Support group for Black homeschool families sees increased interest due to changes in Georgia's diversity education

October 16th, 2023

Heritage Homeschoolers is an inclusive support group for Black families in Cobb County and beyond. (Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik)

Amber Johnston is the founder and leader of a nonprofit organization created to support Black families interested in homeschooling their children.

Johnston said she founded Heritage Homeschoolers after seeing her own daughter’s experience.

She joined WABE’s All Things Considered to talk about how legislative changes to what educators can teach have affected parent’s interest in the group.

Johnston said they have seen an increased commitment to homeschooling for the long haul among Black families as districts and states have increasingly narrowed and manipulated what can be taught.

“Change takes time, but I don’t have time because my kids are growing up right now, and I’m not willing for them to become martyrs in this cause,” said Johnston.

For Black families, the curriculum was already inadequate prior to the law, so Johnston said Georgia’s “divisive concepts” law is really just more of the same.

She’s seen an increase in “how to homeschool” inquiries though it’s unclear whether the increase in membership can be directly attributed to changes in Georgia or divisiveness existing on the national level.

Christopher Alston contributed to this report.