A Question of Resistance to Home Education and the Culture of School-Based Education

Abstract

Public educator resistance to home education is not a definitive or deliberate offense but part of the culture of teaching, schooling, and the grand culture in which schooling functions. Such resistance, especially at higher bureaucratic levels, stems from a faith stance that might very well be misinformed, misguided, and perhaps even blindly biased. A reading of the roles of teachers and resistance to change from a systems thinking framework informs this work. The main purpose of this article is to present findings from a review of the literature in an effort to expose the critical factors that might inhibit home education growth, acceptance—especially by educators—and greater inclusion as a mainstream education practice. Systemic thinking application in combination with the topic of home education offers multiple strands of understanding home education, systems thinking, and resistance. This article furthers the discussion on home education and prompts educators and researchers alike to reconsider home education and educator roles for the 21st century not as utilitarian functions for local and global economies but as coworkers toward a perceived common goal for children.