[wtbob]

> Just because they're largely minors doesn't, to me, mean that their parents have the right to deny them a future in favor of whatever their personal reasons may be.

No, that's exactly what being a minor means. One's parents have the right to teach one whatever values, facts and fictions they wish, while one is a minor.

But don't worry too hard about it: teaching is _not_ hard. Almost any parent who cares enough to homeschool is capable of teaching his or her children better than a public school would (which is not a very high bar to clear).

As for your anecdotal belief that the homeschooling families you encountered were incapable, I wonder if it was really your belief that they would not teach what _you_ think is true and correct.

[kevingadd]

We're not talking about beliefs here, we're talking about utterly failing to prepare their children for high school exit exams and college and adult life, which is what many of those parents did.

You seem to think teaching is easy, which makes me wonder if you've ever even tried to do it. My time tutoring students in college definitely makes me skeptical of anyone who says teaching is easy, and none of the schoolteachers/college instructors I know say teaching is easy. It is hard work.