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.
This concept is starting to be viable in Ketchikan and justifiable so for the academic results reported for the district. One would think an educational board would be aware and on the road to recovery, but no. In Ketchikan the goal is board chaos and policy. One never hears the concern of failing and struggling students save for the apparent cure, place them in Special needs of what ever sort needed to be able to shift the board attention back to ‘Policy’, My Gosh, the board’s attention to policy is a magnificent thing to watch.
So the concept your describe and demonstrate is beginning to be reflected here and I’d bet, more for the reason of recognizing local failure to achieve satisfactory academic levels.
Cheers,
Al Johnson
Can someone like homeschooling and public school?
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Yes …if someone’s public school is like the school in Nikiski, Alaska, if public schooling in Nikiski produces classically educated, patriotic graduates and doesn’t include exposing children to transvestic perverts and pedophobes who hate children to the point of brainwashing them into becoming sterilized homicidal mutants.
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Hell no …if someone’s public school is like the schools in Anchorage, Alaska.
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If teachers just don’t know how to reach homeschool families or understand their points of view, is that not an obvious indicator of the stupidity, incompetence, and lack of personal initiative that assures Alaska’s education industry remains among the worst performing and most overpriced in America?
This right here. Agreed.
Excellent article John!
The closer you put control of the $$$ to the kiddos, the better the outcome. Cheers –
Great article John! There is room for truth without bias!
This is an accurate article. However are home school programs like IDEA sitting on student stipends for technology and using them for profit or are they advocating for every student to have access to technology through each students allotment. They certainly get a tax break that they have taken from public school. If they truly care about students who don’t fit into mainstream education they will make sure students are prepared with the technology needed to succeed.
Thank you for bringing up the topic. My children attend Matsu Central School in Palmer. It’s a publicly funded correspondence school and they love it. I get to teach them the subjects I want and they can take in person classes with friends. My daughter has learned the violin from the full time music teacher at Matsu Central and found a new love. I honestly wish more parents understood it doesn’t need to be an “us versus them” mentality. Here in the valley they have brought together the best of both worlds and my family is flourishing. Families can have both. Matsu Central just announced over 700 families have signed up. I think parents are speaking with their feet, they want a say in their kids education.
Can I also share my daughter is learning civics from a many who has successfully passed a law and from a lawyer. Education has changed so much, I encourage parents to seek out educators who teach truth. I promise they are there and want your kids success as much as you. I wish all parents well on their journey of teaching truth and light to their kids.
AK homeschoolers who are enrolled in a state homeschool like IDEA, RAVEN, or school district homeschool group that is can participate in public school sports and trade classes. Its not available for Ak homeschoolers using outside homeschools instead of the State’s education system. However, when Alaska doesn’t hire the right kind of people to be teachers and staff working around children, and you are parent who knows better, you don’t want your children growing up being influenced *or being confused by poor examples. So you choose an outside education sending Alaska dollars outside the state into another state’s economy using another state’s education model and instructors.
There is another thing Did you know that Oklahoma has homeschool online academy for its students to study under the same model as Liberty University Online Academy, Ignite Christian Academy, ACCELLUS, and MIA Academy? because their’s is through the local school districts, its at no out of pocket cost to families. This shows how behind Alaska Department of Education is they have not developed a K-12 online homeschool academy following such competitors models. As well as it decreases the education choices for Alaska k-12 students who would perform better academically if they could do school through an online homeschool academy model
Really excellent piece. Alaskans have so many options!
Great article John and our experience was much like yours. I had been a public school teacher for a short time before moving into another career. When we had kids we expected to move them into one of our local Matsu schools when they were old enough. One was delayed, and in consulting with teacher friends and with my own education background, we decided to home educate for a couple of years until student 1 was developmentally on track. Well we fell in love with homeschooling. Homeschooled independently until high school when an interest in sports and wanting to compete at the high school level necessitated enrollment in the district so we stepped into Matsu Central. We had a phenomenal experience with that program and I cannot praise them enough. Needless to say one of our kids went on to compete in their favorite sport at the college level and obtained a generous athletic scholarship. Matsu Central helped with all of the NCAA hoops we had to jump through. Both kids excelled in college and one now has a masters degree. Both took classes in the district and also at Matsu college with dual enrollment. Bottom line, parents need to orchestrate their children’s education. Be involved, whether they are in the brick and mortar classroom or at the kitchen table. Pay attention to what they are studying and learn along with them. Make decisions based on what is best for them and don’t allow yourself to be pushed into anything you are not completely on board wirh. You will be blessed.