Sep 05
Victims of Communism – St. Louis Commission Success at Missouri Homeschool Convention
VOC-STL Director Kim McGrath and VOC-STL volunteer Nana Agyeman‐Graham speak with a crowd of homeschoolers about the VOC curriculum
The Victims of Communism – St. Louis Commission (VOC-STL) — comprised of local VOC volunteers who are committed to helping educate their local community about the perils of communism and to highlighting the stories of local witnesses of communism — exhibited at this year’s Great Homeschool Convention in St. Charles. Hosted each year in multiple locations across the country, the convention draws thousands of families together for three days of learning with top speakers, one-on-one sessions, workshops, and sharing resources.
VOC-STL leaders and volunteers staffed the event and promoted the use of VOC’s middle and high school curriculum, Communism: Its Ideology, Its History, and Its Legacy, which was enthusiastically received as a new critical teaching resource by homeschool families in St. Louis.
“Our educational outreach committee has a number of homeschoolers who have begun using the VOC curriculum and actively sharing it with their peers and with the leadership of different homeschool networks in the area,” said VOC-STL Director Kim McGrath. “It was energizing to speak with so many parents and their children who are familiar with the history of communism and its victims, who agree that many of our schools fail to fully teach this history, and who wholeheartedly support the VOC mission of educating future generations about the deadly ideology of communism.”
In addition to individual attendees, various organizations that support homeschool families expressed interest in the curriculum and VOC’s educational resources. Amy Hopkins, K-12 Home Educator and member of various prominent homeschool networks, attended the convention and was thrilled at VOC-STL’s participation.
“Homeschool families value freedom of choice and Victims of Communism – St. Louis Commission representatives provided a welcome voice at the convention,” said Hopkins. “For far too long history has been taught as a list of events, and our children have missed out on the cause and effect of changes in government. VOC puts that front-and-center in their curriculum that explores the truths about communism.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 2 million children are currently homeschooling and this number continues to increase with an estimated 3% annual growth rate. The Great Homeschool Convention is a valuable resource for this expanding community to share ideas and best practices with a strong, factual education foundation.
VOC-STL Education Outreach Coordinator and VOC National Educators Seminar Fellow Kerri Flynn attended the St. Charles event and shared important information about the VOC’s curriculum and professional teacher development program in Washington, D.C. Kerri, a high school history teacher, was able to share firsthand with fellow educators how she uses the VOC curriculum in her own classroom.
VOC-STL Strategic Development Chair Dan Powell also attended and provided details about communist activity that members of VOC-STL have witnessed in and around the St. Louis area.
VOC-STL’s ongoing efforts include a variety of public events, internationally broadcast speakers and testimonials from victims of communism, educator workshops, public communications initiatives, and community engagement. For additional information, and to support or volunteer with the commission, please visit our website.
