I remember the moment I decided to home school...I was pregnant with baby number three and my eldest was in kindergarten at the local "prestigous" Black private school and my second was in a wonderful daycare owned by a dear sistah friend...

I had hesitated to enroll the oldest in school because , being from the area I knew how poor the education was here and how Eurocentric and patriarchal the schools are

Meaning...there was no where she could go to teach her about who SHE is...you know? No one was interested in telling her more about Her Ancestors and Her place in the Universe...folx only wanted to teach her where she didn't fit and who she was NOT BUT..

I did it anyway because I didn't feel as if I had a choice

Conceiving my third led me into a researching, self learning frenzy...every child you bear will take you on a different journey and help you to reach your highest self...if you listen

I learned about home birth, not vaccinating, not circumscizing, and home schooling All of these concepts felt like "home" to me...they belonged in my world and I knew this deeply in the marrow of my bones but I felt as if I couldn't make them work in my life as it was then so I longed for them, wished for them and lusted after them...but didn't believ I could have them

Until...

My eldest comes home one night and tells me she cannot read..?!?! She had been reading for about a year at this time

She said her teacher said she couldn't read because no one else in her class could read...?!?!?!

She then proceeded to recite the "Hail Mary"...the school was Catholic

These two occurences were the straw that broke my back First...I was sending my daughter daily into a place that was not encouraging her academic growth and praising her accomplishments but was instead discouraging her and belitting her Second...I was allowing her to be indundated by a religion that was not what we practised or believed and that had been used to enslave and disenfranchise her Ancestors for centuries

It was more than I could bear so I stopped working and I stopped sending either of my children to school

THAT was 18years ago

She is a senior in our home school now

Filling our college applications and taking SATs and ACTs every other weekend

She has published her own book

Been a feature poet at a local poetry spot

Owns her own jewelry making business

Is the Dance Captain for the Juniors in her Afrikan dance ensemble

Was the co captain for her cheerleading squad etc etc etc

So YES you can do it... and do it well

Please view my personal blog for further info

http://yeyeyeyeo.blogspot.com/