If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

After growing up between Switzerland and the United States, Bradley Wyss had a homeschool experience that was anything but conventional. He moved between public school and homeschooling, eventually earning a Swiss education, starting college, and then returning to the U.S. where he had to complete high school all over again. But the biggest changes came after leaving the tightly connected Christian homeschool community he grew up in. Bradley shares what it was like to question the religious beliefs he had been raised with, deal with purity culture and the fear of breaking the rules, and eventually build a life based more on curiosity, independence, and taking chances. Today, he works in the wind industry, travels extensively, and embraces an adventurous approach to life.
What I especially loved about this conversation was Bradley's perspective on fear. He's faced plenty of uncertainty, from being medically discharged from the Marine Corps because of his degenerative vision condition to figuring out a career and navigating life outside of his childhood religion. Instead of waiting until he feels completely confident, Bradley has learned to take the leap and figure things out along the way.

In This Episode

• Growing up between Switzerland and the United States and moving between public school and homeschooling
• The role of ACE/PACES and the homeschool community in Bradley's childhood
• Why leaving a religious community can be just as difficult as questioning the beliefs themselves
• Breaking down the guilt and fear surrounding purity culture and religious rules
• How Bradley went from an unexpected Marine Corps setback to working in renewable energy
• Building a life around travel, adventure, hobbies, and taking chances
• Why fear doesn't necessarily have to disappear before you make a big change
• Finding community and meaningful relationships after leaving the religious environment you grew up in

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:38 Support The Show

01:27 Meet Bradley

02:43 Swiss To US Schooling

03:57 Back To Switzerland Shift

05:42 Divorce And US Return

08:01 ACE Program And ACHEV

12:32 Homeschool Community Life

16:58 Graduating High School A Second Time

17:33 Marine Corps Setback

18:33 Vision Loss Reality

21:15 Finding A Career In Wind

22:39 Goals Travel And Freedom

27:35 Taking Risks Pays Off

33:38 Questioning Faith Begins

39:20 Leaving Religion And Rules

43:44 Tithing and Credit

46:41 Gods Will and Free Will

48:11 Purity Culture Guilt

49:45 Leaving the Church

53:23 Telling Your Parents

57:20 What Do You Think Of Homeschooling Now?

01:01:18 Tough Talks Not Bubbles

01:06:01 Finding Zest for Life

01:12:25 Freedom Through Travel

01:15:31 Hobbies and Adventure Mindset

01:18:20 Small Joys and Farewell

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

Check out Part 1 of our convo: https://youtu.be/mUWjdOu6y5w

Support some fellow homeschool alum and grab a copy of Mixed-Up Metaphors: https://a.co/d/0bueQkeT

Wait no longer, part two of my conversation about friendship with Cari, Jenève, and Noah is here! Find out what happens to friendships as we grow up, move away, get married, have kids, change our beliefs, and become different versions of ourselves. We talk about how adult friendship often looks less like perfectly planned nights out and more like helping a friend clean the house, running errands together, or simply eating pizza and playing cards. We also dig into why shared values and the willingness to let people change can matter more than having identical beliefs. You’ll also here as we compare our homeschool experiences, talk about AWANA and Adventures in Odyssey, share creative projects we made together, and reflected on some of the "glow ups" we've experienced since leaving homeschooling. Ultimately, this conversation comes back to one thing: find the people who will keep showing up as you grow and change.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How homeschool communities can create friendships that feel more like family.
• Why some childhood friendships naturally deepen while others don’t become close until adulthood.
• Maintaining friendships across distance, college, relationships, and major life changes.
• The strange pressure many homeschoolers experienced around boys and girls being friends and the assumption that friendship must mean dating.
• How purity culture and fear of romantic relationships affected the way we understood attraction, dating, and physical affection.
• Why protecting kids from every painful experience can leave them unprepared for adulthood — and how supportive friendships can give young people a safe place to learn from difficult experiences.
• The healing that can happen when adult children and their parents finally have honest conversations about the past.

Wanna Join Book Club?

Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book

If you want to join our virtual Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST, sign-up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

Check Out My Previous Episodes With Cari, Jenève, and Noah!

• Cari: https://youtu.be/8cizKkNyLSo?si=5Y6IScdbDOnio0DJ
• Jenève: https://youtu.be/bxf9T5GFk4A?si=_eoI2xsjBCgi1ewV
• Noah: https://youtu.be/trh9iD3SvvA?si=8PTTowtUtKWG78se

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:22 Ways You Can Support The Show

01:04 Why Adult Friendships Are Hard

02:06 Leaning Into Mom Friends

05:10 Errands As Hangouts

08:47 Friendship Phases And Adapting

10:17 Kids As A New Hobby

12:02 Values Keep Friends Close

14:54 Sticking Through Big Changes

17:58 Homeschool Similarities

20:55 Mime Memories And Odyssey

22:15 Nostalgia Versus Deconstruction

24:54 Mime Confidence And Showman

26:03 Showman Song Tangent

26:52 Their Book Plug

27:54 Mixed Metaphors Origin

29:37 How The Book Works

30:23 Old Songs And Videos

31:09 Three Hour Movie Story

33:21 Creating Together Lessons

35:20 Homeschool Glow Up Talk

36:53 Glow Up Stories

46:42 Wrapping Up And Community

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

What happens to the friendships you make as a homeschooled kid once you grow up? In this episode of Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I sit down with three longtime friends, Cari, Noah, and Jenève, to talk about the friendships that started through homeschool groups, co-ops, extracurriculars, and family connections — and how those relationships changed as we became adults. We talk about childhood memories, long-distance friendships, reconnecting after college, and what it means to have someone who understands where you came from. We also get into the complicated rules many of us grew up with around opposite-sex friendships, dating, physical affection, and the pressure to avoid anything that might look romantic.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How homeschool communities can create friendships that feel more like family.
• Why some childhood friendships naturally deepen while others don't become close until adulthood.
• Maintaining friendships across distance, college, relationships, and major life changes.
• The strange pressure many homeschoolers experienced around boys and girls being friends and the assumption that friendship must mean dating.
• How purity culture and fear of romantic relationships affected the way we understood attraction, dating, and physical affection.
• Why protecting kids from every painful experience can leave them unprepared for adulthood — and how supportive friendships can give young people a safe place to learn from difficult experiences.
• The healing that can happen when adult children and their parents finally have honest conversations about the past.

Wanna Join Book Club?

• Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book
• If you want to join the conversation during the month, follow along on Fable: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145
• And lastly, if you want to join our virtual Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST, sign-up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

Check Out My Previous Episodes With Cari, Jenève, and Noah!

• Cari: https://youtu.be/8cizKkNyLSo?si=5Y6IScdbDOnio0DJ
• Jenève: https://youtu.be/bxf9T5GFk4A?si=_eoI2xsjBCgi1ewV
• Noah: https://youtu.be/trh9iD3SvvA?si=8PTTowtUtKWG78se

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with Me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 A Few Things Before We Get Into The Episode

02:10 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

03:09 Cari's Homeschool Elevator Pitch

05:20 Jenève' Homeschool Elevator Pitch

07:19 Noah's Homeschool Elevator Pitch

09:37 How We First Met

15:00 Favorite Memories Together

25:35 Post College Friendship Shift

33:55 Opposite Sex Friend Stigma

38:36 Prom Night Pressure

41:27 Homeschool Dating Rules

44:16 Rumor Mill Trauma

45:30 Taboo And Modesty

50:46 Side Hugs And Shame

54:39 Friend Zone In College

01:01:33 Protection Vs Preparation

01:12:36 Healing With Parents

01:14:45 Hugging Younger Self

Check out CRHE's Research: https://crhe.org/research/research-resources/
Growing up homeschooled across multiple countries, experiencing homelessness, transitioning into public school, and eventually earning a PhD, Dr. Jonah Stewart has a story unlike most. In this episode, I sit down with Jonah to talk about their unconventional homeschool experience, the challenges of adapting to traditional education, and how those experiences ultimately shaped a career researching education and advocating for homeschool reform through the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE). We also discuss ADHD, social development, college, and why every homeschool story is unique.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Jonah Stewart shares what it was like being homeschooled across the U.S. and Australia.
• How Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum shaped—and limited—their learning experience.
• The difficult transition from homeschooling to public school during a period of family instability.
• Living with ADHD and discovering learning strategies that actually worked.
• Why social development is just as important as academic success.
• The mission of the Coalition for Responsible Home Education and why responsible oversight matters.
• Lessons learned from college, graduate school, and building an independent adult life.

Resources Mentioned

• Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE)
• Accelerated Christian Education (ACE)
• Duke University

Listener Question

Have you ever transitioned from homeschooling into public or private school? What was the biggest surprise for you? Share your story in the comments!

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps more homeschool alumni discover these conversations and join the community.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club

01:21 Jonah Homeschool Background

03:22 Curriculum and Daily Routine

08:22 How Our Parents Built Structure with ADHD Students

11:29 Did You Find Homeschool Community or was it Isolating

16:15 Why did you Switch to Public School

19:20 Adjusting to Public School

25:53 Finding Stability and Good Teachers

32:04 The Different Forms of Intelligence and Social Skills

35:57 Launching into Independence and College

39:25 Leaving Home Reality Check

43:31 Hiding Homeschool Roots

44:24 Stereotypes and Self Proof

49:40 Reinvention in Grad School

50:28 Coming Out and Finding Belonging

55:42 Turning 30 Confidence Shift

01:00:49 Finding CRHE and Purpose

01:05:54 Research Gaps and Regulation

01:12:58 Key Studies to Read

01:19:39 Future Research Questions

01:26:05 Why Lived Experience Matters

01:28:35 Wrap Up and Resources

If you're loving the show and want to show some support, consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

This week's episode is a little different. Instead of sitting down with a guest, I'm celebrating two major milestones: turning 30 and the Ex-Homeschoolers Club officially passing its second anniversary. I reflect on the challenges of my late twenties, the pressure of reaching a new decade, and why I'm choosing hope instead of fear as I step into this next chapter. I also share my gratitude for everyone who has listened, supported, and trusted me with their stories over the past two years.

Join the Book Club

• Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book
• Join the Fable discussion group: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145
• Register for our Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:22 It's My Birthday!

03:06 Happy Birthday To The Show

06:52 August Book Club Announcement

08:31 Thanks for Supporting

If you're loving the show and want to show some support, consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub*Trigger Warning:* This episode contains discussions of suicide, depression, trauma, and mental health.What happens when homeschooling, isolation, and identity all collide? In this episode, I sit down with Beau to talk about growing up homeschooled in a deeply religious environment, navigating gender identity, struggling with severe mental health challenges, and ultimately finding purpose through helping others heal. Beau shares an incredibly honest story about the realities of loneliness, recovery, and becoming a Recovery Support Specialist after surviving some of life's darkest moments.*Connect with Beau*• Substack: https://substack.com/@healingkind• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/healingkind.bsky.social*Resources Mentioned*• CRHE: https://crhe.org• Homeschool Alumni Group Sessions: https://crhe.org/homeschool-alumni-groups/If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story. *Connect with me*• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub• Email me at [email protected]• Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com*Chapters*00:00 Welcome Back to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club00:57 Let's Meet Beau02:17 Was Homeschooling Structured For You?05:58 How Much Responsibility Did You Hold At Home?08:38 Where Did You Grow Up?10:06 The Push To Get Into College Early12:59 Socializing As A Homeschooler17:17 What Was Making You Feel Out Of Place In School?22:06 When Did You Know You We're Trans?27:26 What Did Early Adulthood Look Like?30:45 Why Is Mental Health So Stigmatized In The Homeschool World?32:26 Trigger Warning: We're Talking About Suicide41:08 What Did It Take To Become A Recovery Support Specialist?51:06 How To Connect With Other Homeschool Alumni?58:06 What Do You Think About The Current State Of Homeschooling? 01:01:35 It's Always Ok To Change Your Mind01:02:42 Don't Be Afraid To Share Your Story01:05:44 Taking Care Of Yourself After Being Vulnerable01:10:04 Connect with Beau01:11:16 Do All The Internet Things

Audra is offering 50% discount on your first individual coaching session. Book a time at https://mamaaudra.com/oneonone and be sure to mention this podcast. Just a reminder, Audra coaches woman navigating faith transition after leaving a high control organization (not just Mormons).

What happens when your entire identity is built around a high-control religion, and you begin to question it? This week, I sit down with Audra Phelps, an educator, former member of the LDS Church, and coach who helps people navigate life after leaving high-control religions. We discuss the overlap between homeschooling and religious environments, why questioning your beliefs can feel terrifying, and the long process of rebuilding your identity after deconstruction. Whether you've left religion yourself or are simply curious about how people reclaim their lives after high-control systems, this conversation is full of empathy, nuance, and hope

Connect with Audra

• Website: https://mamaaudra.com
• Check Out Audra's FREE Masterclass: https://mamaaudra.com/training
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamaaudraofficial/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Mama-Audra
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mamaaudra

Resources Mentioned

• When Religion Hurts You: https://drlauraeanderson.com/book
• Coalition for Responsible Home Education: https://crhe.org

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:58 Meet Audra Phelps

01:35 Audra's Teaching Journey

02:57 Homeschooling Pros and Cons

03:41 Teacher Training Respect

05:46 Homeschool Outcomes Seen

07:40 Teamwork With Schools

10:40 Why Move Overseas

13:14 Homeschool Bubble Effects

14:48 Jacob Leaving the Bubble

16:51 Growing Up in the Mormon Church

18:24 High Demand Religion Explained

20:36 Church Taught Me To Distrust Myself

24:03 How Mormonism Adds Prophets and Extra Scripture To The Bible

26:05 Comparing Faith Traditions

28:47 Deconstruction Starts Small

29:55 Exiting High-Controlled Religion

33:11 Anxiety And Panic From Gender Roles

35:13 Finding Independence Through Teaching

36:56 Going Overseas Changed My Perspective

39:06 Pandemic and Stepping Back

41:21 Are These Sacred Spaces Evil?

42:41 An Awakening In Sagrada Familia

44:09 Saying It Out Loud

44:53 Religious Trauma Resurfacing

46:42 Identity Loss and Mom Guilt

48:54 Leaving Leads To Loneliness and Family Fallout

51:33 Marriage Through Deconstruction

57:29 Grieving for the Unlived Life

01:00:47 How To Get Out Of The Confusion

01:05:02 Becoming A Coach For The Ex-Mormon Moms

01:11:37 Regulating the Nervous System

01:14:04 Body Based Belief Work

01:16:56 Finding Your Voice Again

01:19:17 Connect with Audra

Check out Liliana's Poetry on Amazon: https://bit.ly/4eYOJve

In this episode, I sit down with Liliana to talk about growing up homeschooled in a conservative Christian environment, navigating a sheltered childhood, and learning how to build a life on her own terms. We dive into culture shock after leaving home, making friends outside the homeschool bubble, questioning long-held beliefs, receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis, and finding healing through writing and poetry. Liliana also shares how creativity helped her process emotional abuse, difficult relationships, and rebuilding confidence. It's an honest conversation about growth, identity, and discovering who you are after homeschooling.

Key Takeaways

• Growing up homeschooled in a highly religious and sheltered environment.
• Navigating culture shock and expanding your worldview after leaving home.
• Building a chosen family and meaningful friendships as an adult.
• How an adult ADHD diagnosis answered lifelong questions.
• Using poetry and creative writing to process trauma and healing.

Connect with Liliana

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valiantiaqueen/
• Poetry Books: https://bit.ly/4eYOJve

Connect with me

• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Meet Liliana

01:06 Homeschool Background

01:46 Homeschool Normalization

03:58 Typical School Day

05:52 Co-ops and Classes

09:27 Siblings and Dual Enrollment

10:16 College Culture Shock

13:58 Leaving Home and Work

16:29 Marriage Roles Pressure

19:32 New Friends New Views

24:46 Trying Forbidden Things

28:41 Homeschooling Today

29:49 Homeschool Pros And Cons

30:53 College Worries And Bigger Goals

32:24 Chosen Family As Adults

33:32 How To Make New Friends

36:41 Writing And Self Publishing

38:55 Why Poetry Hits Different

41:39 Creativity Through Breakups

44:30 Adult ADHD Diagnosis Story

49:26 ADHD Coping Tools That Work

52:04 Therapy Help

53:27 Wrap Up

Want to join our Purity Culture Livestream? Follow Kate on Substack: https://substack.com/@katejohnsonwrites or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejohnsonwrites

Kate Johnson joins me to share one of the most powerful and difficult stories we've featured on the podcast. We talk about growing up homeschooled in a conservative Christian environment, navigating life after her father's arrest for child sexual abuse material, and how isolation, purity culture, and parentification shaped her childhood. Kate also reflects on finding her voice, questioning long-held beliefs, and rebuilding her identity as an adult. This conversation is heavy at times, but it's ultimately about healing, resilience, and why protecting vulnerable children must be part of the homeschool conversation.

In this episode we discuss:

• Kate's experience growing up homeschooled using Abeka, Calvert, Classical Conversations, and other Christian curricula.
• How her father's arrest shattered the sense of safety her family had built around homeschooling and church.
• The hidden dangers of isolation, parentification, and secrecy within some homeschooling environments.
• Purity culture, consent, and the long-term impact those teachings had on both girls and boys.
• Finding healing, embracing authenticity, and reclaiming her own voice.

Connect with Kate Johnson:

• Substack: https://substack.com/@katejohnsonwrites
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejohnsonwrites
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@katejohnsonwrites
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katejohnsonwrites
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katejohnsonwrites

Resources Mentioned:

• Coalition for Responsible Home Educators: https://crhe.org

If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it. If you'd like to support the show, be sure to join the newsletter for updates and future episodes.

Connect with me:

• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Trigger Warning

00:39 Invitation To Purity Culture Livestream

01:20 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:28 Kate’s Homeschool Origins

02:43 First Day Was 9/11

08:15 Finding a Homeschool Rhythm

11:05 Classical Conversations Explained

17:32 Curriculum Nostalgia and Resources

23:16 Siblings and Public School Switch

25:38 High School Culture Shock

28:51 Pastor’s Kid Pressure

31:21 TW: Dad’s Arrest and Fallout

36:38 TW: Isolation and System Gaps

39:36 TW: Silence, Control, Parentification

44:04 TW: Healing and Purity Culture

46:46 Guys Taught No Control

50:17 Consent And Worthlessness

52:45 College Identity Shifts

57:27 Politics And Deconstruction

01:01:32 Trusting Inner Intuition

01:03:41 TW: Dad Arrested Again

01:08:42 Somatic Healing Journey

01:15:50 Ritual Of Letting Go

01:23:20 Values And Bodywork Tools

01:29:22 Where To Follow Kate

01:31:45 Homeschool Safety Advocacy

01:34:25 Final Thanks And Wrap

Where does online school fit into the homeschooling conversation? In this week's episode, I sat down with Mindy to explore that question while unpacking the similarities and differences between public online education and traditional homeschooling. We discuss educational gaps, socialization, student safety, and why the rapid growth of homeschooling is forcing us to rethink how we define home-based education.
We also dive into the broader cultural and political influence of the homeschooling movement, the role of regulation, and why nuanced conversations are essential if we want to improve educational outcomes without losing the flexibility that makes alternative education valuable. Whether you were homeschooled, attended online school, or are simply interested in education policy, this episode offers plenty to think about.

Resources we mentioned

• Lifetime Prevalence of Investigating Child Maltreatment Among US Children: https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303545?journalCode=ajph
• How a true believer’s flawed research helped legitimize home schooling: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/12/11/brian-ray-homeschool-student-outcomes/
• The Christian home-schooler who made ‘parental rights’ a GOP rallying cry: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/aug/31/the-christian-home-schooler-who-made-parental-righ/
• Ten Homeschooling Parent Myths Debunked: https://rlstollar.com/2025/06/06/ten-homeschooling-parent-myths-debunked/
• Online schools 'worse than traditional teachers': https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34671952
• Coalition for Responsible Home Education: https://crhe.org
• Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block: https://bookshop.org/p/books/homeschooled-a-new-york-times-bestselling-memoir-and-read-with-jenna-pick-stefan-merrill-block/7e9b1465fdf608ff?ean=9781335000989&next=t

Connect with Me

• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ex-HomeschoolersClub
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Email me at [email protected]
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:14 Mindy’s Early Schooling
01:47 Middle School Pressures
05:23 Bullying and High School Fears
07:57 Homeschool vs Online School
10:28 Online School Day to Day
11:21 Tutoring Center Realities
13:11 Did Online School Work
15:55 Why Study Homeschooling Now
22:15 Guardrails and Learning Gaps
26:22 Homeschooling Political Pipeline
30:45 Shiny Happy People Connections
32:54 Homeschool Political Grooming
33:24 Lobby Days And Fake Scores
35:14 HSlda And Child Safety Gaps
39:20 Online School Under Homeschooling
40:44 Mandated Reporters And CPS Fear
43:32 Bullying And Queer Panic
46:58 Unlearning Homophobia
51:31 Defining Laws And New Models
55:51 Parental Rights And Anti Vax Roots
01:02:06 Research Myths And Data Needs
01:04:29 Former Homeschoolers Speak Up
01:07:37 Wrap Up And Community Invite