My wish is that all families are given the knowledge that HE is a legal viable choice, so that parents can make an informed choice about what is right for their families at any given time.
I think that most people know this-they would simply hate it.
Firstly there are the threads at the moment where people are dreading the holidays-and this is just half term-not the summer!
The feminist threads show you that women want equality and they are full of the unfairness of women's careers coming second because they are the ones who fit around children and work part time-they want a high flying, full time career.
Then there are all the people who want a highly academic, selective education.
Those with the money who can afford what they think is the best.
Those like me who loved school and it makes up some of my happiest childhood members.
If people all knew I don't think that you would find a surge in HE. It wouldn't have worked for me because I have such a wide gap-10 years and to make either end fit in with the other would be unfair. The only way that you would get more is to get those who would love to do it if they could afford it.
It is the friendship thing that I feel can't be replicated. I have been a Beaver Leader, and before that a Brown Owl and yes there are superficial friendships -but not at the depth that you get in the school friendships, where they are there every day. I dare say that you can in HE groups but they all have similar backgrounds-their parents all agree with HE to start with. I like the fact that in school you get DCs from diverse background and parents with all sorts of views.
I don't like the fact that as the parent you get total control, if you don't like a child you can manipulate it so that your child sees very little of them. You know what your DC has done all day -or have a fair idea-the DC doesn't have the option of saying 'nothing' -leaving you with no idea!
I had two younger brothers-we had and have good relationships but I would have hated to have been at home with them or to have had to go out with them most of the time.
You can get the best of HE if you go to school-with all the hours left over.
I am not intending to say school is better-it isn't for some people-just that the idea that lots of people would jump at it if they knew it was an option is false. I knew and it would be a very last resort for me, if all else failed. My DSs knew it was an option-and not one they wished to take.
I once had a class discussion in school and a child made the statement that school was compulsory and so I explained that it wasn't-they all thought this was fantastic and then I told them that education wasn't optional-just the school and they could be educated at home -and they were most disappointed as they contemplated the fact it made no difference to them.