As millions of Canadian children return to school this September, 81,000 kids will stay at home with mom or dad or some other adult to be homeschooled. The National Post has reported on several recent polls that show growing support for parental choice in education, in a variety of forms that include the creation of charter schools, school vouchers and tuition tax credits, and choice within the public system of schools.

Why such growing support for parental choice in education? Part of it stems from the conflict between governments and educators over legitimate differences of opinion about the course of education. They each have different interests in the education debate: provincial governments and school boards must satisfy the voting public that education spending is efficient and adequate and teachers’ unions represent the employment concerns of teachers. While it is always hoped that both sides have the best interest of students in mind, sometimes (perhaps often) they don’t. Furthermore, both sides must by necessity make decisions about education that affect tens of thousands of students with little concern for what’s best for each individual student. The only people who can make such decisions are parents.

The Interim applauds measures that recognize the centrality of parents in their children’s education. Whatever the ‘experts’ say or ‘research indicates,’ while not completely irrelevant, fail to take into account the individual child.

Actual figures for the number of homeschooled children are somewhat speculative, but reasonable estimates conclude that about 80,000 Canadian children are educated outside of public (state-run) and independent (‘private’) schools by a parent or some other adult in a home or home-type situation. Research indicates that while most parents who educate their children themselves do so for religious reasons (including concerns about the lack of moral education and the teaching of evolution over creationism), many also do so because of concerns over teaching styles, worries about the forms (or lack) of discipline employed by institutional schooling and what content is or is not being taught in the schools.

Independent schools also attract students (and their parents) for a variety of reasons. Despite the stereotype of the exclusive WASPy private school, most parents who send their children to independent schools come from low and middle-income families.

Charter schools, publicly funded but run independently from school boards, are often controlled or directed by parents.

Although widespread in the United States, charter schools have yet to take off in Canada. In August, Ontario Education Minister Janet Ecker said she was open to permitting charter schools in the province “if that is what parents want.” Currently there are only 11 charter schools in Canada, all in Alberta.

Governments can support parents in their education decisions by introducing a variety of innovative reforms including vouchers, allowing charter schools, and permitting choice within the public system. Another proposal in Virginia would provide a ‘scholarship tax credit’ for homeschooling parents to help defer the costs of educating their own children.

Of course, recognition of the centrality of parents’ role in education does not mean that governments ought to neglect their responsiblity to public (both secular and denominational) schools. Most parents will continue to use public education; their choice must be respected by providing schools that both educate children and which are responsive to parents’ wishes. In other words, governments must support a school system that a substantial number of families will want to choose.

Despite the increasing demand for parental choice in education, there is still substantial support for public education. This is understandable. As the American sociologist James Q. Wilson recently wrote in Commentary, the public likes “the idea of children being educated together – it appeals to (its) democratic instincts,” its sense of fairness and equality. But forcing children to attend schools that perform poorly or teach values starkly at odds with those of their parents is patently unfair.

While numerous studies have shown that increased educational choice can improve the quality of education in public schools and that schools become more accountable to parents, taxpayers and governments, it is merely a coincidental benefit.

The real issue is supporting parents in their education decisions and recognizing that parents have the primary responsibility for their children’s education. Increased school choice has both of those benefits, which makes education reform a vital family issue.