“Homeschooled To Harvard” – Why It Does (And Doesn’t!) Matter

Although this story does not surprise me one bit, I suppose I should at least touch on it. You can read the full story here.
The basic synopsis of the story:

A few days ago, Dakota Root achieved her lifelong dream. She was accepted at both Harvard and Stanford. She was also accepted at Columbia, Penn, Brown, Duke, Chicago, Cal-Berkeley, USC and several more of the elite schools in America, an unheard of record for a home-school kid.

Okay. Here comes my rant.

I’m happy for Ms. Root, I really am. But I’m not at all pleased with the tone of her father’s article.
Here’s where my toothache started.

 I often noted that Dakota and her parents were aiming for her acceptance at either Harvard or Stanford and would accept nothing less.

Translated into English: “Your education was worth nothing if you are not accepted into a top college."

I understand that there are many home-educated children who are geniuses. But not all of us are. Not all of us wish to spend all of our extra time at the kitchen table discussing politics.

The article is slightly redeemed here;

Dakota Root proves it doesn’t take a state certified teacher, or a teachers union, or a village to raise a child- it only takes two loving parents who give a damn. One home-schooled girl has driven a stake through the heart of the public school education sham. “Homeschool to Harvard” is a powerful story that every parent should be allowed to offer their children.

He’s right, kind of. It does take teachers – but not the school kind. Anyone in your path can teach you something, even if it’s how not to live. But a child’s success doesn’t have to be measured by which college they were accepted to.

I, as an example, had no interest in Harvard. I only had SMWC in my crosshairs. I was accepted, yes. But if I had been turned down, would it have made my school career less remarkable? It is not fair to home-educated students who simply cannot achieve these same things to say that his daughter proves that homeschooling works. Every child who was taught at home proves that it works when they carry on a conversation with an adult… without saying “like” or “um” every three words.

Anyway. Congrats again to Dakota. I wish her success in her fencing career and her studies. I’m sure that she will make the home-educated community proud, just as many others have done, are doing, and will do in the future, whether they aspire to Harvard or not!