"Also, what do you make of the statistics that say that homeschooled children are academically above their peers? Despite not having 'experts' teach them, they are achieving at higher levels; I'm curious what you make of that."
I can tell you exactly why. Low salaries and ridiculously low qualification standards for teachers these days. You really should go online to the education school at your local university and look at the required courses for teachers these days. LOTS of pedagogy, VERY little content. For example, middle school science teachers are typically required only to take Biology and Chemistry courses, while their state standards are chock full of physics, astronomy, and earth science. So these teachers really are no better off knowledge-wise than a parent. And when you add in being overworked and being forced to teach to a test, it should be no surprise that a lot of basic knowledge gets left off.
Oh, and I would like to officially note that I hate standardized testing. I know it is a necessity in our ADHD/ADD world, but it really is a stupid way to gauge knowledge.
"Recollect me darlin, raise me to your lips, two undernourished egos, four rotating hips"
