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Comment by jader201 | Hacker News Reader

Not sure how easy it is for children to organically socialize outside of a school setting, especially in today’s digital age where socializing is becoming an even rarer occasion as it is, and socializing outside of school almost necessitates very intentional effort on multiple parties.

Not saying it’s not possible, but a school setting is definitely one very easy organic path to socializing children.

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I would like to quote Aaron Swartz here on the subject of unschooling:

But won't my child become a unsocial hermit?! Interestingly, I've heard people dislike unschooling not because they are afraid that their children will not learn anything, but because they are afraid they will not develop "healthy social relationships with their peers". Nothing could be farther from the truth.

First, school is not a place to develop social relationships. In fact, it seems designed to stifle them. There is hardly little time for socialization provided, and it is discouraged for the majority of the school day. Any student who does develop a true relationship with someone does it outside of school: at a local meeting place (like a park or mall); when going over to a friend's house; or after school. An unschooler can still do all of these things.

Second, who decided that meaningful relationships could only be had with other people who happen to be in roughly the same physical area at roughly the same age? If anything, this is a severely restrained peer group. I have developed my most meaningful relationships online. None of them live within driving distance. None of them are about my own age. Even among those who I would not count as "friends", I have met many people online who have simply commented on my work or are interested by what I do. Through the Internet, I've developed a strong social network -- something I could never do if I had to keep my choice of peers within school grounds.

https://web.archive.org/web/20101219193753/http://www.aarons...

My kids are homeschooled and we consistently receive unsolicited feedback from other adults that they rarely encounter children these days who can have a conversation. I know that’s not true as I see plenty of conventionally schooled kids possess the same skillset. In my view, all this means is that the one nearly universal defense of conventional brick and mortar school - “the socialization” - is totally bogus. I find it interesting the most parents we met raise this defense rather than suggest superior learning environments or something more related to - you know - school. But these days we hear less and less the socialization argument and more the lament- ie Parents wishing they had the time and/or skills to homeschool. And I really do not wish this to seem judgmental but what do they think they already are doing with all the activities and extra learning they are providing their kids? It would seem to me many parents already are homeschooling they just don’t see it as such...

> they rarely encounter children these days who can have a conversation.

I think public schools do a pretty good job teaching kids to not speak openly with adults.

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