In this special two-part discussion, Pat Farenga and I discuss Harvard University’s ongoing 7-week conference, the “Post-Pandemic Future of Homeschooling.” This free online conference brings together researchers and academics in the field of homeschooling, and Pat and I are here to share what they’re talking about, the arguments they’re making, and what we think of all this.

In this first episode we discuss weeks 1-4 of the conference: Should homeschooling laws change? Who is homeschooling today? Are homeschoolers prepared for life? And—are homeschoolers socially isolated?

We get into some spicy discussions regarding homeschooling regulation, Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Bartholet’s ideas for protecting vulnerable children, the nature and limits of academic research, and political factions within the homeschool movement. Look forward to part two coming out later this month!

Patrick Farenga is the president and publisher of Growing Without Schooling magazine and the co-author (with John Holt) of Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book Of Homeschooling, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Learn more about Pat and John at johnholtgws.com.

Recordings of the Harvard conference are here: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/taubman/programs-research/pepg/events/future-homeschooling

More about the Connecticut study: https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/36-of-students-withdrawn-to-be-homeschooled-have-past-abuse-reports-connecticut-report-finds/