Reply #69: Almost the exact same thing happened with my brother.

[Marr]

He learned early that if he'd whine and cry long enough each morning, my parents would let him stay home from school. They just didn't care enough to force the issue. Eventually this morphed into homeschooling. He learned precisely nothing; his "education" amounted to a packet of papers he'd turn in once a month. I read through one of them and it was a joke-- I could've done it in 15 minutes.

My little brother is 10 years younger than I am, and this was starting just as I was preparing to move away to attend college. I knew there wasn't going to be anyone around to school that kid, and complained to my parents repeatedly. They just didn't give a shit.

Anyway, his total lack of an education is bad enough-- he can barely read, barely handle basic arithmetic, knows nothing of history or government, etc.-- but just as bad is his lack of socialization. The only friends he had growing up were kids like himself, who were staying home all day because their parents didn't give a damn either way. They got in all kinds of trouble with drugs and alcohol.

Now he's 28, still living at home, and unemployed.