Stereotypically yours,
For the last few days everyone online has been talking about the Louis Theroux Meets The Most Hated Family In America videos popping up on Youtube. There are many things about this family that are sending waves of disgust through many American homes.
One thing that popped out at me was that all 11 of the children go to public school. I’m not the only one suprised by that, even the journalist Louis Theroux noted that he expected the mother to be homeschooling. Let’s face it, they do fit the stereotypical homeschool family that most people imagine. A large family, very religious, patriarchal, intelligent (they are nearly all lawyers), and no friends outside their immediate family. This is the kind of environment that many assume homeschoolers live in.
According to the HSLDA 60% of parents choose to homeschool to provide religious or moral instruction. Many of us look at those numbers and assume that this means some sort of devout Christian teaching. But the fact is homeschoolers are incredibly diverse. Homeschooling for religious or moral reasons does not always equal conservative Christianity, or even Christianity at all. It is hard to even know if the numbers given by the HSLDA are accurate concidering they are a Christian organization.
But back to the Phelps family. The scary part is that they are only one state away from me, and that their message has some supporters down here. Though most would not take it as far as they have, there are plenty of people in this area who agree with many of their viewpoints. And thanks to the stereotype about homeschoolers my family is often bunched in with them. Hopefully as the numbers of homeschoolers increases there will be more diversity and the stereotype will fade. I mean, their not ever homeschoolers. Don’t let the long hair, large family, and conservative values fool you.
homeschool, homeschoolers, Phelps, Fred Phelps, Most Hated Family in America, stereotypes
April 6th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Thanks for the visit! I look forward to reading more about you. Thoughtful points about the diversity of homeschooling. There aren’t too many families who homeschool in our area so misperceptions abound.
I sure hope the Phelps don’t find me, since I am an admitted, and proud fag hag! But then, I do love a good fight….
April 10th, 2007 at 3:57 am
I actually saw the entire piece on the Phelps family over here on BBC 1. It was an incredibly uncomfortable thing to view in that it’s almost impossible to get your mind around this level of fanatacism. I agree wholeheartedly with your point about the diversity of homeschoolers and celebrate the fact that the Phelps’ family is not among you. How they survive among anyone is amazing to me. Here’s hoping for continued expansion of our minds and widespread acceptance of diversity!