Apples and oranges

Dear Editor,

In regard to the opinions expressed in "Home schooling no excuse for neglecting kids" from Feb. 22, 2005, (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1089737.html):

The author of this opinion is falling into the all-too-common trap of trying to compare apples and oranges.

Although abuses of children are obviously quite real, and truly terrible, why would we try to fix this problem with more rigorously controlled academic standards for homeschoolers?

Is academics really what we adults find most appalling about the abuse? I doubt that. What we find appalling is the physical and mental abuse that these children suffered, not the loss of education that happened to go along with it in these cases.

Abuses that also occur, I would add, with many school children as well.

The abuse in and of itself is already illegal. And just to point out how ridiculous the idea of trying to fix this problem with more state control over academics in homeschooling is ... try to look at it from a school point of view.

If a school was found to be physically abusing its students, would the way to prevent this from happening be to add more academic strictures? Of course not.

Whatever the solution is to try to ensure the safety of our children, more governmental control over our educational rights is certainly not it.

Shauna Carr

via e-mail