Divorce Rates Lead to All Time High in Home School Dropouts

February 2011 saw the reported divorce rate for first marriages in the United States has hit a historic high of 41%. This has been matched with an increasing trend — kids dropping out of their home schools. The rates of home school truancy have almost doubled in households that have gone through divorce.

Photo Illustration by Dylan Bliss

“Since the divorce, he stopped showing up to gym class,” newly seperated home school teacher Mrs. Anderson told the Dailyer. “One time I waited for him on the driveway for twenty minutes. I went inside to look for him, and I found him smoking in the bathroom.”

Mrs. Anderson also said that her fourteen-year-old son never ditched class before she and her husband split up four months ago.

“I’m certain he’s just acting up because of the divorce. At dinner two nights ago he told me he was dropping out of school,” Mrs. Anderson recounted.

Stories such as these are common all throughout the United States. One home school student was caught selling drugs from his bedroom dresser. His mother/principal/head lunch lady/teacher, Ms. Reed, chased him and the buyer (who happened to be her ex-husband) down the length of the hardwood main hall and to the door, where they escaped.

“He’s running amuck in my home/school!” exclaimed Ms. Reed after recalling the events of her delinquent, home school drop-out son. “He doesn’t even bother showing up for class anymore. He just stays in bed all day. Not even detention will work on this kid!”

There are currently no steps being taken by national or state governments to solve this issue. Divorce rates have risen over 20 percent in the past decade, and the trend for kids dropping out of home school has risen by over 80 percent in the last year. It previously hovered around zero.