What would it take to reclaim education — and America itself — from a system designed to produce dependency instead of thinkers? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, host Robert Bortins sits down with Sam Sorbo — actress, homeschool advocate, and filmmaker — to talk about public school failure, parental rights, Christian homeschooling, and what America’s 250th anniversary should make every parent stop and reconsider.
Sam spent years inside Hollywood, raised three kids through Classical Conversations, and watched her 24-year-old son — who skipped college — buy his own house. She brings receipts. In this conversation, she and Robert dig into the slow erosion of parental authority through compulsory schooling, why school teaches kids “don’t ask, don’t try, don’t read, and don’t think,” and why the entrepreneurial spirit that built America can’t survive inside a classroom. Sam also shares what she’s bringing to a DOJ meeting with Kash Patel, Linda McMahon, and Acting AG Todd Blanche — and why she believes parents are being systematically sidelined to give institutions access to their children.
Whether you’re a homeschool parent already in the fight, or a dad on the fence wondering if you could really pull this off, Sam’s story — and her daughter’s unforgettable “bye-bye” to the nanny — will stay with you.
Sam Sorbo’s website: https://sorbostudios.com/
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Classical Conversations’ new 2026 Product Line:
This April, Classical Conversations launched an exciting portfolio of new products designed to strengthen math fluency, develop critical reasoning skills, and equip families with practical tools for classical, Christian homeschooling. From flashcard resources and reasoning curriculum to hands-on manipulatives and a foundational parent resource, these releases deepen the classical learning journey for families at every level.