Published July 21, 2026
It’s not complicated: They just hate homeschooling. That’s why, in a recent episode of popular left-wing podcast I’ve Had It, host Jennifer Welch called homeschooling “trickle-down stupidity” and “the worst, worst, worst.”
Homeschooling families are used to this disdain. We know that the likes of Welch despise us. Thus, we also know that efforts to restrict and regulate homeschooling are rarely in good faith. The motive is less concern for the well-being of homeschooled children than hatred for homeschooling.
Consequently, homeschoolers’ aversion to government interference is about much more than a dislike of paperwork. Rather, it comes from understanding that increasing regulation is often part of an incrementalist approach to eliminating homeschooling altogether. This is why homeschoolers nationwide took note when the homeschooling paths of two New England states recently diverged, with New Hampshire reducing oversight requirements for homeschooling, while Connecticut aggressively increased them. In both cases the response from homeschoolers was rooted in the reality that any rules will likely be enforced by people hostile to homeschooling families.
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Nathanael Blake, Ph.D. is a Fellow in the Life and Family Initiative at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His first book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All, was published by Ignatius Press in Spring 2025. As a cultural commentator, Dr. Blake has published hundreds of articles at outlets including Public Discourse, World Opinions, The Federalist, Catholic World Report, and the University Bookman.
