The public perception that homeschooling students and socialization are incompatible and is one of the greatest stumbling blocks to homeschooling throughout the country., no doubt. The flawed thinking was dealt with in Part I of our series on homeschool education and socialization.

But, an even greater misperception is growing throughout the U.S. concerning an alleged "necessity" for preschool education and socialization for ALL students.

Why? The reasons asserted are theoretical, some emanating from Bloom's flawed educational theories. But the ACTUAL results of such thinking are alarming. As you will hear, Legal expert and Home School Legal Defense Association Attorney Scott Woodruff lends his expertise to the subject. Put simply, state mandated preschool education and socialization would be an unmitigated disaster.

Consider the following facts concerning homeschooling vs. preschool education and socialization:

Commenting on the current trend for early preschool education and socialization, Dr. David Elkind, professor of child development at Tufts University, wrote, "When we instruct children in the academic subjects ... at too early an age, we miseducate them. We put them at risk for short term stress and long term personality damage. There is no evidence that such early instruction has lasting benefits and considerable evidence that it can do lasting harm". (David Elkind, Miseducation: Preschoolers at Risk (New York, Kopf, 1987). p. 83, 69.).

In contrast, homeschooling has tended to deny the necessity of more education at the preschool level and emphasizes the family as the primary unit for preschool education and socialization skills and development.

A 2005 Stanford University/University of California research study reported on the subject of preschool education and socialization," We find that attendance in preschool centers, even for a short periods of time each week, hinders the rate at which young children develop social skills and display the motivation to engage classroom tasks, as reported by their kindergarten teachers." Preschool education and socialization in such children shows a lack of development of social skills in three specific areas: "children's externalizing behaviors (such as aggression, bullying, acting up), interpersonal skill (such as sharing and cooperation) and self-control in engaging classroom tasks.

According to a report by the Southwest Policy Institute, again, concerning preschool education and socialization: "Contrary to common belief, early institutional schooling can harm children emotionally, intellectually and socially, and may later lead to greater peer dependency. "Moreover, research indicates that most academic gains shown by normal children schooled early do not last past the second grade." The need for early schooling for disadvantaged and at-risk children does not justify mandating kindergarten for all children."

At A&D Net (www.VisionViewpoint.com), we have always opposed programs which suggest or mandate any kind of publicly enforced preschool education and socialization programs. We believe them to be harmful to our children. The broadcast on WorldTalkRadio, with expert Scott Woodruff, should leave you with no doubts about which is better for our children: homeschooling or preschool education and socialization programs (state social engineering).

Take a few minutes to listen to the overwhelming evidence AGAINST any alleged necessity for any publicly enforced preschool education and socialization efforts. Tune into WorldTalkRadio and listen to Gateway To Discovery's archived show with Scott Woodruff.

Unfortunately, much is happening in states such as Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois where lawmakers are attempting to pass laws for the enforcement of preschool education and socialization programs.

Go to VisionViewpoint for information on all kinds of subjects pertaining to faith, freedom, education, and historic Christian values.