Could Homeschooling be the Best Option During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Parents Have Many Options for Taking Control of Their Children’s Education

The coronavirus pandemic continues to rage, and many people are worried about the upcoming school year. Many health experts assume that schools will be a primary vector for spreading the disease, and children could infect many of their elderly relatives with the virus that they pick up from their peers.

In this environment, many people are taking a closer look at homeschooling. However, divorced parents might not agree about whether being taught at home is the best option for their children. Contact a child custody attorney in Manchester, TN if you need help dealing with a dispute.

Tennessee Homeschooling Laws

Our state allows parents to homeschool their children. Generally, there are three options under our law:

Enrolling your child in a church-related umbrella school
Enrolling in an accredited online school
Establishing an independent homeschool

We strongly encourage parents to do thorough research before picking an option. Talk with other parents in the area who homeschool and ask about their experiences. Parents will need to register with their school district, so check in with them to find out more information.

Some of the options are better than others. To run an independent home school, parents must have an appropriate educational credential, such as a high school diploma or GED. If you lack that, then using an umbrella school or online school would be a better choice. An article in the Elk Valley Times is a good resource for those just starting to consider homeschooling.

Homeschooling During a Pandemic

One reason health experts are worried about COVID-19 in the schools is that students are a primary vector for spreading influenza every year, and the novel coronavirus might spread the same way. This means that children could spread the disease to parents and grandparents who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 complications.

Generally, children who contract the virus become less sick than adults. Far fewer of them die, as well. The primary risk is that vulnerable relatives of school-age children will catch the virus.

If your children are at home, you can control their contact with the public. This might be an excellent option for children who themselves are vulnerable, such as those with immune deficiencies or who have additional risk factors like diabetes or obesity.

Parental Disagreement Over Homeschooling

If you are divorced from your child’s other parent, then problems can arise if you cannot agree on homeschooling. Some disputes might include:

Whether to send the children to school or to homeschool
Which homeschooling option to choose
What curriculum to use
Whether to homeschool for the entire year or until the pandemic ceases

Issues involving education are made by the parent who has legal custody. But both parents might share this power to decide how a child is educated, and disputes might require mediation or even the intervention of a judge.

Contact Us for More Information

Homeschooling options continue to grow with the rise of the internet, which has helped return power to parents. If you have a dispute with a co-parent over homeschooling, contact Burch, Morrison, and Stewart today. We offer free initial consultations.