Should Homeschooling be Legal

An Outline: Introduction How do Homeschoolers Fare Academically? Do Homeschoolers Miss Out? Conclusion Sources IntroductionHomeschooling is a surprisingly controversial subject in society today. In our own Debate.org site, we see 29% of all users are against homeschooling. (1.1) If you read the comments, even many ‘Pro’ voters also give an answer along the lines of ‘It should be legal I guess, but I don’t really like it.’ Despite this, approximately 1.8 million students in America are homeschooled – That’s about 3.4%. This is an increase of over 60% in the last ten years. (1.2; 1.3) Since more and more parents are choosing to homeschool, we should ask and reflect – Should homeschooling be legal? Is it good? Is it beneficial? Is it preferable?How do Homeschoolers Fare Academically? I'd like to open my defense for homeschooling with the most important piece of information. Homeschoolers observably perform better in terms of academic achievement. In terms of testing, home schoolers perform, in many cases, an entire grade ahead of your average public schooler. Some studies have found that on a 4 point GPA scale, homeschoolers outperform by up to 0.4 points. Not only do they perform better in terms of grades and regular testing, but they also outperform public schoolers on SAT and ACT tests. Because of their superior ACT and SAT scores, homeschooled students are also more likely to be accepted into college, and because of their superior grade averages, are more likely to graduate.The academic achievement of homeschooled students is nearly entirely uneffected by household income, or the personal background of the parent. No significant difference in performance has been recorded based upon these variables. (2.1; 2.2; 2.3)Do Homeschoolers Miss Out?One argument commonly brought up against homeschooling is that the students will be missing out on social interaction, or extracurricular activities. This however is simply untrue. In many psychological studies done on the matter, homeschoolers have repeatedly been found to take no issue in communication, socialization or overall maturity. In fact, not only do they take no issue, but they are often found to rank superior to their public schooling peers. Homeschoolers have plenty of oppotunity to socialize. Many homeschoolers are involved in sports, church activities, scout groups, etc. Research also suggests that homeschoolers are more likely to be involved in volunteer work, and community service. Studies also suggest that homeschoolers are more likely to be involved and interested in politics. As adults, they are thus more likely to vote be involved within the community. Because of the independence of others that homeschooling provides, students are also found to have higher results of maturity on psychological testing. Studies suggest that public schooling, is actually hostile towards the social development of children, as well as growth in maturity and responsibility. Because of the nature of homeschooling, students are more likely to know what they want to do after high school, and are more likely to have a grasp on their beliefs and why they have them. (3.1; 3.2; 3.3)It is observable that homeschooled students are far less likely to be involved in alcohal use, and/or drug abuse. (3.4) Because of the flexibility of the homeschool schedule it is also only logical to conclude that getting a job is easier and more enjoyable.ConclusionBased on the information presented before you, I find it only logical to conclude that homeschooling should not only be allowed but encouraged in society today. Study after study shows that homeschoolers are more put together as they walk through life. They have better academic achievments in life, and are at no disadvantage in social enviorments. Homeschooled students are less likely to be involved in illegal activity and unhealthy peer pressure such as drinking or drug abuse. I look forward to seeing my opponents case, and wish him the best of luck.Sources:Introduction(1.1) http://www.debate.org.........(1.2) https://www2.ed.gov.........(1.3) http://www.cnsnews.com.........How do Homeschoolers Fare Academically(2.1) https://www.nheri.org.........(2.2) http://www.home-school.com.........(2.3) http://www.businessinsider.com.........Do Homeschoolers Miss Out(3.1) https://www.nheri.org.........(3.2) http://www.home-school.com.........(3.3) http://finehomeschooling.com.........(3.4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.........;