In defense of homeschooling and apprenticeships... This morning Serona pointed out an article he found last night on foxnews. The author takes on the following issue:

Parents who wish to explore educational alternatives at their own expense should be encouraged to do so, yet the opposite is occurring. Advocates of public schooling view other systems of education as threats to be regulated, discouraged and sometimes demonized. (Often the income and careers of these advocates depend upon the continued tax funding of public schools.)

Is there any validity to their criticism of educational alternatives?

Two of the most viable ones are homeschooling and apprenticeships. Neither prevents anyone from choosing public schools; each merely offers a choice at no public expense. How could anyone reasonably object to that?

The author answers answers concerns that public school is necessary for literacy, that they harm public schools and harm children (the child abuse cover-up non-argument). The author does a nice job and the article is worth a read.
She concludes with:

Apprenticeships, experiments like Montessori and the School of Living, self-guided education, mentoring ...The cost of public education is not measured in tax dollars alone. A universe of educational possibilities has been obstructed by the attempt to enforce a government monopoly over how, where, when, and what children learn.

Check out The Separation of School and State.

Peace,
Tenn