As Education Independence finishes it’s first year, we wanted to share this reflection from one of our Network members.
Why do we homeschool? Is it so we can simply recreate school in our homes? So that the government can tell us what we should or shouldn’t do? Or is it so we can have the freedom and flexibility to educate our children in a way that truly serves them best?
Why We Homeschool
For me, the answer is simple: we homeschool because we have the God-given right and responsibility as parents to direct our children’s education—without interference or oversight from outsiders. That, in essence, is what education independence means to me. It’s about reclaiming authority over the shaping of our children’s hearts, minds, and souls.
This conviction didn’t come naturally. Before homeschooling, I never even considered it an option. Like many, I followed the expected path—earn degrees, get married, have children, maintain a career, and move to a higher-tax area for the “better public schools.” I never thought to question that formula. But discovering the Education Independence community changed everything. Through their seminars and monthly discussions, I’ve come to understand the four pillars that protect our freedom to educate: Independent Parents, Independent Funding, Independent Pursuit, and Independent Ideas. Each pillar has shaped my journey—and I believe they can shape yours too.
Applying the Four Pillars
Independent Parents
The first pillar, Independent Parents, affirms that parental rights come from God and should be protected from the state. No government agency sat at my bedside during labor. No state official paced the hospital hallway praying for my children’s safe arrival. No bureaucrat has ever wept over their fevers or rejoiced at their first steps. My husband and I have—because God entrusted these children to us, not to the state. That sacred trust carries with it the authority to direct their education. When we began homeschooling in 2022, we weren’t asking for permission; we were answering a call that predates any government program or policy.
Independent Funding
This trust in God’s calling connects directly to the second pillar: Independent Funding. This pillar recognizes that the financial obligation for education remains on parents, with support from private, voluntary benefactors—not the government. Of all four pillars, this one has been the most stretching and faith-building aspect of our homeschooling journey. Choosing to live on one income to make home-centered education possible is not only an investment in our children’s lives, but also a call to trust God completely. It has taught us that everything else is a resource—but God is our ultimate Source. Since 2022, when we began homeschooling, we have never missed a mortgage payment or gone hungry because of our decision. Time and again, provision has met obedience, and we are firm believers that with the vision comes provision.
When elected officials dangle thousands of dollars in front of you, promising to “help” homeschoolers, I can’t help but recall Ronald Reagan’s famous warning: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Those words often signal unintended harm. Dependency, no matter how well-intentioned, can slowly erode dignity and quietly tear families apart. Independent funding keeps our freedom intact.
Independent Pursuit
The third pillar, Independent Pursuit, upholds that the sacred pursuit of education exists outside the jurisdiction of the state. Its purpose is to know God and to make Him known. This pillar has redefined what I believe education truly is. It is not merely academic—it is a call to discipleship. I often picture the circle of knowledge, with God at the center and everything else revolving around Him. That’s what education should look like. Even the doxology has taken on deeper meaning in our home; learning itself and uncovering wisdom have become an act of worship.
Independent Ideas
The fourth pillar, Independent Ideas, concludes that a flourishing society emerges from a free market of ideas—because wrestling with Truth promotes blessing and virtue for the whole community. Before attending Education Independence seminars, I accepted conventional wisdom without question: public school was the path to success, credentialed experts knew best, and my role was to follow the formula. But through the monthly discussions, I’ve learned to wrestle with ideas rather than passively consume them. Around the table with other parents, I’ve encountered perspectives that challenged my assumptions and sharpened my thinking. This is exactly the kind of community these seminars create—a place where ideas flow freely and virtue and wisdom spread through exchange, not mandates.
Why Attend an EI Virtual Seminar?
This is why I attend Education Independence seminars—and why I encourage you to attend. These seminars offer what Neil Postman warned our culture desperately needs: the opportunity to engage intellectually in a society that is “amusing itself to death.”
The monthly topics and guiding questions are always thought-provoking, encouraging reflections on deep truths about freedom, family, and faith. Lauren Gideon’s brilliant mind and her ability to recall the best quotes have been a continual inspiration in this pursuit. These conversations have become a form of spiritual and intellectual wellness for me. Meaningful dialogue stimulates my mind, anchors me in truth, and points me back to God. It builds community, strengthens conviction, and reminds me that even in a world of YouTube shorts, TikTok clips, and AI “thinking” for us, the human soul still longs for depth, meaning, and wisdom.
If you’re seeking that depth—if you want to understand why education independence matters and how to protect it—I invite you to join us. Education Independence curates classical conversations for adult learners, giving us a space to think, reflect, connect, and grow. Through this platform, I’m held accountable and reminded that the goal is not to replicate school at home but to cultivate learning as a lifestyle rooted in grace, humility, integrity, diligence, and excellence.
Come discover what I’ve discovered. Your family—and your freedom—are worth it.
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