It’s happened again, this time close to home—in the town where my close friend resides. Recently, the tragic incident at Townville Elementary School in South Carolina shocked us all, where two children and a teacher were shot. The teenage shooter also took the life of his father before the assault. He called his grandparents in distress just moments before the attack. Thankfully, a brave volunteer firefighter intervened, and the shooter was apprehended. The weapon used was a handgun, and the young assailant’s identity remains undisclosed due to his age.
This heartbreaking event is a significant reason I’ve chosen to homeschool my children. While I understand that homeschooling isn’t a feasible option for everyone, especially for those with demanding jobs or single parents, I feel fortunate to have this choice.
My husband works in public education, and the protocols he follows for intruder drills are alarmingly meticulous, including placing cardboard over classroom doors to prevent visibility. In the event of a drill, steel doors throughout the school are locked, adorned with warnings like “Do Not Open. Active Shooter Behind This Door.” It’s disturbing to realize that even preschoolers are now subjected to these drills. A viral photo recently captured a young child practicing her active shooter response by standing on a toilet, which left her mother, Jen, feeling as though her child had lost a piece of her innocence.
Joe Richards, an educator who teaches students of all ages how to respond to active shooter situations, noted in a Washington Post interview that younger children can at least try to disrupt a shooter by throwing objects. “Overwhelm him,” he advises. But the thought of my little ones running around trying to distract someone with a weapon is terrifying.
While the threat of school shootings is not the only reason for our decision to homeschool, it is certainly a major factor. Each week seems to bring news of another mass shooting, making it impossible for me to relax when sending my kids off to school. I can’t predict which school might be the next target, and the fear of sending them into such a perilous environment is overwhelming.
My middle son, for example, struggles significantly with the anxiety that comes from active shooter drills. While my eldest son seems indifferent, my youngest often becomes consumed with worry, asking endless questions that lead to sleepless nights filled with nightmares. I refuse to let that fear dominate his childhood, so we’ve opted to keep him home.
Of course, our reasons for homeschooling extend beyond safety concerns. We disagree with the current standardized testing approach prevalent in American schools. With my background in education, I find myself at odds with how history is taught, from the glorification of figures like Christopher Columbus to the oversimplified narratives around Thanksgiving and labor unions. At home, we have the freedom to explore topics that truly interest us, like dark matter, which captivates my six-year-old. We can tailor the learning pace to suit each child’s unique needs.
According to research conducted by Harvard School of Public Health and Northwestern University, the frequency of mass shootings has tripled since 2011, with incidents occurring every 64 days on average. Since 2013, “Everytown” has tracked over 160 incidents of gunfire in schools, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. I cannot allow my boys to become just another statistic.
So they will continue to learn at home. Yes, I am aware that dangers exist in other forms, and accidents can happen anywhere—especially during our kayaking adventures. However, the likelihood of them being involved in a shooting is significantly reduced. In today’s world, that’s a considerable advantage of homeschooling.
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In summary, while school shootings are a significant concern influencing our choice to homeschool, they are not the only reason. We seek an educational environment that allows our children to thrive without the added burden of fear and anxiety that comes from the current state of public schooling.