LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: John Oliver addressed the growing trend of homeschooling in the US and its lack of regulation on his show 'Last Week Tonight'.
The British comedian emphasized the rising number of children obtaining education beyond the confines of traditional school settings.
The TV host, 46, pointed out that the US homeschooling community is "much broader than just rightwing parents" concerned about "hypothetical third-grade lube demonstrations."
He quoted that around 2 million children in the US are homeschooled for various reasons, such as social or health concerns, worries about school safety, and Black families seeking to avoid curricula that lack cultural diversity.
John Oliver critiques American homeschooling sector
Oliver said that because homeschooling is so uncontrolled in certain parts of the nation, "the ceiling of how good it can be is admittedly very high, but the floor of how bad it can get is basically nonexistent."
Oliver began by addressing the unknown in homeschooling — the number of children being homeschooled and the content of their education. This is mainly because many states do not mandate parents to inform school districts about their decision to homeschool their children, nor do they require any subsequent follow-ups.
But follow-ups could be beneficial, given that many parents may lack the time or resources to create their own homeschooling curriculum.
Oliver highlighted the role of three major publishers of homeschooling textbooks and materials. These are all Christian companies that claim to facilitate learning through a "Biblical filter."
Oliver stated, "It is absolutely a parent’s right to educate their children with religion if they so choose. But the quality of some of these books can be troubling."
Oliver also drew attention to a history book that suggested the early 20th century experienced a "cultural breakdown" that endangered the foundations of Western civilization due to liberalism.
He also pointed out a workbook by Ace that praised Confederate General Robert E Lee as a devoted Christian who practiced his Christianity in all his dealings with others. Furthermore, he highlighted that several biology textbooks made claims about the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans in the same era of earth's history.
"While all of that is troubling, the truth is that in many states, the rules and oversight can be so lax that parents ultimately don't have to teach their kids anything at all," Oliver said, citing a group called "dissident-homeschooling," which was founded by a woman who had a "rough time finding Nazi-approved material" for her homeschooled children.
"And you know what? Good! That probably shouldn’t be an easy Google," Oliver noted. "If you search for that, it should probably auto-correct to 'Did you mean how do I take myself to jail?'"
John Oliver on Homeschooling Legal Defense Association
Oliver described how these practices complied with the law, attributing it to the influential homeschooling lobby spearheaded by the Homeschooling Legal Defense Association. "The HSLDA have made themselves so powerful, many parents keep working with them even if they don’t agree with everything they stand for," Oliver detailed.
He further said, "It’s a dilemma otherwise known as the Tom Cruise conundrum – on the one hand, a billion dollars at the box office. On the other, a billion-year contract to an alien mafia. It’s tricky!"
The group has achieved remarkable success in repealing homeschooling regulations in numerous states. "The argument they will always make against any regulation is you’re just punishing all the parents doing things right to address a handful who are doing it wrong," Oliver stated.
"In theory, sure. But when you have some parents running the Homeschool Institute of Dishwashing and others running Lil Nazis R Us, it seems maybe the reins have gotten a little too loose."
Concerns rise over unregulated homeschooling system
The most alarming aspect is that an unregulated system can enable abusive parents to use homeschooling as a cover, resulting in many victims falling through the cracks.
Oliver insisted, "Deregulating homeschooling doesn’t just eliminate safeguards against parents who are bad teachers. It also eliminates them against parents who are bad people."
Oliver contended that, at the very least, states should mandate parents to register their child as homeschooled, ensuring a record of their existence.
He emphasized the low standard set here, humorously likening it to the earth’s core, which might be depicted in some homeschooling textbooks as located between the "soil and the fiery bowels of hell."
Furthermore, Oliver advocated for fundamental safety protections for children, like adopting Raylee’s Law or comparable safeguards. He concluded, "Basic reforms here just shouldn’t be controversial because this is about child welfare. This isn’t rocket science; all of this is just basic common sense."
Internet reacts to John Oliver's take on lax US homeschooling rules
Viewers quickly gathered in the YouTube comments to express their reactions to John Oliver’s commentary on the lenient homeschooling regulations in the US. One viewer noted it’s the "best way to be entertained and outraged at the same time."
Another user said, "And he is the embodiment of "Having fun while learning" as well." "Should we call that Enterraged or Outertained?" mentioned another.
Others pointed out, "This isn't just outrage, though. This was heartbreaking." A user hailed writers and said, "Thank you, writers and researchers, for this!!"
"Having a child doesn't make you virtuous" is something more people need to hear," claimed a user. Another wrote, "We need more children's rights than parent's rights. No person should have the right to ruin a child's entire life, especially that child's parents."
