I think the homeschooling movement speaks just as much to the sad state of American public education as it does to the deep religious divides in this country.

Sure there will always be fundamentalists who want to disengage from public society, but I think ensuring the educational rights of children is a two way street. We need to ensure that public institutions are providing the highest level of education we are capable of providing and we are failing in that respect.

I think education is one of the most important factors in creating an equitable, just and successful society. It's easy for politicians to make platitudes concerning our education system, but past efforts seem to be misguided. Yes, we need to provide more funding - a lot more of it, in my opinion - but that's only part of the solution. It's a complex problem in the United States due to federal and state guidelines and mandates, but it is also one of the most important issues facing this country in the long run.