RESOLVED: Homeschooling is better than Public Schooling.

Thank you, DDDDaniel. Per the rules of the debate, I will now make my opening arguments. I will not respond to DDDDaniel's opening arguments at this time, as rebuttals are reserved for Rounds 3 and 4. I will, however, continue our conversation on the appropriate burden of proof. As the proponent and instigatoor, DDDDaniel retains the sole burden of proof, and Con may prevail by demonstrating that there is insufficient evidence to prove Pro's case. This is particularly important in debating this topic because:There is no reliable evidence concerning the academic performance of homeschoolers.Many researchers of homeschooling acknowledge that no reliable data exists concerning academic performance. [1] "Advocates have used various studies to reach the conclusion that home schooling 'works.' But contrary to popular opinion, very little if anything is known about the actual academic performance of the typical home schooled student." [2] There are many reasons why the existing studies are flawed, but at present I will highlight three:1) Unrepresentative sampling. In order for a study to be reliable, it must be derived from a statistically representative sample. The nature of homeschooling makes this difficult. In many states, homeschooling is unregulated and "under the radar," such that there is no reliable way to identify the broader population from which a sample can be drawn. Homeschooling families also often object ideologically to being studied. [1] [2] [3] Samples are often self-selected, which would tend to weed out precisely those who anticipate lower academic performance. [1] Samples "almost invariably" are unrepresentative, as those studied are whiter, richer, better educated, and more Christian than the homeschool population as a whole. [4]2) Improper controls. Demographically, we know that homeschoolers are more likely than the general population to be white, middle class, have one or more parent with a college degree, have married parents, and families with sufficient earning potential to allow one parent to stay home. [1] These factors, not suprisingly, are also positively correlated with success in a public school environment. [2] The obvious question is whether homeschool students with these advantages would have performed just as well academically in a public school setting. Yet many of the available studies have not statistically controlled for these factors, and instead directly compare homeschoolers with a dramatically different general population. [5]3) Potential for bias. I cannot articulate the point any better: "[A]n appalling amount of the research conducted on home schooling...is undertaken by or sponsored by organizations whose explicit mission is to further the cause of home schooling. ... Of course,... [this] is no reason to reject the findings out of hand. I would suggest, however, that we treat the findings of their research on home schooling in the same way the people treat the research on nicotine addiction funded by tobacco companies: with a very large dose of skepticism." [2]While I will identify the specific flaws in the studies cited by Pro in Round 3, suffice to say that this researcher has not unearthed any reliable studies of homeschool academic performance that overcome these problems. I challenge my opponent to cite a single study of homeschoolers that employs effective random sampling and controls for social variables, whether or not performed by an advocate of homeschooling. Without reliable data, we can draw no conclusions about the general academic performance of homeschoolers. Neither side can prove whether homeschoolers perform better or worse academically than their public school counterparts.Homeschooling facilitates abuseOver the past 30-40 years, the homeschooling movement largely achieved its political goal of being freed from state regulation and accountability. In most states, "[t]here are no minimum educational standards for teachers, no curriculum review, no testing or monitoring to make sure that any education is taking place at all." Homeschooling thus facilitates abuse by allowing parents to isolate their children, such that abuse occurs undetected by authorities. [6]In its milder forms, this abuse can express itself as educational neglect, emotional manipulation, and social isolation. Hundreds of such stories have been collected by Homeschooler's Anonymous, which publishes accounts by survivors. [7] More severe instances of abuse have been documented by Homeschooling's Invisible Children, which collects accounts of homeschooling facilitating sexual abuse, physical torture, and homicide. [8] As the first generation raised in the modern homeschooling movement has come to adulthood, these stories have become more visible, challenging the propaganda by homeschool advocacy organizations that such abuse is too rare to be a concern - and indeed, these organizations continue to oppose even a modicum of oversight to detect and prevent abuse. [9]A survey of adult alumni of homeschooling by HARO found that more than 40% of respondents had experienced some form of child abuse during homeschooling. The report documents high levels of mental illness, self-harm, and attempted suicide. [10]I do not wish to overstate my case. The HARO survey suffers from the same problems as other studies of home-schoolers - primaruly self-selection of the respondents - and its results cannot be generalized the the homeschool population generally. There is no data as to whether homeschool students are more or less frequently subjected to abuse than their public-school counterparts - though I'd respectfully suggest that research on this question is far more urgent than determining which students perform marginally better on standardized tests.What is undeniable, however, is that homeschooling facilitates abuse by allowing abusers to isolate victims and escape detection.Consider the recent case of Alecia Pennington, who our readers might have encountered last week on Reddit or other forms of social media as her story went viral. Ms. Pennington, a 19-year old homeschooler, escaped from her family home last fall with the assistance of her grandparents. She soon found that she was unable to prove her identity, because her parents never registered her birth and refused to assist with obtaining vital documents (the family has now apparently relented under pressure). [11] [12]To many of our readers, this case will sound extreme and unusual. But it's a well-documented phenomena among homeschool survivors known as "identification abuse." The HARO survey found that nearly 4% of respondents had experienced it. [10]Here's what's important to note: While we cannot draw statistical conclusions from the HARO survey - i.e., we can't say how common vsrious forms of abuse are - "identification abuse" is only made possiuble because of homeschooling. Its very existence is an indictment.I will develop further arguments in Round 3.[1] Joseph Murphy, Homeschooling in America (2012)[2] http://web.stanford.edu...[3] http://www.nheri.org...[4] http://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org...[5] http://www.edweek.org...[6] http://www.thedailybeast.com...[7] http://homeschoolersanonymous.wordpress.com...[8] http://hsinvisiblechildren.org...[9] http://prospect.org...[10] http://hareachingout.files.wordpress.com...[11] http://www.csmonitor.com...[12] http://www.dailymail.co.uk...