Sometimes, Randi Weingarten's level of self-awareness is at or below zero. She tacitly acknowledges this, because she usually locks down her replies when she tweets something outrageous, or a downright lie. Yet the fact she tweets these things in the first place tells us she doesn't have her finger on the pulse of anyone who isn't a member of her union.
Today is a perfect example.
What's behind the increase in homeschooling https://t.co/tDLXXBKGQl
— Randi Weingarten 🇺🇦🇺🇸💪🏿👩🎓 (@rweingarten) November 12, 2023
Gee. We wonder, Randi.
Homeschooling in the U.S. shot up during the pandemic — and it appears to be here to stay.
The big picture: Homeschooling is now the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S., per a Washington Post analysis.
- The report, which covers more than 60% of the American school-age population, found that an increase in homeschooled students born from pandemic restrictions continued through the 2022-23 school year.
Yes, but homeschooling in general represents a single-digit percentage of students nationally, David S. Knight, an assistant professor of education finance and policy at the University of Washington, told Axios.
By the numbers: There are currently an estimated 1.9 million to 2.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S., per the Post's report.
Zoom in: There are a wide variety of reasons why families are choosing to try homeschooling and stick with it, from political and religious reasons to avoiding unsafe situations.
- "The initial set of folks who came to homeschooling during the pandemic largely did so because 'Zoom school' was a complete and total failure for them and their families," Jen Garrison Stuber, advocacy chair for the Washington Homeschool Organization, told Axios.
- The following year, when schools resumed in-person classes, some of the parents who only came to homeschooling out of desperation, no longer had a fear of making that transition or of interacting with their children's education, she explained.
- The benefits of homeschooling include being able to "meet your child at his or her level for each individual subject," Stuber explained.
State of play: Homeschooling rates have increased across race groups and ethnicities.
- There are Black families who say they turned to homeschooling in order to keep their kids away from the school-to-prison pipeline, Stuber said.
- Families of color and those with religious affiliations seeking to avoid bullying and racism.
- There are also families who pull their trans kids out of school to avoid an unhealthy situation where they feel threatened, Stuber said.
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All of those are perfectly valid reasons to homeschool. And the old narrative that homeschooling is just for ultra-conservative Christians is debunked thoroughly in the numbers.
Weingarten and the teacher's unions across the country absolutely failed students during COVID by pushing lockdowns, masking, and social distancing in schools. And when, via Zoom, parents got a glimpse into what was happening in the classroom, they didn't like it.
Twitter/X was happy to point these facts, and more, out to Randi:
People are voting with their feet, and schools are not able to meet the needs of children leaving the system.
— Patrick Sprinkle (@psprinkle) November 13, 2023
Schools have, and will continue, to fail students without serious reform.
https://t.co/djSkOzj0UK pic.twitter.com/39zqjXfatD
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 13, 2023
It will, of course, be the fault of everyone and everything except Weingarten and her policies, aided and abetted by Democrats.
https://t.co/4eq2ea3tog pic.twitter.com/OCLGyAvrZL
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 13, 2023
She should absolutely look in the mirror.
Narrator: It's you, Randi. It's you. https://t.co/hMNZRu04ZG
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) November 13, 2023
Yes, it is. She's the biggest saleswoman of homeschooling.
"Me?" https://t.co/zEC4n6rGKA pic.twitter.com/HeQEgiSltF
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) November 13, 2023
Yes, YOU.
Can’t believe she posted this unironically.
— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) November 13, 2023
The lack of introspection continues. https://t.co/PSMbOn0aJc
We can. Like we said, zero self-awareness and even less introspection.
Parents learned during covid that they often can’t trust schools to teach children effectively or respect their fundamental parental rights.
— Moms for Liberty (@Moms4Liberty) November 13, 2023
You closed schools & left many parents with no other options. Now they know they can handle homeschooling.
We should be thanking you. https://t.co/c4FDLRUvgY
Yes, we should. Thanks, Randi!
Girl. https://t.co/H6biLKb3qU
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) November 13, 2023
Exactly. Girl.
Whatever could it be?
— Mixy Pisa (@MixyPisa) November 13, 2023
It's you.
It's a great mystery.
No mystery, it's you.
I guess we'll never know. https://t.co/xMPe0Dj58a
We figured it out. She probably won't.
Might have something to do with the school closures and mask mandates you and your colleagues campaigned to extend and extend. https://t.co/yDSQPGGzyt
— Michael Watson (@MichaelWatsonDC) November 13, 2023
A big part of it.
I've identified a suspect, although according to them suspects should be able to identify themselves. https://t.co/iPM0AaH3tt pic.twitter.com/vtnhfTQXCz
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) November 13, 2023
This insanity, too.
What's behind the increase in homeschooling?
— Ginny Gentles (@ginnygentles) November 13, 2023
Well, @rweingarten, with unions/activists pushing school districts to craft policies that assume parents are abusers, it's time for families to find healthy and safe alternative education options. @IWF https://t.co/qVtxZZdPHn pic.twitter.com/3yEag92cPT
This, too.
Parents tried to get their public schools to listen to them. They emailed board members & spoke at school board meetings pleading for quality curriculum, safe learning environments, & complete transparency from the adults in charge. They were shut down & slandered. The result👇🏼. https://t.co/DMShEd0N3b
— Beanie (@Beanie0597) November 13, 2023
We did. And they called us domestic terrorists.
The policies you’ve advocated, Covid-related and otherwise. Just like you’re behind much of the increased support for school choice and educational freedom. Congratulations! https://t.co/DidvOskaOJ
— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) November 13, 2023
Congrats, indeed.
There is a teacher strike going on in Andover, Ma right now. They’re striking for more pay. They are the 3rd highest paid teachers in MA, making roughly $90k a year. Schools are closed, hurting kids. This is just a tiny part of the problem. https://t.co/cOh1uFjxg0
— Keri (@kbatt7121116) November 13, 2023
More school closures, hurting kids.
https://t.co/4sm1HDvhzS pic.twitter.com/dUHWBHvh7p
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) November 13, 2023
We'll keep looking for that guy.
The utter terrible results public schools systems produce no manner how much money is thrown at the districts
— The Merry Rogue Elf🐿 (@TheRogue_Elf) November 13, 2023
Seriously the more money pumped into Public Education the worse the overall results are.
Randi, how many high school graduates are in college doing remedial classes? https://t.co/hl6yxUmqFg
Too many.
I wonder if she read the article she posted. 🤔 https://t.co/uN1dCR6cP4 pic.twitter.com/yqTXHs3W2h
— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) November 13, 2023
Not a chance.
Your willingness to throw kids and their educational, physical, & psychological well-being under the bus for political expediency & financial gain, you absolute cretin. Don't blame you for continuing to lock down replies. You & your ilk will be remembered as the monsters you are. https://t.co/fA6xkdIEFI
— CarolinaConservative3 (@1776Carolina3) November 13, 2023
Amen and hallelujah.
The sooner Weingarten is no where near education, the better of we'll all be.
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