Parents say decision to homeschool reaffirmed after campus shootings

With reports of violence in schools on the rise, the conversation around homeschooling children is also growing.

“We used to be able to know that it was safe and now we worry about it,” Las Cruces resident Debra Blea said. “It’s sad to me that we have to worry about these things now, about sending our children to school. It makes me even think about homeschooling.”

According to the Texas Home School Coalition Association, Texas leads the nation in number of families who home school. They estimate more than 120,000 families in the state do it, that’s more than 300,000 children being taught at home.

Angie Rouse homeschools her four children, who range in age from 7 to 14. She’s a part of El Paso’s West Side Christian Home School Co-Op, a group of about 30 families and about 50 children. Parents and kids meet once a week. Kids learn core subjects like science, history, writing and literature.

“They get their assignments and those things at co-op and then we come home and we work on them all week,” Rouse said.

The reason Rouse decided to homeschool her kids: “We wanted to be the biggest influencer in their life, the world is full of so many crazy things and you don’t know what they’ll be exposed to.”

Following the shooting at a Parkland, Florida High School that left 17 dead, El Paso schools have seen a spike in threats that have resulted in numerous arrests. Throughout the country, there have been over a dozen school shootings this year alone.

“It makes me very glad that we’re not having to deal with it,” Rouse said. “I’m just happy that we don’t have to worry about those kinds of things in our home.”

While reports of violence in schools wasn’t the original reason Rouse began homeschooling her children, she says it’s a big reason she’s continued it.

“I just don’t feel like it’s a good option for our family, because of the violence and those kinds of things that are going on,” Rouse said. “I feel like I have a lot of options. There’s El Paso Community College dual credit classes, so even in those tougher years where it’s harder to make sure that they’re academically getting what they need we have so many options to help us make sure they’re staying on track, they’re ready to go to college.”

Rouse said she’s seen an increase in parents contacting her co-op about home school options, because of violence in schools. However, she said she understands it’s not for everyone and there are other options, like online school or private schools.

Rouse said she believes Texas is the most lenient state when it comes to home school laws. According to the Texas Home School Coalition Association, to home school legally in Texas, you must follow three state law requirements: the instruction must be bona fide (i.e., not a sham), the curriculum must be in visual form (e.g., books, workbooks, video monitor) and the curriculum must include the five basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

El Paso School Districts have explained their security measures following recent threats.

The Socorro Independent School District and El Paso Independent School District have police departments and officers at high school and middle schools with rotating officers at elementary schools. Ysleta ISD has security guards at each school and they work with the El Paso Police Department.

“Our doors are locked in the morning as soon as we get everyone in there, we make sure everyone is funneled through the front,” Ismael Castro, SISD’s Emergency Operations Plan Manager said.

Doors remain locked at each district and visitors are screened at the front entrance. Visitors must provide an ID before being allowed inside the school.