In a Closed and Sometimes Tightly Knit Sphere

“I grew up being told and believing homeschoolers were the better socialized group over public schooled kids. I would scoff and laugh if anyone ever challenged that idea. ‘Of course we’re socialized!’ I would haughtily answer anyone who questioned the socializing of homeschoolers. I knew what I was talking about, I was very well socialized, I could talk for hours with the adults… Little did I know how wrong I was.”

Doug Phillips Resigns from Vision Forum, Cancels Speaking Events, Due to “Inappropriate” Relationship

“Earlier today, Doug Phillips resigned as president of Vision Forum and discontinued future speaking engagements. Doug Phillips is a former attorney for HSLDA. As an HSLDA attorney, he was the architect behind what is probably HSLDA’s most significant legal event: rallying opposition to H.R. 6. He also was one of the main speakers at the 2009 Men’s Leadership Summit. Phillips resigned because he ‘engaged in a lengthy, inappropriate relationship with a woman.'”

Isolating Kids to Shield Them from “The World” Is Not Only Harmful, but Counter Productive

“The parents who wanted to try to keep their children in the faith by isolating them don’t realize that that their tactics are back firing on them, creating a generation of former fundamentalist who have given it all up, and who realize just how toxic that belief systemis, people like me and Lana Hobbs, Jonny Scaramanga, and Samantha Field, just to name a few.”

Falling from Family Dysfunction into Nightmares Realized — Another Story of Homeschool Abuse: Lana Martin’s Story, Part One

“The HSLDA promotes a certain image of the average homeschool family, a cozy picture which convinces thousands of parents each year to withdraw their children from public school… My experience as a neglected homeschool student growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional family is testimony that this scenario does not always unfold so neatly. My mother was encouraged by HSLDA propaganda to homeschool me, and my parents were enabled by lack of regulatory oversight to proceed with little consideration for my needs.”

Homeschool to Public School

“I find the debate about whether homeschool or public school is inherently better to be the educational equivalent of arguing whether Coke or orange soda is better. It’s utter foolishness when people act like their personal preference is the only one that counts. Overall I believe that human beings are resilient and adaptable creatures, capable of learning in many different environments if given the opportunity and some quality mentoring.”

An Open Letter to My Former Highschool Teachers: By Sarah Henderson

Thank you for seeing my anxiety and deciding to explain to the entire class what the 8:25 bell was, even though they clearly knew.

Stiff-Necked Legalism: By Chris Jeub

“After spending a good amount of time reading your posts, I began to see my first impression was not accurate. You’re a very interesting group of young people. I know, I know, you’ve been called ‘apostates’ and rebels of an ill sort. I’m sorry that some people — including me — jump to judgment. Don’t let that get you down. I am seeing a very raw and needed message to the homeschool community brewing, and much of it is coming from you.”

Christian Discipline, A Child’s Perspective: Jessica’s Story

“Awaking from a fitful slumber, I turn over and squint to see the clock. It’s 2 am, dad is home. Who will it be tonight? If I hear one of my brother’s screaming, it probably won’t be me. I close my eyes, clasp my hands. ‘Dear God, I know you’re busy and I know this is selfish, but please just let dad go to bed tonight.'”

When Your Daughters are The #1 Threat to Your Agenda

“For many Patriarchs, the agenda is not to honestly build the relationship between the father and daughter. Rather, fathers are using their daughters to instill in them what they believe to be the godly ideology and sell the daughters on their role in continuing and supporting this ideology. This is accomplished through purity balls, purity covenants, books, videos, conferences or retreats.”

The Reason I Despise Fundamentalist Christianity, As Revealed to Me In a Dream

“I couldn’t put my finger on either my anxiety when reading about the mistreatment of Christian girls or my strange negative reactions to other generic mentions of Christianity. Why did I cringe when I saw a post on Twitter recommending a book about God’s love? Why do I skim past the tweets with Bible verses and references to good times at church? I believe I got my answer in a dream I had Saturday night.”