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This is part of a different conversation where a poster asked the question of how to fix the public schools, how to make the schools better, and listed a bunch of examples of idiotic administrative policy that does nothing to help/improve kids education.
It has nothing to do with homeschooling/religion. It has to do with getting the attention of the school administration to effectively make change in a particular school.
And how to make change in this country is to affect the money train. Logic, protests, letters to the editor, etc., have no real impact. But take away their paycheck? You bet they will be listening.
Again, what would happen if the school year started and no one showed up? Think the administration would be in scramble, panic, freaking out mode? Think they would be raked over the coals for school policy that was driving students OUT of the schools?
Except that many, if not most, of the reasons that people give for homeschooling (religious instruction, moral instruction, etc.) should not be changed just to try to woo back some 3-4% of the population.
Well, I guess I have completely misunderstood the posters here who have been vocal about the instances where they are NOT happy with their public school and were asking how THEY can make changes.
From what friends and family have told me, public schools listen to the money --either from contributing parties (federal funding) or threats (lawsuits), not the parents. From MY experience (master's in teaching BTW, and TAUGHT in a wealthy district), money talks.
Never assume a poster's situation. EVER. You'll be wrong about 99% of the time, as you are in this case.
I guarantee if parents wanted change and were looking for a way to get attention, keeping the kids out for a week -- WHICH IS COMPLETELY DOABLE -- is the way to go. Babysitting, high school kids pitching in, etc., can make it 100% doable. So sick of people with heads in the sand, well, we CAN'T do that, we CAN'T do this, drudge down, don't think, don't try, don't change. Not true. When it comes to your kids, you make it happen. Get your head out of the sand and MAKE THE CHANGE.
Teaching in a wealthy district might give you a different perspective than some other people. I live in a neighborhood where many of my neighbors work fast food or retail or other low-paying jobs. They don't get paid personal days or sick days. The kids go to the after school program which is free or very cheap depending on the parents' financial situation. Missing a week of work would be devastating to them. For a single mom, that's the electric bill, water bill and phone bill going unpaid that month. For a two-parent family, that's the money for the car payment. When your personal financial situation is that precarious, you can't afford to fight for change for everyone, not if it means your family goes without.
And babysitting? You have to pay the sitter. Even high school kids want about $10/hour and people around here are lucky if they're making $12/hour, so paying a sitter for the week wouldn't help their situation.
There are different forms of having your head in the sand.
Well, I guess I have completely misunderstood the posters here who have been vocal about the instances where they are NOT happy with their public school and were asking how THEY can make changes.
From what friends and family have told me, public schools listen to the money --either from contributing parties (federal funding) or threats (lawsuits), not the parents. From MY experience (master's in teaching BTW, and TAUGHT in a wealthy district), money talks.
Never assume a poster's situation. EVER. You'll be wrong about 99% of the time, as you are in this case.
I guarantee if parents wanted change and were looking for a way to get attention, keeping the kids out for a week -- WHICH IS COMPLETELY DOABLE -- is the way to go. Babysitting, high school kids pitching in, etc., can make it 100% doable. So sick of people with heads in the sand, well, we CAN'T do that, we CAN'T do this, drudge down, don't think, don't try, don't change. Not true. When it comes to your kids, you make it happen. Get your head out of the sand and MAKE THE CHANGE.
The amount of federal funding in local education is quite small, about 10% overall, and that includes the Federal School Lunch Program money. This does vary, and yes, some schools get more, some also get less. One time someone posted a link on here about the amount of federal funding per district in the US; my district was quite on the low end. Of course, administrators have to look at the financial situation.
Teaching in a wealthy district might give you a different perspective than some other people. I live in a neighborhood where many of my neighbors work fast food or retail or other low-paying jobs. They don't get paid personal days or sick days. The kids go to the after school program which is free or very cheap depending on the parents' financial situation. Missing a week of work would be devastating to them. For a single mom, that's the electric bill, water bill and phone bill going unpaid that month. For a two-parent family, that's the money for the car payment. When your personal financial situation is that precarious, you can't afford to fight for change for everyone, not if it means your family goes without.
And babysitting? You have to pay the sitter. Even high school kids want about $10/hour and people around here are lucky if they're making $12/hour, so paying a sitter for the week wouldn't help their situation.
There are different forms of having your head in the sand.
You're right. let's all give up. I mean coming together as a community for the benefit of improving the schools, is just, well, stupid.
That was sarcasm BTW.
If people spent as much time figuring out how to get something done instead of figuring out all the reasons why it couldn't be done we would all be much better off. (As in, maybe the high school kids would babysit for FREE because it would be a community effort that would benefit everyone?)
But it means changing your thinking and becoming a person who says "Yes I'll figure out how we can do that" instead of "Nope, nope, nope, can never happen ever," which some are 100% unwilling to do. And you can't fix that. Most people fall into that category, unfortunately, which is why the world is the way it is, and education is they way it is.
And to the poster above who basically yelled at me about not seeing their post, um NO I didn't see. We posted at the same time. Relax already. And imagine the attendance office trying to track down 1,000 kids every day. You think they could keep up? No they couldn't. THAT'S THE POINT.
You're right. let's all give up. I mean coming together as a community for the benefit of improving the schools, is just, well, stupid.
That was sarcasm BTW.
And not helpful, either. The underlying implication, which all sarcasm has, is that people who don't see "coming together as a community" your way are well, just stupid.
You're right. let's all give up. I mean coming together as a community for the benefit of improving the schools, is just, well, stupid.
That was sarcasm BTW.
If people spent as much time figuring out how to get something done instead of figuring out all the reasons why it couldn't be done we would all be much better off.
For me, there was nothing super important to fix. We have a good school. Homeschooling was still right for us.
Quote:
(As in, maybe the high school kids would babysit for FREE because it would be a community effort that would benefit everyone?)
But it means changing your thinking and becoming a person who says "Yes I'll figure out how we can do that" instead of "Nope, nope, nope, can never happen ever," which some are 100% unwilling to do. And you can't fix that. Most people fall into that category, unfortunately, which is why the world is the way it is, and education is they way it is.
Good luck with that! Let us know how it goes. Maybe it will be an inspiration.
And not helpful, either. The underlying implication, which all sarcasm has, is that people who don't see "coming together as a community" your way are well, just stupid.
I did not say it had to be "my way." You did.
This discussion has become tedious and unproductive as you are not open to change, nothing can be done, have offered no solutions, and continue to be negative, negative, negative. Leave the schools as they are, don't bother trying to improve them, don't get the community involved, no one will ever help or look to help or seek change, or progress in anyway. Head in sand, butt in air, nope, nope, nope, nope.
And to use a phrase from another poster, that is why I homeschool.
Homeschoolers are "can do" kids. "we can do that" "let's try it this way" "look what I made."
Public school kids: "we're not supposed to read ahead" "teacher said no, we have to do it THIS way" "no we can't do that yet" "we can only pick topics/books/projects from this list" "we can do that ... NEXT year." Multiple choice testing means no thinking involved, just pick an answer. Don't think, close your mind and do it ONLY this way. So, so very sad. Heart-hurting sad.
You're right. let's all give up. I mean coming together as a community for the benefit of improving the schools, is just, well, stupid.
That was sarcasm BTW.
If people spent as much time figuring out how to get something done instead of figuring out all the reasons why it couldn't be done we would all be much better off. (As in, maybe the high school kids would babysit for FREE because it would be a community effort that would benefit everyone?)
But it means changing your thinking and becoming a person who says "Yes I'll figure out how we can do that" instead of "Nope, nope, nope, can never happen ever," which some are 100% unwilling to do. And you can't fix that. Most people fall into that category, unfortunately, which is why the world is the way it is, and education is they way it is.
And to the poster above who basically yelled at me about not seeing their post, um NO I didn't see. We posted at the same time. Relax already. And imagine the attendance office trying to track down 1,000 kids every day. You think they could keep up? No they couldn't. THAT'S THE POINT.
Alternatively, there are the good old fashioned methods of getting involved by being a presence IN the schools. Attending Board of Ed meetings, budget votes, PTA meetings, parents volunteering time and talents in the school. At least that's the way we do it around here.
As a homeschooling parent the NUMBER ONE thing we hear about forever is " socialization".
Do you really think our children are hermit crabs? They never go to church, playgrounds, friends houses, the store, appointments, events, etc? They socialize the same way your children do.
You dont have to be religious, thats also a myth.
You do HAVE to follow your state LAWS for homeschooling. HSLDA.org for more info.
My daughters have never been to daycare or public school. They have friends who are in public and home schooled. We arent in a fancy co op or do an online school ( which is NOT homeschooling, its public school online).
OP, youre older, it wasnt really done in your day... dont bash the rest of us or spout your ideas on us.
I don't homeschool my kids but did choose to opt out of our very mediocre neighborhood school into a better school in a different district. Parents in my home district have been actively trying to change things for the better for decades with very little success. Many eventually opted out by either switching districts or homeschooling. I'm a fan of having options. All options have their pros and cons. Homeschooling is just another option. I don't personally utilize that option but I'm glad that it exists. Parents who are fortunate enough to live in the boundary of a good public school may find this type of dilemma difficult to understand.
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