When I first saw this picture on Spunky's blog I thought, "what are the Olsen twins up to".  While these girls are seemingly adorable in a "Mary Kate & Ashley sort of way", the message they are sending out is in stark contrast.

I'm all for being proud of your heritage, your race, your whatever....but I think the parents of this pair have gone beyond "celebrating their heritage".  Lynx and Lamb are thirteen year old, homeschooled, twin, singers whose songs spread the message of the White Nationalist Movement.  Lovely.  As though homeschoolers don't have enough stereotypes to overcome...sigh.  It's really not a mystery to me why ABC chose these two for this story.

I realize that homeschooling isn't popular but come on.  This isolated case in no way accurately represents the homeschool community and I think it's irresponsible of ABC not to make that clarification in doing the story. 

Spunky brings up a good point that these girls are making the news not solely because of their hate speech.  They are making the news because of their color and the fact that they are homeschooled.  She refers to an incident that happened to her family a few years back that will make your stomach churn at how biased the media is.  We've not had anything as traumatic as that but have encountered the hostility of other parents and public school kids once they learned our kids are homeschooled.  It hasn't been pretty at times but thankfully nothing like Spunky's family had to deal with. 

ABC would have us believe the twins are a prime example of homeschooling in America.  Personally, I'd rather have a young man like homeschool graduate, Noah Riner (photo right), as the poster child for homeschooling.  I applaud this kid for standing up for his beliefs.  He's caught a lot of flack for his speech at Dartmouth but I pray he doesn't waiver.  Where's the ACLU defending this young man's right to "freedom of speech"?  Had he referenced any other religion's "object of worship" people would have nodded agreement and thought him quite the wise young man.  Instead, he's considered politically incorrect.  Maybe the media's true problem with homeschooled kids is that they don't "conform".  Even the twins mentioned are "going against the flow".  While I certainly do not agree with teaching children to hate others for any reason, I wonder if the "message" is really what the mainstream media and the "preachers of political correctness" have a problem with.  I mean they don't seem to mind when other groups exercise their right to "freedom of speech" or "freedom of religion".  Heck, as I've revealed in another post, the ACLU actually defends that right for those who advocate crimes against children.  Maybe, part of their issue with homeschoolers is that they have the boldness to state their beliefs no matter what others may think?  I don't have "research" to back this up, just a personal observation I'm mulling over. (Find other links about Noah Riner's speech at, Courage to Match his Convictions)

I'd like to know what Dr. Phil has to say about young Mr. Riner.  I think Noah's example flies in the face of Dr. Phil's advice not to homeschool past 8th grade (for social reasons).  Can you tell I've been visiting SpunkyHomeschool today? lol. (When Dad & Mom Don't Agree)

As I started reading Dr. Phil's comments to the parents on his show, No Room for Compromise, I silently cheered for all "homeschool kind" lol.  Then I got to the part about not schooling at home past the 8th grade. Hmm.

²    “The truth is, the research shows there is absolutely no disruption of social development and evolution in children who are home schooled up through the eighth grade,” he tells them. “But that presupposes that the parents are willing to make the time commitment, the money commitment, the lifestyle commitment to provide that academic environment for the child at home. And then to take them to participate in extra-curricular activities of their peer group. Like the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, the church groups and socials, and sports and choirs and things like that. Once kids get to high school, social development is important. They become more independent. They want to interact on their own. They’re post-pubescent. And so they don’t do well in a home school environment in high school as they do socially in a public or private school.”

Now, I have no idea if we will homeschool past 8th grade or not.  Our conviction on the matter is that we will homeschool until God tells us otherwise.  Obviously Dr. Phil views homeschooling as an acceptable form of education and not the Nazi boot-camp ABC is subtly presenting, but I would like to know where Dr. Phil gets his research on the High School cut off.  What research shows this?  HSLDA has research contradicting this claim and since Dr. Phil references "research" supporting his view, I think it would be good of him to share it with the rest of us.

Before I leave the Dr. Phil story, I'd like to address something else.  When I read the quotes from the show, I was thinking along the same lines as Spunky in regard to Dr. Phil usurping the husband's role as head of his household.  While I do believe this husband and father was misinformed, I believe a wife should be willing to submit to her husband's ultimate decision on the matter.  My husband was not "pro-homeschooling" when I first brought it up as a possibility.  I did my homework and presented him with plenty of information but I knew that ultimately he would make the decision.  We each prayed about this and compromised by agreeing to homeschool on a trial basis.  By the end of that trial period we agreed that this was what God wanted us to do.  It's not God's desire for Husbands and Wives to disagree and so if both are truly seeking His [God's] will, the occasion for the husband to "overrule" the wife will be rare.  Of course, that's a whole other lesson on submission and this post is about homeschooling in the media so I'll stop there.

I think homeschooling is not just growing but also becoming more "credible" as those who consider themselves "normal" begin questioning the public school system.  No, mainstream media may not be all warm and fuzzy about it but even they won't be able to ignore the growing trend for long.  Homeschooling is nothing like it was even ten years ago.  The co-ops and support groups, the curriculum choices and sports, even the local recreation centers are beginning to offer activities during the day specifically for this growing group of home educated kids.  Homeschool parents sacrifice a great deal for their kids education and well-being. Most homeschool parents strive to shape their kids in positive ways so they can become law abiding, giving, contributing citizens.  Yes, there are a handful who have sinister motives but for the most part, homeschools all across America are adequately equipping the next generation.