George:

I am not as alarmed by the reactionary political activities and attitudes of the homeschooled students of Patrick Henry College as I am impressed by how effective they apparently are at what they do.

Many of the homeschoolers I know (including my own sons) are as passionate about what we like to think are progressive attitudes and activities as are the young people in the articles you cited. Although they may come to homeschooling for different reasons (the schools are too rigid, the schools are too loose), homeschooling families can run the full spectrum from the extreme right to the extreme left.

What seems common to these two political and cultural extremes are home-educated students who are very able to make things happen. They may adopt the prevailing attitudes of the Right or the Left but at heart I think you will find that both are amazingly adept at thinking for themselves and at ease in maneuvering their way in a baffling adult world.

Bill Davis (electronic mail, March 10, 2004)

Editor's Note: For more, see Students From Patrick Henry College Plant Political Seeds, College for the Home-Schooled Is Shaping Leaders for the Right, School Rules, From VH1 to Hand-holding, and House Relaxes Bill Relaxing Teacher Qualification.