Donna’s reference to the Wall Street Journal article — thanks for the extended quotation, by the way — highlights an issue I’ve had some recent contact with. Recognizing the language and cultural hurdles Hispanic families are encountering here, our organization, North Carolinians for Home Education, is working with the Mexican homeschooling association El Hogar Educador to make information, textbooks, and other materials available to Spanish-speaking families who may be interested in teaching their children at home — like 30,000 families here do already. There are a number of publishers familiar to American homeschoolers who offer their materials in Spanish, and NCHE is working to get local information (such as our legal requirements) translated and accessible as well.
All the usual advantages to homeschooling apply regardless of language. In particular, North Carolina has an excellent legal climate for homeschooling, recognizing the responsibility and freedom of parents and families to manage their own affairs if they choose — regardless of where they live, for example, or their native language. A Latino family here on a temporary basis, one wishing to preserve some of their cultural heritage rather than adopting ours instantaneously, or a family finding local resources are not meeting their children’s needs (as WSJ points out) may want to look into the idea.
Clarification: My friend at El Hogar Educador reminds me this morning (12/10) that EHE actually serves families in 28 countries, so it is more accurate to describe EHE as a “Hispanic” organization rather than implying a predominantly Mexican focus.
