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In recent years, a growing number of parents have felt the need to homeschool their children. The pandemic brought this issue to the forefront, shedding light on the cracks in a system that many had trusted to mold their children into capable, creative, and critical-thinking adults. But why has the traditional school system become such a point of frustration? And what does this say about the future of education?

A System That’s Not Built for Everyone

Historically, schooling was a privilege reserved for the elite. Only those from royal or wealthy backgrounds had access to formal education. The rest of society either learned through apprenticeships, home education, or informal means. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that society began to push for standardized schooling. This was in response to a need for skilled labor and to prepare children for the workforce—a workforce that, at the time, demanded obedience and factory-like efficiency. Education became less about nurturing the individual and more about producing workers.

Fast forward to today, and while the demand for labor has evolved, the school system’s foundations still reflect those early industrial needs. We send our kids off to schools that operate on outdated models, teaching them to sit still, memorize information, and pass tests—all in the name of “success.” But this definition of success is becoming increasingly outdated in a world that values creativity, innovation, and emotional intelligence.

The Uneven Playing Field

The pandemic shined a harsh light on the inequalities within the school system. Some children thrived in a remote learning environment, while others struggled without the resources or support needed to succeed. The truth is, a child’s educational experience depends heavily on their neighborhood and the resources their school can afford. Schools in affluent areas often have smaller class sizes, more experienced teachers, and better technology, while those in struggling communities face overcrowded classrooms, underpaid teachers, and outdated materials.

Knowing this, I still couldn’t homeschool my child because I didn’t have the finances and the time (as a single parent) to do this. Fast forward to the pandemic and quarantine, and my husband and I are pushed to homeschool my stepchildren during the pandemic. This was a chaotic and frightening time for my family and a period that inspired my middle-grade novel Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring and the Six Months that Changed Everything. I watched how my highly active stepchildren, one with autism, struggled to sit still in front of a screen for hours, trying to absorb instructions from adults on the other end of a virtual connection. That frustration, confusion, and the sheer exhaustion of forced homeschooling found its way into Isla Delgado’s story, where she, too, dislikes homeschooling.

But here’s the thing: homeschooling itself isn’t the problem. It’s the lack of resources from the government that makes education harder for some families than others. If our society demands an educated labor force, it must provide families with the time, money, and tools necessary to ensure children can thrive, whether they are homeschooled or attend traditional schools.

The Never-Ending Struggle

We are caught in a paradox: society demands an educated labor force but makes it nearly impossible for the working and struggling classes to access quality education. The cost of private schools is out of reach for many, and public schools often lack the resources needed to provide an equitable education to all students. It’s a never-ending struggle where only the few truly thrive, while the rest are left to navigate a fractured system.

It begs the question: If we truly value education and want an educated society, why aren’t we providing the necessary resources to make homeschooling a more viable option for all? Why aren’t we investing more in our public schools, teachers, and administration staff to create a more balanced and fair system?

A Call for Change

This isn’t just an issue for parents—it’s an issue for society as a whole. We must ask ourselves what kind of future we want for our children. Do we want them to be part of a system that treats education as a means to create laborers? Or do we want them to grow into free thinkers, innovators, and empathetic leaders? To achieve this, we need to stop seeing education as a one-size-fits-all approach and start tailoring it to the needs of every child, every family, and every community.

I’m not an expert. I’m just a reader who is reflecting on the complexities of education today. Everyone is allowed to have a different opinion, but one thing is clear: the system, as it stands, is failing too many of us. What do you think?