By JOHN QUICK
For those who are reading this outside of where I live: To understand life in Nikiski, Alaska, picture this: 5,000 people spread across an area the size of Rhode Island. Folks here are independent, practical, and community minded in ways that come naturally when you live in a place with no stoplights. We have one elementary school and a combined middle and high school under a single roof. Student numbers are small, and community ties are strong. Teachers aren’t just names on a roster; they are the people you see at the grocery store, in church, or coaching at the football field. Accountability isn’t abstract in a town like this; it’s face-to-face.
Not long ago, I talked with a new family in Nikiski who homeschools their kids. It reminded me of something I once didn’t know myself, and realize many others don’t know: Homeschooling here doesn’t mean cutting ties with the local schools. Now, I understand that some families do not want anything to do with public schools, and I respect and understand that.
Did you know that homeschool families can still send their kids to welding, shop, or math classes, and students can participate in sports? At the elementary level, homeschoolers can even attend a couple of subjects each day. It isn’t an all-or-nothing choice.
For years, I thought there were two kinds of parents in Alaska: The homeschool crowd and the public school crowd. It turns out, I was wrong (and I’m good at being wrong.) In reality, many families do both. They homeschool and still engage with the public schools. And in a place like Nikiski, that mix can work really well.
If you follow the national headlines, you might think conservatives hate public schools and public schools hate conservatives. But that’s not always the reality I’ve seen. Yes, conservatives often oppose the big teachers’ unions (as I do), but that’s not the same as opposing teachers themselves. And most teachers I know don’t dislike homeschool families; sometimes, they just don’t know how to reach them or understand their points of view.
My own family has lived in an area that overlaps. At one point, all of my kids were homeschooled. Today, one still is a homeschool student. But each has also stepped into public school classrooms, played on teams, and learned trade skills alongside their peers. What once looked like two separate worlds has become, in practice, a partnership.
That’s really the point. Education doesn’t have to be defined by rigid camps or either-or choices. Sometimes, the best path is a combination. Homeschooling and public school do compete with each other, but they can also complement one another, and kids often benefit from that mix.
In a world that seems intent on drawing lines, a town like Nikiski reminds me that life doesn’t have to be that way. We share the same roads, stores, two blinking lights, and most importantly, the same hopes for our kids. When we focus on that, the labels fade, and what matters most comes into view. If you are a homeschool family in Alaska, call your local school and see if you can bring your kid in for an art class. And if you’re a public school leader, reach out to homeschool families instead of assuming they don’t want anything to do with you.
That’s a lesson from a little Alaska town that’s worth remembering anywhere.
It can be true to support good teachers and not the big teachers’ unions. It can also be true to support homeschooling your family but also support your kids in a couple of classes in a public school. They don’t have to be either-or. They can be both.
John Quick is the former host of the Must Read Alaska Show podcast and now hosts his own national podcast, “Stories Worth Hearing,” in which he has had guests who have also been featured on the Joe Rogan podcast.
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Great article, John. You are so right. As a public school teacher for almost 50 years, all public schools are bad. I assure you I have seen MANY homeschool situation that were not perfect to say the least. One who successfully homeschools their children must be consistent, dedicated and have a strict schedule not easily interrupted by daily life. I also, often felt a lack of independence since they have a one or one situation with a parent. If you have a class of 25 students that one on one is not possible. So, yes, each parent has to decide what they are capable of doing and find resources for when they need them.
Excellent piece and I totally agree. I remember sitting on this very computer while my daughter, then in high school, was attending school via zoom. I heard the teacher teaching the revised version of American history. I immediately wanted to go straight to the Superintendent. A cooler head prevailed and I refrained. I also know there are great teachers teaching great subjects. Involve yourself with your child’s education and realize you will need to teach some subjects yourself.