(April 15, 2001) Parents who are fed up with claptrap in public schools increasingly elect to homeschool their children. This is more appealing than ever with the expectation of that public classrooms represent the next battleground over guns and policy. These institutions already routinely punish students merely for drawing the picture of a gun; nobody is really going to believe these schools will now become more hospitable for our children under the new mandate.

Homeschooling takes some more work; it isn't as easy as subcontracting your childrearing obligations to the state. But the state doesn't give warranty service on its job performance in the classroom, and some of us believe this is a task we can't risk having done wrong. Homeschooling is still easier than some might think, and every day there are more support resources and services. Ask me how I know! The state can have my taxes, and can think it's taking all my guns, but it cannot have my kids. Homeschooling is an idea I commend to parents for consideration.

For information write to Maryland Home Education Association, 9085 Flamepool Way, Columbia MD 21045, or visit them on the web at http://www.mhea.com Stop by one of the many gatherings of homeschool families in your neighborhood and tell me if you can't see the difference from your kids' public school classrooms!