Why I Refuse to Send My Kids to School

1. I want to keep my children's creativity alive.

School robs children of their creativity. Ask a child to draw a picture on the first day of kindergarten, and that child will happily sit down and consider all the possibilities there are to be drawn. Ask a child to draw a picture on the last day of kindergarten, and that child will ask you, "Of what?" Being told what to do and when to do it is a creativity killer. Creativity is not just one of life's enjoyments; it's one of life's necessities. Our world needs creative inventors, scientists, doctors, artists, writers, and crafters. Most of the world's famous minds were not schooled in a setting like those of today's public schools. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein. Do these names ring any bells? They received their education at home and through apprenticeships. Where would we be today if these great minds were stunted in a school setting?

2. I want to encourage individuality.

School fosters an unhealthy conformity that I experienced firsthand, and that I never want to see in my children. Children must adhere to a dress code. They must stand a certain way in line. They must sit a certain way. They must learn the same things that every other child in their specified age group must learn. They must use the same materials to create the same projects. They must eat at the same time as the other children. They must process the same information and be able to regurgitate it in the same way as their classmates. How can a child maintain his or her individuality under these circumstances?

3. I want my children to spend the best hours of the day free from a classroom.

A typical school day runs from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. These are the best hours of sunshine, and the best hours of alertness. I do not want my children sitting at a desk or standing in line during these hours. If my child has a passion for painting pictures of flowers, she should be able to go outside on a warm spring morning and paint pictures of the newly blossomed roses in my garden. She should not be raising her hand to ask permission to use the bathroom. In addition to this, is my family has a passion for traveling, we should not have to confine our travels to the time period in which school allows a vacation. Imagine the true learning opportunities that have been lost because children are obligated to be in a classroom for most of the day and for most of the year.

4. I want my children to pursue their interests.

Schools place an unreasonable priority on certain subjects, such as math and grammar. I want my children's interests to be respected and nourished, whether or not the latest national crisis is geared toward them. If my child has a passion for music, he should be exposed to a rich environment of instruments, biographies of musicians, and adults that also have a passion for music. He should not have to confine his interest to a half-hour class once a week. His interest should not have to take second place to test preparation. It is no wonder that many of the greatest musicians of our time are high-school drop-outs.

5. I want my children to have a real education.

I do not care if my children learn how to score well on tests. I do not care if they have report cards that declares them "good" students. I do not care whether they are "good listeners." I care whether or not they are educated. I want them to know how to communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds. I want them to know how to find answers to their questions. I want them to know who they are and what they want in life. I want them to know how to make a living doing the things they enjoy.

I want them to believe in themselves. I believe in them.