I think homeschoolers are smarter probably because they can work at their own pace. My little brother started school this year and he was done with kindergarten in only a few months! He's started 1st grade now.

I don't think that homeschoolers are smarter then publicschoolers (there is no word like that, I know). I think it matters on the student and the teacher. I have found out recently that a teacher is very important when you're homeschooled. For some time my three sisters and I were left without a teacher, and our grades went down....

I was homeschooled all the way through school. I graduated this last spring.

I don't mean to say that public schoolers are stupid I am just saying that in the environment of the school system most schoolers seem to become less mature then children that learn in the welcome environment of there home.

And being homeschooled you would be basing that on your experiences at public schools?

I don't understand what you mean Warrior but I went to a public school before my parents decided to home school me.

Like americangirlemmie, I have spent a good chunk of my education in a public school. So, at least in my school, there can be really bad influences. Someone close to me is learning that the hard way, but unfortunetly, her parents have to wait until next year to homeschool her.

I think what americangirlemmie meant on that point was that most homeschoolers spend their days in a much more mature, safer enviroment.

Seems like a lot of people worry about how public school will influence their kids, but it goes the other way around too.. kids can possitively influence those around them.
I have a cousin who was homeschooled and is now going to a private college, nothing wrong with that. But his reason was because he didn't want to be in an environment that would cause him to slip from his faith.
I know he didn't mean it to offend me, I've been in public schools/universities for the past 7 years, but it struck me as very narrow-minded. How can you ever interact with the wide variety of people out there in the world, some of which may benefit from you or you may benefit from them, if you just hang out with people who are exactly like you?

I'm assuming you are talking about the Christian faith. There are many reasons why Christian kids should not go to public school. The main reason is that they are taught an atheistic world view where christianity is considered outdated an unscientific. Which necessarily leads to the worldview that there is no moral truth in which case everything is OK. That alone should be reason enough to not send your kids there. And the parents have absolutley no way to know what their kids are doing between classes all day, with minimal adult supervision.

And besides why would any christian want to send their child to a place run by a government that legalizes many sinful and wicked things, it makes no sense.

I wouldn't say that it is wrong to send your child to a public school (I'm homeschooled, btw). I personally think it is wiser, so you can decide what you want your children learning, and you can protect them from bullying and abuse that is often there.
But I don't say that homeschooling is the only right choice.

It depends on the person... my said friend is more influenced than a leader. Then again, I have another homeschooled friend who I have known since before we could walk, and sometimes I wonder if she should have been sent to public school just because she has always been so wise and mature as a Christian, and could really work the other way around. Yet that may be partly due to her education as well.... But there was another girl at my public school, another Christian whom I still see at church, who is always smiling and excels where she is. So those are just a few examples. I'll quite my rambling.

Oh, and I still socialize. My parents are still sending me off to mingle and such. I go to my old school for some classes/clubs. Does everyone's area have a co-op?

I'm assuming you are talking about the Christian faith.

The main reason is that they are taught an atheistic world view where christianity is considered outdated an unscientific.

Yeah I did mean the Christian faith.

Well, Christianity isn't very scientific, so they're right about that.
But just personally, in my years at public school I never once heard any teacher or faculty denounce Christianity, or any faith for that matter. It was all just academics. No one forced atheism on me.

And you're right LessThanGold, it all comes down to the individual person , some people thrive in public school while others thrive better homeschooled or in private school.

How can you ever interact with the wide variety of people out there in the world, some of which may benefit from you or you may benefit from them, if you just hang out with people who are exactly like you?

I think you are assuming that homeschoolers lock themselves up in their homes and never come out.

When I was in both private and public schools, each one I was around the same type of people, all the time, every day and there is no choice whether to be around some people or not - you're forced. Whereas in homeschooling, I was actually out living life, making my own choices, and I interacted with way more people on a personal level than I did at school and was around many people very different than myself. In fact, it wasn't even until I go out of regular school that I finally decided to study other religions.

I don't do co-op. not that we have anything against it, we just never got into it.....

In my experience, some co-ops were good, others were not. It just depends.