By Dr. Ron Paul
One of the few good things to come out of the government-mandated shutdown is that many parents have started homeschooling their children. Many of these parents are likely to continue homeschooling after the government schools reopen.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did its part to encourage homeschooling when it unveiled “guidelines” for schools to follow when they reopen. Among the CDC’s guidelines are that schools put tape on the hallways, directing children which direction to walk and how much distance to keep between themselves and their classmates. The CDC also recommends children do not share electronic devices or learning aids. The guidelines even say children should wear masks at school.
The CDC’s guidelines instruct schools to close playgrounds and cafeterias, and to cancel all field trips and assemblies. Instead, students are to spend all day at their desks, not even leaving classrooms for lunch or recess.
The CDC’s guidelines may not have the force of law, but it is likely most government schools will adopt them in order to ensure continued access to federal funding. Schools will do this even though children are at a very low risk of being seriously harmed by coronavirus. In fact, by forbidding children from going outside to play, exercise, and get sunshine, the guidelines actually endanger children’s health. The guidelines also harm children by limiting their ability to interact with their fellow students and develop social skills.
Opponents of homeschooling claim that homeschooled children lack proper socialization. Like many attacks on homeschooling, the claim that homeschoolers are not “socialized” is the opposite of the truth. Education researcher Corey DeAngelis recently told journalist John Stossel in a Reason magazine interview that “children who are homeschooled get much better academic and social results than kids in government schools.” Mr. DeAngelis pointed out that “homeschoolers score about 30% higher on the SAT test than kids in regular schools.”
Parents looking for a homeschooling program that includes an introduction to the ideas of liberty should consider my homeschool curriculum. My homeschool curriculum provides students with a solid education in history, literature, mathematics, and the sciences. It also gives students the opportunity to create their own websites and internet-based businesses. The curriculum is designed to be self-taught, with students helping, and learning from, each other via online forums.
Starting in fourth grade, students are required to write at least one essay a week. Students also take a course in public speaking.
The curriculum teaches history from a pro-liberty perspective, and the economics section is taught from the Austrian viewpoint. But, unlike government schools, the curriculum does not compromise education quality or distort facts in pursuit of a political agenda.
Students using my homeschooling program develop a love of learning, study superior communication skills, and gain real-world business experience. They also develop the critical thinking skills necessary to see through the lies peddled by government officials and their sycophants in the mainstream media. The skills and knowledge students gain will enable them to succeed in whatever careers they choose to pursue.
Parents interested in giving their children a well-rounded homeschool education that includes sound economics and the history and philosophy of liberty can get more information about my curriculum by going to RonPaulCurriculum.com.
Ron Paul, a former U.S. representative from Texas and medical doctor, continues to write his weekly column for the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.
