Results of HA Basic Survey, Part Four: Parental Education as a Factor in Educational Quality, Abuse, and Current Religious Beliefs
In every one of the following categories — educational quality, abuse, and current religious beliefs — parental education seemed to correlate to a decrease or increase. As parental education increased, the following consistently occurred: the quality of education improved, abuse decreased, and homeschool experiences were less likely to have influenced respondents’ current religious beliefs. Also, as parental education increased, those who experienced a fundamentalist Christian environment decreased.
Parental Education and Educational Quality
Averaging the scores for all aspects, respondents gave their educational experience a score of 3.06, slightly above the median score category of “So-so.”
When the primary teacher had no high school diploma or GED, respondents’ scores for their educational experience averaged at 2.21.
When the primary teacher had a high school diploma or GED, respondents’ scores for their educational experience averaged at 2.74.
When the primary teacher had some college education but no degree, respondents’ scores for their educational experience averaged at 2.76.
When the primary teacher had an associates or undergraduate degree, respondents’ scores for their educational experience averaged at 3.23.
When the primary teacher had a graduate degree or higher, respondents’ scores for their educational experience averaged at 3.47.
There is a significant decrease in expressed educational quality from respondents whose primary teachers had a graduate degree to those who primary teachers had no degree or diploma whatsoever — a decrease of 1.26 points. Not only that, but perceived educational quality consistently decreased as parental education decreased.
Notable areas in which educational quality dropped significantly are: (1) socialization, dropping from 3.63 (graduate degree or higher) to 2.62 (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 1.78 (no high school diploma or GED); (2) college prep, dropping from 3.51 (graduate degree or higher) to 3.0 (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 2.11 (no high school diploma or GED); and (3) intangibles in general, dropping from 3.66 (graduate degree or higher) to 2.63 (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 1.67 (no high school diploma or GED)
Parental Education and Abuse
The majority of respondents (60.92%) experienced one or more forms of abuse in their homes or homeschooling environments.
When the primary teacher had no high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who experienced abuse was 88.89%.
When the primary teacher had a high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who experienced abuse was 75.53%.
When the primary teacher had some college education but no degree, the percentage of respondents who experienced abuse was 70.37%.
When the primary teacher had an associates or undergraduate degree, the percentage of respondents who experienced abuse was 56.12%.
When the primary teacher had a graduate degree or higher, the percentage of respondents who experienced abuse was 41.46%.
This is a remarkable drop in experiences of abuse from respondents whose primary teachers had graduate degrees or higher to respondents whose primary teachers had no degree or diploma. This is a decrease of 47.43% in experiences of abuse.
Notable areas in which abuse increased significantly as parental education decreased are: (1) physical abuse, increasing from 17.07% (graduate degree or higher) to 35.29% (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 77.78% (no high school diploma or GED); (2) verbal abuse, increasing from 21.95% (graduate degree or higher) to 61.76% (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 88.89% (no high school diploma or GED); and (3) emotional abuse, increasing from 34.15% (graduate degree or higher) to 58.82% (high school diploma or GED) and ending at 88.89% (no high school diploma or GED)
Parental Education and Current Religious Beliefs
The majority of respondents (78.84%) said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian.
The overwhelming majority of respondents (92.53%) believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion.
When the primary teacher had no high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian was 100%. Also, the percentage of respondents who believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion was 100%.
When the primary teacher had a high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian was 85.29%. Also, the percentage of respondents who believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion was 97.06%.
When the primary teacher had some college education but no degree, the percentage of respondents who said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian was 81.48%. Also, the percentage of respondents who believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion was 94.44%.
When the primary teacher had an associates or undergraduate degree, the percentage of respondents who said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian was 77.44%. Also, the percentage of respondents who believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion was 92.16%.
When the primary teacher had a graduate degree or higher, the percentage of respondents who said their homeschool experience was fundamentalist Christian was 68.3%. Also, the percentage of respondents who believe that their homeschool experience influenced what they believe today about religion was 85.37%.
The strongest sense of correlation between parental education and current religious beliefs concerned those respondents that have turned their backs on Christianity in favor of agnosticism, atheism, or another religion.
Keep in mind here that the primary teachers of the overwhelming majority of respondents were their mothers. Mothers were the primary teachers of 80.91% (195) of the graduates.
When the primary teacher had no high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who turned their backs on Christianity was 88.88%.
When the primary teacher had a high school diploma or GED, the percentage of respondents who turned their backs on Christianity was 44.13%.
When the primary teacher had some college education but no degree, the percentage of respondents who turned their backs on Christianity was 42.59%.
When the primary teacher had an associates or undergraduate degree, the percentage of respondents who turned their backs on Christianity was 33.33%.
When the primary teacher had a graduate degree or higher, the percentage of respondents who turned their backs on Christianity was 14.64%.
(The category descriptions in the pictures above get cut off, so see Part Two for a reminder of what each category is.)
A correlation seems to exist, therefore, between how educated primary teachers — interestingly, mothers for 80.91% of respondents — are and whether respondents retained their Christian beliefs.
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