PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Returning to school should be an exciting time for kids, but the recent spike in school threats is causing a shift in the classroom experience across the country.
So what’s the best solution to protect your children? Some believe the answer is homeschooling.
In Hampton Roads, there have already been threats of violence or shooting incidents in Newport News, Hampton, Virginia Beach, and York school divisions this school year, making educating kids at home more appealing.
The Virginia Department of Education reports the number of homeschoolers in the state between 2023 and 2024 is around 51,000, compared to 38,000 five years ago.
Russell Wrightson, vice president of the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers (VAhomeschoolers), said families choose homeschooling for many reasons, but COVID-19 caused a surge in at-home education.
Other factors considered in parents decisions are flexibility, less pressure, improved mental health and religious views. Wrightson also homeschools his own children.
“I love teachers,” Wrightson said. “Teachers are wonderful, but the schools are just not equipped, necessarily, to deal with the volume of kids or the neurodivergent inside of each of the classrooms.”
VaHomeschoolers has received dozens of emails to their help desk from parents seeking assistance, following behind school threats and lockdowns. The organization is made up of volunteers that provide resources and educate parents on how to get the homeschooling process started. However, they do not provide funding.
“There are parents that are anxious and just want to find a way out,” he said. “And the nice thing about the homeschooling laws in Virginia is that you can pull your kid, and you can put them back in. Right. So, if that’s what you need right now is safety, you can file your notice of intent, remove your child from public education, and then see how that works for your family.”
Some Virginia parents are taking their concerns to social media.
10 On Your Side ran across a post from Mecklenburg mom, Leila Ryder, who began homeschooling her kids in 1999 due to frustrations with the public school system at the time and now runs homeschooling co-op, Summit Classic Cooperative.
“Then Columbine happened,” Ryder said. “And that sealed my decision. I just feel like the kids are not only at a physically safety risk, they are also mentally and in a very poor place.”
She said she’s received more and more calls from parents seeking advice.
“It’s not just like since the last couple of weeks,” she said. “It’s also been over the past few years. I’ve helped quite a few moms get started homeschooling that wanted their kids out of the public education system just because of these shootings.”
Both Wrightson and Ryder said schooling your kids in the comfort of your home is as affordable as you make it and is always a great option.
For more information on the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers, visit here.