Home School Numbers Jump After School Shootings
By: Josh Berry
Updated: December 17, 2012
Parents may be looking to education alternatives rather than their current school for safety reasons.
Since Friday's shooting in Connecticut, the Arkansas Education Alliance says it has started receiving more than double the amount of information requests it normally gets.
One home school family says it may be a better option. They don't intend to claim public schools are unsafe but feel they've put themselves in a position to help keep these kind of dangers away.
The Berkaus have home schooled their children going on 20 years.
"We believed that that's what we needed to do," explained mother of three, Judi Berkau. "It's best for our family."
They now hope other families may consider it for themselves as well.
"I can hardly keep from crying," explained her husband, Jim Berkau about the Sandy Hook shooting.
Judi added, "We start to feel fortunate then I think we are in a different place." But they say they're thankful that they home school.
Jim said, "It's terrible and it's sad that it takes situations like that to bring people to think of alternatives."
The Arkansas Education Alliance showed us a 58 percent jump in homeschooling numbers after the Jonesboro and Columbine shootings.
"The last two times there have been well publicized shootings, we've seen a big increase in the number of home-schoolers," reported Education Alliance President, Jerry Cox. "I expect the same will be true this time."
The numbers of home-schoolers has increased at a fairly regular rate dating back to '86 with the exception in the late 90s. The Alliance predicts when they add another year they'll see quite a significant jump.
On an average weekend he says they receive maybe two or five information requests. This last weekend, they received 20.
He said, "People are just concerned for the safety of their children."
The Berkaus say they wouldn't trade the feeling of security they feel inside their own home.
"We look at it as an opportunity of encouragement for families," Judi said.
They hope others will consider the possibility.
Since Friday's shooting in Connecticut, the Arkansas Education Alliance says it has started receiving more than double the amount of information requests it normally gets.
One home school family says it may be a better option. They don't intend to claim public schools are unsafe but feel they've put themselves in a position to help keep these kind of dangers away.
The Berkaus have home schooled their children going on 20 years.
"We believed that that's what we needed to do," explained mother of three, Judi Berkau. "It's best for our family."
They now hope other families may consider it for themselves as well.
"I can hardly keep from crying," explained her husband, Jim Berkau about the Sandy Hook shooting.
Judi added, "We start to feel fortunate then I think we are in a different place." But they say they're thankful that they home school.
Jim said, "It's terrible and it's sad that it takes situations like that to bring people to think of alternatives."
The Arkansas Education Alliance showed us a 58 percent jump in homeschooling numbers after the Jonesboro and Columbine shootings.
"The last two times there have been well publicized shootings, we've seen a big increase in the number of home-schoolers," reported Education Alliance President, Jerry Cox. "I expect the same will be true this time."
The numbers of home-schoolers has increased at a fairly regular rate dating back to '86 with the exception in the late 90s. The Alliance predicts when they add another year they'll see quite a significant jump.
On an average weekend he says they receive maybe two or five information requests. This last weekend, they received 20.
He said, "People are just concerned for the safety of their children."
The Berkaus say they wouldn't trade the feeling of security they feel inside their own home.
"We look at it as an opportunity of encouragement for families," Judi said.
They hope others will consider the possibility.
