[jbjohns]

When I read these kinds of comments, I can't help but wonder: did you attend a US public school? I went to probably an above average number of public schools growing up since my parents moved around a lot. There were differences between the big city and small town ones but there was one constant: violence and abuse. How should I expect teachers to notice a child being abused by parents when they turn the other way to abuse by other children happening, daily, right in front of them (sometimes even egged on by the teachers themselves).

If you adjust for scale, I would be utterly flabbergasted if home schooling had a higher per capita rate of abuse than actual public schools unless public schools have changed to the point of being utterly unrecognisable from the 80-90's when it was inflicted on me.

[daddylongstroke]

Thank you for stating the truth. No, if anything, the schools have gotten only worse from the statements we hear and behavior we see of our kids' public-schooled friends. I'm amazed at how normalized social abuse is in public schools in the US. When I talk to other parents about my amazement, they just stare, blink, and respond with "I don't think it is a big deal. This is how we all talk and treat each other.". :-O My wife and I have home schooled our kids from their educational beginnings because of how bat-shit crazy and anti-social public schools were and continue to be.