A Heathen? Me?

One assumption that is often made when people find out you homeschool is that you do so for religious reasons. It is assumed that you require religious studies as part of your homeschool curriculum, avoid topics such as evolution, use religious based textbooks, etc.

Many homeschool groups require a statement of faith to be signed prior to participation. The statements basically say that you feel the belief held by the group is the only religious truth. This excludes people of different religions and those who do not follow any religious teachings.

In most religious based homeschooling groups any advice or recommendations of books will come from a religious viewpoint. This becomes frustrating to families who choose to separate religion from education.

When you homeschool from a secular viewpoint it is sometimes hard to find a group you feel comfortable in within the homeschool community. It has become the running joke in our house that we are the heathen homeschoolers of our local group. We feel this way because we homeschool from a secular point of view. We separate academics from religion.

Heathen Homeschoolers was created to allow discussion of homeschooling topics between families who homeschool from a secular point of view. You won’t find articles about religious education or religious curriculum recommendations here at Heathen Homeschoolers. You will find support and encouragement from other Heathens.

We use the term heathen because sometimes even other homeschooling families are shocked to find out that you are a secular homeschooler. They act like you are some heathen who just needs more time at church.

A lack of religion is not a requirement to be considered a Heathen Homeschooler. Many people who are part of our online community consider themselves to be highly religious individuals, but choose to separate religious studies from the general education of their children. The members have a variety of religious affiliations.

I know we can’t be the only Heathen Homeschoolers in the world. I think there are many people like us who are hoping to find their place within the homeschool community. To those people who are searching for their place, Be a Heathen!