John Edward’s wife, Elizabeth Edwards, has been fighting cancer. That, you probably know. What you might not know, is that they are planning on taking their children out of school and homeschooling them while on the campaign trail.
Although many would argue that they would not “really” be homeschooling, because they are in fact planning to school on the road with a hired tutor, it’s homeschooling in their eyes – and they are democrats.
I only bring this up because democrats have had a history of not being particularly supportive of homeschooling. And I wonder, if one of their own – and a very important one of their own – decides to homeschool, what effect will that have on public opinion on homeschooling.
Many people who are against homeschooling, or have a negative view of it anyway, often think that it’s “other people” who homeschool – not people like them. Since there are few, if any, politcal democrats who homeschool, or who support homeschooling, it is often referred to as a republican/Christian/religious/whatever thing – not a thing that people with “open minds” or “democratic beliefs” do.
But, have these same people meet a homeschooler like themselves, with the same general beliefs, from the same general worldview, and suddenly, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Often times, it’s much easeir to understand and accept a new idea when people who are like us do these things. When people who are not like us do things, it’s human nature to reject it, to think it’s for “others”.
So maybe, having a very public, well-known democrat adopt homeschooling, in whatever form, for whatever reason, will give the world a little head’s up that educating at home can indeed be an amazing tool for learning for any life philosophy.
Or perhaps it will be a passing thing that won’t get much attention. In any case, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether or not it will have any effect on the homeschooling community, the way that our culture views homeschooling/education, and the laws that pertain to education.
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Just Enough, and Nothing More 
April 7, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I admire your optimism. However, I think that hiring a tutor harkens back to the day when the rich and privileged had tutors to tend to their children’s education (think Little Women). I don’t think that anyone who is not a homeschooler, and maybe some who are, consider this true homeschooling.
Personally, I find it sad that they hired a tutor at all. What a great opportunity to learn–on a presidential campaign! I would love to have that chance.
In my heart, I don’t really count this as homeschooling. While it is out-of-traditional-brick-and-mortar schooling, it lacks what I consider to be ‘real’ homeschooling.
April 8, 2007 at 6:30 pm
In the defense of Elizabeth Edwards… do you honestly think you would be able to homeschool your children while trying to deal with cancer and travel at the same time? I think I would do exactly the same thing she is, which is pull her family around her for support during this important time, and gather in the help I needed, no matter how that may come (family, hired help, etc.)
Cancer, or any other long-term illness, is so mentally and physically draining. Shame on anyone who has the nerve to slam the poor woman because she’s not doing it all herself… Bravo to Ms. Edwards for doing the best she can with what she has. That’s all any of us can do.
April 9, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I, in no way, slammed Elizabeth Edwards. I do wish she had made other choices. This post was about homeschooling as a political topic, and that was what I was addressing. No one thinks that Mrs. Edward is taking up the mantle for homeschooling understand in the public realm. I agree that she is doing this for her family, not for the cause.
I am certain that I would do the same as she. However, in the context of this gaining political traction for homeschooling, I think it won’t happen for the reasons that you mention. The circumstances are extraordinary. In changing the mind of the public, it is not ‘real’ homeschooling to me. This will not give the average Joe a glimpse into what homeschoolers really do.
I simply would not have hired a tutor and let the experience be our ‘schooling’. This is a political science degree in real time, and depending how inclusive they are with their children, a mini-oncology practice. It is not that I think she should be doing more; I wish she were doing less.
April 10, 2007 at 8:59 am
I think the issue is one that many people seem to be making for the Edwards – one that I don’t think they set out to create at all – and that is the issue of gaining political traction for homeschooling; showing that there is “right” (take the pun if you want it) and wrong way to do it, so to speak.
As far as I can see, there is no political issue here at all. It is unfortunate that the media and others have latched on to this and created an “issue” where there is none.
Any compassionate human being can see that Ms. Edwards is hiring the tutor so that she can have a partner in educating the kids – someone to pick up and help them have a normal schedule on the days when she is feeling too ill or down to swing it herself.
Whether we are in the spotlight or just an “average Joe,” whether we follow a prescribed method or go with what life chooses to bring, and whether we choose to hire some help when needed or go it totally alone, we are all just humans trying to do the best we can for our children.
Many of us hire professionals to give our children lessons or provide extra help in certain areas. I think that falls under the category of “Being a Good Parent.”
I really commend the Edwards family for choosing to embrace life during this difficult time.
Anna, my comment was not intended directly for you, but to those who are choosing to paint the Edwards family in an unfavorable light based on their decision to homeschool their children.
April 16, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I am disturbed by the tendency of people to make assumptions about how the Edwards will homeschool based on a few media statements. I assume that people do so because they are politically opposed to Edwards as a candidate and so assume that his family would not do something the “right” way? Elizabeth Edwards has said, in a less quoted piece, that she plans to do some of the schooling herself and some using a tutor. How that is different from hiring a piano teacher or attending a homeschool co-op Spanish class is beyond me. Am I not a homeschooler because I outsource instruction in piano, ice skating, or art?
If I outsource some classes, does that mean I am preventing my kids from doing real-life learning? It is difficult for me to understand why anyone would assume that the Edwards family will not be including the campaign as part of homeschooling (unless that person is already predisposed to disagree with them). Seems to me that any “real” homeschooler would be well aware that children can hardly be stopped from learning what they live!
Also, I am a Democrat. I live in an urban area that is primarily Democratic. Therefore, a large number of the lovely, kind homeschoolers I know are also Democrats. The stereotype of Democrats as opposed to homeschooling is just as nonsensical as the stereotype of homeschoolers as isolationist whackos.
May 11, 2007 at 8:17 pm
“In the defense of Elizabeth Edwards… do you honestly think you would be able to homeschool your children while trying to deal with cancer and travel at the same time?”
Welllll, if the cancer is *that* much to deal with on top of traveling and taking care of one’s children, why not nix the traveling? I’d say health and children come first.
But in answer to your question, YES, I would, because my view of “homeschooling” on the campaign trail would be: “Hey, kids, let’s go on a road trip!”
Tutors? Lessons? What a bizarre concept!
In any case, I suspect that we’re really talking about here is tutors *in addition to* nannies. It’s not like these people don’t already have paid help with their parenting.
*shrug*
What *I* don’t get is the concept of “tutors” (or lessons) for children who are, what, six and eight???
Why not just take them along, show them the sights, bring them to events, and the rest of the time let them read, play, draw, write, play, order room service, play, etc.?
That’s what I’d do.
But then, I’m hardly presidential-wife fodder.
I suspect the tutors are at least in part due to the fact that the Edwards don’t see this as a “lifestyle” issue as much as a convenience issue. The children will be going back to school (at least, that’s the plan), so they need to stick to the school scope-and-sequence so that they “keep up.”
Whatever the Edwards’ methods and intentions, one thing is for sure: They are keeping the kids close, and THAT’s a GOOD thing. Between Dad being a very public figure and probably not around much, and Mom’s long-term health prospects at least something of a question mark, what young child would want to be parked someplace else while Mom and Dad go off on the campaign trail? Good for the Edwards for at keeping their children close instead of doing the usual upper-class thing and parking them.