Grammarly tells us that “the slippery slope fallacy is a logical fallacy that claims one event or action will lead to another, more extreme event or action.” It’s a common fallacy in arguments, especially (it seems to me), when we sense we are losing and desperation sets in: “next thing you know, they’ll be (fill in with something outrageous and extreme).”

Recently, when I’ve written about West Virginia politics, I’ve had to watch the tendency to run to a worst-case scenario -- especially when I write about how the West Virginia legislature deals with educational issues. Today, I discovered that slope is even slicker than I imagined:

Ohio investigating a network of Nazi homeschools. Disturbing that it got this far. Just another example why state programs that incentivize families to leave public schools are a terrible idea, but must be regulated if states make that mistake. https://t.co/mXTMBXZFZf

— Derek W. Black (@DerekWBlack) January 31, 2023

(Note --Derek W. Black is a constitutional and educational law professor.)

From that linked Vice article by David Gilbert:

The Department of Education in Ohio is investigating the openly antisemitic and racist Nazi homeschooling group with thousands of members being operated by a couple from Upper Sandusky, Ohio, an official at the department told VICE News.

On Sunday, VICE News and the Huffington Post reported that Logan and Katja Lawrence were the operators of the neo-Nazi Dissident Homeschool group which now boasts over 2,500 members on its Telegram channel, based on the research from anti-fascist researchers at the Anonymous Comrades Collective. The group openly advocates white supremacist ideologies with the aim to make sure the children they teach “become wonderful Nazis.”

The Lawrences share their classroom schedules, homework assignments, and lesson plans with other parents in the group, the vast majority of which are infused with Nazi ideology or open praise for Adolf Hitler.

But what about Ohio law?

Under Ohio state laws, the Lawrences simply have to inform the local superintendent that they want to homeschool their children and agree to abide by certain broad conditions in order to legally keep their children out of public schools.

Meanwhile, West Virginia appears to be going down that same path/slope. From WVU educational rights law professor, Joshua Weishart:

Meanwhile, WV Legislature advancing bills to eliminate all homeschool reporting requirements and assessments (which are already the bare minimum) plus allowing "microschools" to receive voucher funding. https://t.co/4jCyFMe59v

— Joshua Weishart (@joshuaweishart) January 31, 2023

(Note -- I recently wrote about WV’s microschools here.)

Yeah, sometimes slopes are a lot more slippery than we can imagine.