During a recent episode of their podcast, 'I've Had It,' co-hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan expressed significant disapproval of homeschooling, characterizing it as 'the worst' educational approach and 'weird as f---'. Their remarks were prompted by a listener's call complaining about parents attempting to homeschool their children despite seemingly lacking the capacity to raise them effectively.
Concerns Over Parental Motives and Socialization
Angie Sullivan quickly engaged with the listener's comments, specifically voicing apprehension about individuals from 'Bible study' groups choosing to homeschool their children. Sullivan stated her belief that homeschooling is fundamentally a poor concept. She elaborated, saying,
I just think homeschooling is a bad idea, from soup to nuts. I don’t care if you’re a nuclear physicist. I think it’s just f---ing weird as f--- that you want your kids around you all day, every day, and all night. And just the socialization.
Sullivan further reflected on her personal experience, indicating a strong desire for her own children to attend school, even if it meant significant effort on her part to get them there, primarily to have time away from them. She expressed distrust towards parents who wish to spend all their time with their children, suggesting that many less intelligent individuals opt for homeschooling because it appears easier, which she found concerning.
Welch's Stronger Condemnation: 'Trickle-Down Stupidity' and 'Child Abuse'
Jennifer Welch escalated the criticism, accusing parents who homeschool of attempting to 'project a script onto their kids' and implying they lack critical thinking abilities. She used provocative language to describe the practice, stating,
This is trickle-down stupidity. This is MAGA on steroids. This is MAHA. This is tradwife. This is unvaxxed and unjacked and all that s---. This is the worst, worst, worst.
Welch further contended that homeschooling is intertwined with America's 'fundamental crazy Christian problem,' going as far as to suggest it amounted to child abuse. She articulated her strong feelings, saying,
I think it's a huge problem. I cannot stand these people, but, again, it's a pretty big red flag when somebody tells you, when you're like 'What's their deal, they seem kind of awful' [and they say] 'I was homeschooled.' You're like, 'Yeah.' I just think it's such a selfish thing for parents to do.
She continued her critique of religious influence in education, adding,
I honestly ... I'm just gonna say this. I think it's selfish for parents to push a religion on a child and make them believe just one before they're old enough to hear about all of them or none of them and decide for themselves. I think it's all child abuse, honestly.
A Defense of Homeschooling and Critique of Public Education
In response to the podcast hosts' comments, a commentator named DeAngelis offered a strong counter-argument, defending the practice of homeschooling and criticizing the public education system. DeAngelis challenged the notion that parental presence is unusual or negative, stating,
It's not weird to love your children and want them around. It’s weird to outsource them to strangers employed by the government while pretending it’s for their own good. The government school system is filled with documented abuse, bullying, fights, drugs, gangs, violence, and relentless socialist indoctrination. That’s the 'socialization' these hosts are defending.
Historical Context and Parental Authority
DeAngelis also provided historical context, asserting that homeschooling is far from a novel concept. He highlighted that parents educating their own children at home has been the primary mode of learning for millennia. He contrasted this with the public schooling system, which he described as the true 'experiment,' originating from '19th-century Prussian militarism and 20th-century progressive social engineering.'
According to DeAngelis, this 'experiment has failed millions of kids.' He concluded by suggesting that the podcasters' remarks reveal more about their 'contempt for family and parental authority' than they do about homeschooling itself, emphasizing that parents choosing to raise and educate their own children is not 'MAGA on steroids' or 'trickle-down stupidity,' but rather 'the most natural thing in the world.'
