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We live in a fairly solidly blue state, and my experience with the homeschoolers in the area generally reflect that. It seems with each passing year, more local businesses are cashing in on the homeschool community and it seems more mainstream. I get many more positive comments than negative ones.

I think the local religious homeschoolers form their own groups underground through their churches, etc. They probably aren't at the workshops on evolution or Norse mythology that we might attend. There are plenty of Christian homeschoolers that are doing it for academic reasons as well and seek out more secular venues.

Anyway, we are having a wonderful local experience homeschool. Down to 3 other families homeschooling within blocks of us. We are in St. Paul MN, bordering Minneapolis.

Same here, Kim, though we don't have the 3 families so close. That's lovely!

But the neighbors who aren't homeschooling seem quite accepting of what we're doing. My kids have *far* busier social schedules than I had at their age, and most of their buddies are public school kids, so they don't seem to be pariahs in our neighborhood, even among people who aren't homeschooling.

We also see lots of crossover between secular homeschoolers and religious homeschoolers, and thus have lots more opportunities. It seems like religious homeschoolers in our area are pretty accepting of inclusivity because of all the benefits that come from having greater numbers.