==History==
In the United States, opting out of public schools is not new. When [[Thomas Edison]]'s public school teacher said he was "addled," <ref>In reality, Edison came down with scarlet fever early in life, rendering him almost completely deaf.</ref>, Edison's mother took him out of public school and taught him at home.
Education at public school year-round from about ages 6 to 18 became common only in the 20th century due to [[compulsory education]] laws. The first [[law]] requiring attendance at public school passed in [[Massachusetts]] in 1852; the second such law passed in [[Washington D.C.]] in 1864; and most states did not pass mandatory schooling laws until between 1870 and 1917.<ref>[http://www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/CompulsoryEd.htm Compulsory Education], National Conference of State Legislatures: "More than 150 years have passed since Horace Mann helped Massachusetts establish a statewide system of education that eventually led to the requirement that all children attend public school. In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory school attendance laws, and by 1918, all states required children to receive an education."</ref><ref>http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/kellmeyer/050428</ref>