Militant means one who is an activist in the service of a cause. Militant people are competitive, engaged in war, and sometimes described as belligerent. According to Wikipedia.org, “The word militant has come to refer to any individual or party engaged in aggressive physical or verbal combat, normally for a cause”
I came across the question, “Why are homeschoolers so militant?” The question was proposed in a way that it inferred being militant is a bad thing. Personally, I think sometimes a person has to be militant.
As homeschoolers, we are in generally driven by something bigger than we are. I While I cannot speak for all homeschoolers, I am sure there are many more who homeschool for a similar reason. Personally, I question the public education I received. As a student who did very well, got in little trouble, and was only minimally exposed to drugs, (while I inhaled, it was always someone else’s smoke) you would think I would have come out of the experience ready to face the world. I did not. It took another 20 years to get myself to a place where I am confident in my skills and abilities and know I can compete in business and function well in life.
Meanwhile, I had children and put them in the same school systems, and began to see myself in the issues my kids were having. I got mad. I got worse than mad. I got militant. I pulled my kids out of the schools and decided that I would control their education. I had not doubt that I could top the questionable education I received. Apparently, thousands of parents feel the same way.
Being militant and adamantly against a system of the state is not a bad thing. It takes militant people to make change. It took militant people to make this nation independent. It took militant people to free my ancestors from slavery. I took militant people to eradicate Jim Crow laws. It will take militant people to change public education to a system that actually prepared student for life.
(This essay is an exercise in vocabulary. I encourage you to pick a new word each day and have your children to write an essay. Choose the number of required words according to grade level, age, or ability. ) For more words of the day see: syncretism, autodidact, extreme and mediocrity and more.
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?