspect to the curriculum, one which is not present in public schooling.

- The Social Aspect
Children can be cruel. They can be vicious. They can be mean spirited, black-hearted little people. So can adults, but in much more heinous and despicable ways. It's the social armor we build as children that allows us to carry on in the adult world where "playing fair" doesn't exist. Homeschooled children are forced to build this armor vicariously, through reading, television, or thought experiments, rather than first-hand experience. As we all know, there is no substitute for experience. That is not to say that homeschooled children are completely antisocial; such a claim would be ridiculous. However, while some might say that shielding children from all this pain and suffering is best for them, in reality it leaves them unprepared for when they are unknowingly thrust into a situation where thick skin is not only an advantage, but a requisite. Remember, there is no law banning, shall we say, "unpleasant" people.

- Breadth of Knowledge
As I mentioned earlier, unless a parent has the time to peruse the myriad of sources a licensed teacher must master, they simply will not have the ability to expose their children to enough material as to be unbiased and equitable. Textbooks are available for different "courses" for homeschooling parents, yes, but many teachers go well beyond the

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