Actually, moonchild, the more I learn about home school, I realize that it is a way that children can be even LESS "isolated", because alot of their education can come from community volunteer work, museums, travel, work apprenticeship, independent research, etc. It is a myth that homeschooling equals isolation. One family I know who homeschooled their kids started because they were living in Alaska, and continued after moving to Montana. Their son finished 12th grade work at age 15. There are many advantages for students if their parents can find a way to do it.

Yes, I am in Montana, but even rural areas are not immune to "copycat" behavior, and the media reaches everywhere. The social ills that are affecting youth today are part of the fabric of our culture, whether urban or rural.

alice