Assistant Professor of Sociology Mahala Stewart recently explored the role of race in parents’ homeschooling decisions in a “University Forum” at the University of Las Vegas.
In “Pushed or Pulled to Homeschool: How Inequality Shapes Black and White Mothers’ Schooling Decisions,” Stewart shared her research about factors parents consider when deciding whether homeschooling is better for their children than public school.
She said that homeschooling is an increasingly common form of education, with families of color making up 41 percent of U.S. homeschoolers. Her research, based on interviews with both Black and white mothers in a Northeastern city, showed that many choose homeschooling not for religious or political considerations, but as a “best fit” choice for their children. Stewart also said that many of these “best fit” decisions actually do involve racial factors.
Stewart is the author of The Color of Homeschooling: How Inequality Shapes School Choice, published in 2023 by NYU Press.
