The Homeschool Secret I Couldn't Tell Anyone

Want to join our Purity Culture Livestream? Follow Kate on Substack: https://substack.com/@katejohnsonwrites or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejohnsonwritesKate Johnson joins me to share one of the most powerful and difficult stories we've featured on the podcast. We talk about growing up homeschooled in a conservative Christian environment, navigating life after her father's arrest for child sexual abuse material, and how isolation, purity culture, and parentification shaped her childhood. Kate also reflects on finding her voice, questioning long-held beliefs, and rebuilding her identity as an adult. This conversation is heavy at times, but it's ultimately about healing, resilience, and why protecting vulnerable children must be part of the homeschool conversation.In this episode we discuss:Kate's experience growing up homeschooled using Abeka, Calvert, Classical Conversations, and other Christian curricula.How her father's arrest shattered the sense of safety her family had built around homeschooling and church.The hidden dangers of isolation, parentification, and secrecy within some homeschooling environments.Purity culture, consent, and the long-term impact those teachings had on both girls and boys.Finding healing, embracing authenticity, and reclaiming her own voice.Connect with Kate Johnson:Substack: https://substack.com/@katejohnsonwritesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejohnsonwritesThreads: https://www.threads.com/@katejohnsonwritesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katejohnsonwritesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katejohnsonwritesResources Mentioned:Coalition for Responsible Home Educators: https://crhe.orgIf this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it. If you'd like to support the show, be sure to join the newsletter for updates and future episodes.Connect with me:Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclubEmail me at [email protected]: https://exhsclub.substack.comChapters00:00 Trigger Warning00:39 Invitation To Purity Culture Livestream01:20 Welcome and Guest Intro02:28 Kate’s Homeschool Origins02:43 First Day Was 9/1108:15 Finding a Homeschool Rhythm11:05 Classical Conversations Explained17:32 Curriculum Nostalgia and Resources23:16 Siblings and Public School Switch25:38 High School Culture Shock28:51 Pastor’s Kid Pressure31:21 TW: Dad’s Arrest and Fallout36:38 TW: Isolation and System Gaps39:36 TW: Silence, Control, Parentification44:04 TW: Healing and Purity Culture46:46 Guys Taught No Control50:17 Consent And Worthlessness52:45 College Identity Shifts57:27 Politics And Deconstruction01:01:32 Trusting Inner Intuition01:03:41 TW: Dad Arrested Again01:08:42 Somatic Healing Journey01:15:50 Ritual Of Letting Go01:23:20 Values And Bodywork Tools01:29:22 Where To Follow Kate01:31:45 Homeschool Safety Advocacy01:34:25 Final Thanks And Wrap