When many schools reopened after the pandemic lockdown, families of color were more likely to keep their children in remote learning than white parents.
The reasons for the reluctance to return vary. The pandemic hit Black and brown communities hard, causing fear about the safety of in-person learning. Among Asian parents, there was anxiety about rising anti-Asian bullying. And some Black students were not keen to return to schools where they had experienced racist treatment before the pandemic began.
The New Yorker recently profiled Black families who have turned to homeschooling. From the start of the pandemic to October 2020, the nationwide proportion of homeschoolers had risen from 5% to more than 11%, according to Census data.
"For Black families, the growth has been sharper. Around 3% of Black students were homeschooled before the pandemic; by October, the number had risen to 16%," journalist Casey Parks reported.
It's unclear how many of these new homeschooling parents will return to in-person learning once schools reopen. Some realized, after a year of homeschooling or virtual learning, that it was a better academic option for their child.
Alexandra Johnson, a lawyer in St. Louis, turned to homeschooling because virtual school did not work for one of her children. She and her husband, both of whom are able to work from home, plan to continue homeschooling in the fall. They have twin boys in elementary school.
They had never intended to homeschool, and felt unprepared last summer when they decided. Johnson put out a call on Facebook: Did any of her friends homeschool?
A friend from the Hispanic Leaders Group of Greater St. Louis offered to discuss his family's experience and tips. Johnson recorded a Zoom call with him to share with other parents wanting to explore the option and unsure of where to start.
"This was not a happy, smooth transition," Johnson said of last year's change. "It was more like, 'Oh my God, the plane is falling out of the sky, what can you grab onto?'"
But they were able to create a successful strategy.
Johnson's husband taught math, they hired a tutor for a few hours twice a week, and Johnson took over the rest of the curriculum. Covering a day's worth of instruction only takes about four hours without all the transitions and breaks that are part of in-person schooling, and homeschooling allows them to dive deeply into their kids' interests.
Another advantage, Johnson said, is the ability to give their children a diverse curriculum, incorporating stories and learning from their Hispanic culture and others. It has broadened their perspective beyond the white history and achievements centered at so many schools. For example, when her children learn about Black Wall Street, she focuses on the community's achievements first, rather than its eventual destruction.
One of the biggest pluses is being able to spend more time around family celebrating their culture.
"We are sharing more music, more food, more reading and writing in Spanish," she said.
They expect their children will return to in-person schooling when their age group is eligible for the vaccine and they are fully vaccinated.
Alyssa Catlin, of St. Peters, Missouri, however, always wanted this path for her kids. She was homeschooled herself and has been teaching her children for the past five years. Many of the traditional homeschooling groups served white, Christian parents. Catlin, who is of mixed heritage, said one of her most important resources was finding supportive online communities. She searched for Latino homeschooling groups on Facebook and has developed strong relationships with other members.
"Every single parent wants to raise our children in environments that would nurture them in our own culture and to be proud of our heritage. We didn't want our kids to grow up hearing negative things about their ethnicity," she said. She's also part of a local homeschool co-op in which a third of the families have nonwhite children. Seven families are teaching their children to speak a second language.
They've had new members join since the pandemic began.