| A Legal Expert Speaks to the Dangers of | | | | at which young children develop social skills and |
| Preschool Issues in Society | | | | display the motivation to engage classroom tasks, |
| The public perception that homeschooling students | | | | as reported by their kindergarten teachers." |
| and socialization are incompatible and is one of the | | | | Preschool education and socialization in such |
| greatest stumbling blocks to homeschooling | | | | children shows a lack of development of social |
| throughout the country., no doubt. The flawed | | | | skills in three specific areas: "children's externalizing |
| thinking was dealt with in Part I of our series on | | | | behaviors (such as aggression, bullying, acting up), |
| homeschool education and socialization. | | | | interpersonal skill (such as sharing and cooperation) |
| But, an even greater misperception is growing | | | | and self-control in engaging classroom tasks. |
| throughout the U.S. concerning an alleged | | | | According to a report by the Southwest Policy |
| "necessity" for preschool education and | | | | Institute, again, concerning preschool education |
| socialization for ALL students. | | | | and socialization: "Contrary to common belief, |
| Why? The reasons asserted are theoretical, some | | | | early institutional schooling can harm children |
| emanating from Bloom's flawed educational | | | | emotionally, intellectually and socially, and may later |
| theories. But the ACTUAL results of such thinking | | | | lead to greater peer dependency. "Moreover, |
| are alarming. As you will hear, Legal expert and | | | | research indicates that most academic gains |
| Home School Legal Defense Association Attorney | | | | shown by normal children schooled early do not |
| Scott Woodruff lends his expertise to the subject. | | | | last past the second grade." The need for early |
| Put simply, state mandated preschool education | | | | schooling for disadvantaged and at-risk children |
| and socialization would be an unmitigated disaster. | | | | does not justify mandating kindergarten for all |
| Consider the following facts concerning | | | | children." |
| homeschooling vs. preschool education and | | | | At A&D Net ( we have always opposed |
| socialization: | | | | programs which suggest or mandate any kind of |
| Commenting on the current trend for early | | | | publicly enforced preschool education and |
| preschool education and socialization, Dr. David | | | | socialization programs. We believe them to be |
| Elkind, professor of child development at Tufts | | | | harmful to our children. The broadcast on |
| University, wrote, "When we instruct children in | | | | WorldTalkRadio, with expert Scott Woodruff, |
| the academic subjects ... at too early an age, we | | | | should leave you with no doubts about which is |
| miseducate them. We put them at risk for short | | | | better for our children: homeschooling or preschool |
| term stress and long term personality damage. | | | | education and socialization programs (state social |
| There is no evidence that such early instruction | | | | engineering). |
| has lasting benefits and considerable evidence that | | | | Take a few minutes to listen to the |
| it can do lasting harm". (David Elkind, Miseducation: | | | | overwhelming evidence AGAINST any alleged |
| Preschoolers at Risk (New York, Kopf, 1987). p. | | | | necessity for any publicly enforced preschool |
| 83, 69.). | | | | education and socialization efforts. Tune into |
| In contrast, homeschooling has tended to deny | | | | WorldTalkRadio [ and listen to Gateway To |
| the necessity of more education at the preschool | | | | Discovery's archived show with Scott Woodruff. |
| level and emphasizes the family as the primary | | | | Unfortunately, much is happening in states such as |
| unit for preschool education and socialization skills | | | | Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois where |
| and development. | | | | lawmakers are attempting to pass laws for the |
| A 2005 Stanford University/University of | | | | enforcement of preschool education and |
| California research study reported on the subject | | | | socialization programs. |
| of preschool education and socialization," We find | | | | Go to VisionViewpoint for information on all kinds |
| that attendance in preschool centers, even for a | | | | of subjects pertaining to faith, freedom, |
| short periods of time each week, hinders the rate | | | | education, and historic Christian values. |