Allowing me to teach my children as I see fit in no way obliges me to allow others to teach their children as they see fit regardless of the content of the teachings.

It can be very tricky when it comes to familial traditions and practices. Those who wish to teach their child things which are demonstrably wrong or untrue shouldn't be surprised when their children are exposed to views which demolish "cherished beliefs."

And in some cases tolerant acceptance of the beliefs of strangers can lead to the deaths of their children. Allowing the neighbors to do as they see fit doesn't exculpate me from charges of negligence.

As much as I hate creeping busybodyism, I'm not inclined to let a child suffer from parentally imposed ignorance or misinformation. Its all part of having respect for the child as more than an appendage of their parent.

Any views which can survive challenge ( such as I survived the neighbor children's attempts to save my "Atheist" soul,) will be strengthened by exposure to diverse views. This better prepares children to go out into the real world where no one will shelter them from counter-arguments.

So many parents today seem to want to homeschool their children. To me this smacks of the same envy of anyone else who takes a mentor role in their child's life. But I believe that a non-familial mentor is important in a child's life and can fulfill a role which family shouldn't and can't.

While not all homeschooling is bad. I see more homeschool kids who have a hard time connecting socially with others. School is about more than education; its about building community by meeting a larger world than the one you were born into.

Dante