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Home schooling could stop cross-culture convergence

A recently published New York Times article highlighted a potential trend among Muslim families that favors home schooling versus public schooling. Muslims across the United States are forgoing public education and have resolved to home schooling blaming religious differences, secular influences and fears that their children will encounter extreme taunting and prejudice. Despite their concerns and justifiable reasons, The Miami Student editorial board warns that this action could engender prejudice against future generations by separating the community from the larger, diverse pool of children attending public school. The board suggests that an open dialogue should be established to ensure those with concerns in the Muslim community can voice concerns and possibly seek solutions to any issues arising from cultural differences.

We recognize the right of a parent to choose how his or her child should be educated, however, the rate at which students, especially girls, are being pulled from public schools in favor of home schooling is slightly disconcerting. In Lodi, Calif., 40 percent of the Pakistani and Southeast Asian girls-many of whom are Muslims-of high school age are home-schooled. Many parents who have chosen home schooling for their daughters believe that this provides a safer environment away from boys, drugs and drinking. Some families have even sent their daughters back to the Middle East to avoid what they term as Americanization. Accordingly, Muslim parents are also concerned of the "terrorist" stereotypes that might be bestowed unfairly upon their children.

While Muslim parents may feel they have justifiable reasons due to religious and secular differences, displacing their children from public education and into home schooling could lead to disastrous repercussions. By trying to protect their children from prejudice, sex and drugs, they are isolating their children and removing them from the realities of life in America. However, we are not arguing that assimilation is the answer, but we are calling for better understanding of one another's culture to work towards achieving a common ground. Instead of isolation, Muslims and educational school systems must work together and try to understand and solve these challenges in an open discussion. However, a teenager doesn't have to be Muslim to encounter racist slurs, mockery and judgment from fellow classmates.

Currently, one to two million students are home-schooled in the United States. Articles, like the one published in the New York Times illustrate media hype highlighting Muslim integration, or lack thereof, in the United States. While there is a greater increase of Muslims turning to home schooling, we must also remember that headlines sell. There aren't national publications highlighting other student groups that have turned to home schooling, because this doesn't sell. Whereas the New York Times article shines light on a trend that could incite future problems if Muslims continue to separate themselves, the bigger problem is the lack of fundamental understanding between Muslims and the majority culture within the U.S. education system.