Preserving Our Values through Home Education

We are part of a powerful, growing state and national homeschooling movement. And that was the case even before the coronavirus! Now, more families than ever are homeschooling and benefiting from this life-changing choice. North Carolina is second only to Alaska in percent of the population homeschooling (statistics), and our freedoms here are some of the best in the nation. 

We are also at a time of significant cultural change in our nation. There are those who value our constitutional rights, traditional family structures, the sanctity of life, and the authority of parents in the lives of their children and there are those who don’t. There is also a growing belief that the government should make decisions about how our children are educated. This divide is affecting what is being taught in public schools and many parents are homeschooling because they don’t want these things taught to their children. In this video, our executive director, Matthew McDill talks about how home education provides a wonderful opportunity to preserve our values. 

COVID was interesting in that it brought our children home from schools to online experiences where parents became unavoidably aware of what was being taught and what their children were and were not learning. In essence, remote learning shed light on what had been largely beyond parental view pre-COVID. Homeschooling Facebook pages were full of parents’ exclamations of shock at what their children did not know, as well as statements of frustration with things they were being taught that were elements of social indoctrination. 

In North Carolina, there have been places where young students have been taken in for private interviews without parental consent or presence where they have been asked about things like family views on race and gender (article). In Charlotte, teachers have been encouraged to engage students in identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community and give them instruction on how to be activists without their parents knowledge and consent (article). Many families also recognize that the social distancing and masking of children is detrimental to their health and development as is being borne out in research (article). Other parents want masks to be mandated to protect their children from COVID.  It is in the turmoil of societal values that we have seen record numbers of people turning to homeschooling as a means of deciding what their children learn and how–a means of preserving values that are important to their families.  

We believe that every family should have the right to homeschool their children and pass on their own values to them. As an organization NCHE stands firmly behind the following: 

• Parental Authority: The authority and responsibility of educating and raising children belongs to parents. 
• Home Education: Home education is effective for establishing academic success, preparation for life, strong family relationships, and moral character. 
• Biblical Christianity: We operate on the basis of biblical principles, affirm the Nicene Creed, hold to the authority of Scripture for doctrine and practice, and seek to support Christian parents in helping their children to follow Jesus Christ. 
• Service to All: We serve and welcome all who support home education, regardless of race or religious affiliation. 

In short, NCHE is there to assist you as you preserve your family values with regard to the education of your children. But we can’t do it alone! There are over 112,000 homeschooling families in our state. We want to reach as many of these parents as possible to help them homeschool with confidence and joy, protect their right to homeschool, equip them with information and encouragement, and connect them with other homeschoolers to mentor and support them. NCHE is taking on a monumental task!   

We are a member and donor supported non-profit. We depend on you to help us preserve the rights and values of our members and all NC homeschoolers. Right now, we have a shortfall of roughly $20,000 to meet our budget by the end of the year. 

Do you want us to continue the work to protect and support you in your freedom to homeschool in NC? Then please support our effort by donating to North Carolinians for Home Education today! 

But don’t let it stop with you! Share this letter with someone in your corner who believes in your right to preserve family values. Maybe it’s your parents or siblings. Maybe it’s a neighbor, friend, co-worker, or fellow homeschooler. Ask them to donate out of support for you in your homeschooling journey! 

Standing with you,

Diane Helfrich
NCHE Development Director

P.S. It is critical to receive your support before the end of December. Prayerfully offer your best gift today! 

P.S.S.  There isn’t much that is more important than your freedom to raise your children according to your own convictions. With one simple choice to donate to NCHE, you will be doing the most important thing you can do to ensure that no one takes that freedom from you in NC.