This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Here Are The 8 Reasons
Disclaimer: I went with the homeschool, distance learning, and alternative schooling (you physically go to 1–3 classes a couple of times a week; the rest of your schoolwork you do on your own time) route.
Iknew after fifth grade it was time to head out. Going to public school five days a week sucked. It was a complete waste of time, and I didn’t need to waste eight hours of my day in a prison-like building with information I could learn in the comfort of my home or on my travels.
Ditching traditional school isn’t for everyone, but it was one of the best decisions I made in my life. Not only did I do public school, but I also went to private school for a year (they had much better food btw).
Here in this article are the eight reasons I decided to call it quits with the public educational system.
Reason 1: More Time
8 hours. Not including travel time by bus or car to and fro from home.
That’s how much time school steals from your day as a kid, pre-teen, and teenager. And if your school is regular (like most), you have to spend most of your time sitting in chairs that aren’t so comfy (but this is beside the point).
I left public school because I desired more time. I didn’t need to waste 8 hours of my day anymore. I remember staring at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring at 3:00 o clock so that I could head home.
Time is of the essence, which is something I learned early on.
Reason 2: More Flexibility
When you aren’t stuck at school for most of the day, you have more flexibility to start and finish schoolwork at hours that work best for your learning style. If I needed to go to the doctor, travel, do a side gig, workout, sleep in, etc., I could because I wasn’t locked into that 8-hour school schedule that most kids are handcuffed to five days a week.
Reason 3: More Autonomy (Freedom)
Freedom is underrated, taken for granted, and underappreciated. How unusual is it to ask a teacher to go to the bathroom every time you need to eliminate waste from your body? How unusual is it to get permission to do every little basic thing from someone who is not even your parent or legal guardian? It was unusual for me.
School is not prison, but in some aspects, it can be. If you don’t follow the rules, you are immediately reprimanded or disciplined, and you have to abide by the school schedule, or else you’re labeled “bad” or a “problem child.”
Reason 4: More Travel
I always enjoyed traveling. My parents gave me the travel bug, and thankfully we got to spend a lot of my childhood exploring new places and spaces; for this, I am eternally grateful. We took some epic road trips and flights to places that expanded my mind with invaluable knowledge, beliefs, and experiences.
When I attended school, I often had to skip because our family traveled a lot, so switching to alternative schooling options worked best not only for me but also for the rest of my family.
Reason 5: More Money
I started working as soon as I learned what work was and could offer me. I took every job my parents offered and found ways to work for myself. I was an Arbonne consultant at age 9 to help with my mom’s business. Started my own business at age 10/11. I did modeling for a short time. And I got involved with plenty of side gigs: blogging, publishing books, working with my parents’ businesses, teaching music, e-commerce, and more. Earning money was always of interest to me; I always desired to have it and be resourceful.
Reason 6: Less Bullsh*t
I’m not saying the public system is a load of bull, but a lot of it is. When I was in elementary school, we had to pledge allegiance to a flag — in a chant-like fashion daily.
We had to learn about racist White men in history class that took credit for other people’s discoveries. Yet, we learned close to nothing about the history of minorities in intricate detail, which is super sketchy. For example, Martin Luther King changed the world, but he is not Black history; countless others contributed to our culture. Moreover, I can’t even name how many other cultures we never learned about, or if we did learn about them, the information was conveyed in a biased or incomplete manner, which is a complete shame on the American public school system considering America is one big melting pot of different cultures, people, and ethnicities.
Moving along.
We are taught to memorize facts and information that have nothing to do with the real world, and we are forced to take electives we have no interest in.
We are taught grammar rules instead of how to articulate our thoughts in a meaningful way.
Ultimately, we are taught from a box, which keeps our thinking patterns in a box, limiting our long-term potential.
Reason 7: Better Quality Education
Alternative school, distance learning, and home-schooling were the best decisions my parents and I made. Not only did I have more flexibility with the curriculum I learned from, but I also had more autonomy and diverse educational experiences. I even traveled abroad to 6 countries in Europe in high school as part of an educational program. Furthermore, there were plenty of road trips and countries surrounding America I traveled to on our new flexible schedule.
Reason 8: Annoying Students & No Fun
I can’t name how many times kids interrupted class or demonstrated plain whack behavior — including myself. I did what I could do to have fun, like trying my Taekwondo moves on a boy at recess, starting a raisin food fight at the lunch table, living it up at P.E. and recess (the best classes), and chatting with friends. But none of the surface fun was enticing enough for me to stay.
Ditching public school is one of the best things that happened to me.
I got three degrees in Political Science, Psychology, and Women’s Studies at an amazing University.
I work in technology.
I’ve traveled the world.
I’ve been able to work since I was a kid.
I didn’t need to go to public school to be my definition of success. I also never needed my parents to keep me accountable to get my school work down when I was homeschooled. Some kids are built for alternative schooling options — like me; some aren’t.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.