Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Parents should have a right to home school--and if they choose to exercise that right in the interest of warping their kids' minds with creationism and similar nonsense, the kids should have a right as adults to sue them for educational malpractice, if their intelligence somehow survives the ordeal.
I have no problem with home schooling IF and WHEN the parents doing the educating are qualified, intelligent and most of all open minded and will widen the child's horizons as well as allowing their social blossoming. I have seen home schooling work extrmely well but it can also be utterly disastrous.
Most parents I know are certainly not qualified to teach gnats never mind children.
Education is the most precious gift we can bestow upon children so it is a serious issue which should be addressed in a logical and intelligent manner. It must not be a flippant knee-jerk reaction from parents who simply object to their kids not being brain-washed the way they want them to be by the local education institutions.
Most parents I know are certainly not qualified to teach gnats never mind children.
That one made me lol.
As to the poll, I don't care one way or the other. Schools can produce just as much bias as home-schooling. The one definite positive I see of normal schooling is the social interacting with others their age.
Home schooling by those qualified and charter/private schools would be far preferable to the public "government" schools and the ridiculous policies some of them endorse. Changing the grade system so that no-one "fails", not having winners and losers in sports, using politically correct versions of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Pledge of Allegiance to the Earth, etc.
Government/public schools no longer encourage individualism and competition, but favor the herd mentality, which of course, favors the government preferred idea of good little citizens.
In the eyes of the government those same good little citizens would ideally grow up to be union members who would never think to question government.
Students today are encouraged to think that government control is the way to go, despite the fact that the private sector has always been able to accomplish more in more efficient and cost effective ways.
Schools should be privatized or, lacking that, voucher systems are needed to give parents more control and the teachers held accountable.
Home schooling by those qualified and charter/private schools would be far preferable to the public "government" schools and the ridiculous policies some of them endorse. Changing the grade system so that no-one "fails", not having winners and losers in sports, using politically correct versions of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Pledge of Allegiance to the Earth, etc.
Government/public schools no longer encourage individualism and competition, but favor the herd mentality, which of course, favors the government preferred idea of good little citizens.
In the eyes of the government those same good little citizens would ideally grow up to be union members who would never think to question government.
Students today are encouraged to think that government control is the way to go, despite the fact that the private sector has always been able to accomplish more in more efficient and cost effective ways.
Schools should be privatized or, lacking that, voucher systems are needed to give parents more control and the teachers held accountable.
It's interesting how discussing homeschooling turns into a post attacking public schools in six posts or less. The 6 degrees of separation is really true, apparently. Just joking there. But come on! Public schools are legally bound to educate EVERY student in this country; they cannot pick and choose who is to be educated and who is not. That's point number 1.
Point number 2 is that public schools have to accomodate all religions, all matters of physical, emotional, and mental disability. They have to accomodate all socio-economic demographics as well. They have to do it in such a way as to not p*ss anyone off.
Point number 3 is that your claims are grossly exaggerated. They are always the same from those who vehemently are against public schooling. Isn't it amazing how much time there is available for massive brainwashing in a 6 hour day with having 7-9 classes per day? And the teachers? They must stay awake all night coming up with personal agendas with which to brain-wash their students with. Not likely. And the "no one fails", thus NO grading is false. Your other assertions are false as well. I don't know where you get your information, but I'm willing to wager that it's from biased sources.
I think that you and others should actually step into a public school and help out and start becoming a solution instead of making things up and scaring people with lies. There are over-worked teachers that could use some positive encouragement and students that could use some extra help in learning.
Back to homeschooling, I think home-schooling works very well when it is done effectively (as others have already mentioned).
Never before was in to homeschooling, but plan on doing (and already am with 4yo) it with my 2 youngest sons.
I want them to be kind, decent kids who will get my individualized and personalized attention while learning.
No bullying to worry about. No teachers being unkind to my children to worry about. No worries about my child needing more help than he is able to get from the teacher who may be in charge of 20-30 other kids. No worries about my child being taught about 'masturbation' or gay/lesbians or birth control-before I am ready to inform them....if at all.
My teen, almost 17 has gone through the school system and I saw many issues with regard to the points cited above. Too many to go over. He was even in private Catholic school from 3-7th grade, due to the issues I was having in his public school. The Catholic school turned out to be a nightmare due to specific reasons.....so with that said, I've decided to homeschool the other 2.
It is a huge undertaking but is very rewarding for all. Especially in the years to come when the you begin to see the effects of you being their primary role model and not some strangers and unkind children who can cause lasting wounds in small kids.
My 4yo already is involved in a homeschool PE group once a week for half a day, where all they do is learn different sports with a huge emphasis on RESPECT for one another (it's a christian based PE group) and not just 'winning'....we also belong to a homeschool 'group' and so get together often for social play/events at parks. And innately, my children are VERY social and outgoing and have NO problems getting along/interacting with other kids. I just ordered from Amazon, some cd's of Beethoven that are for young ones like 3-5...they're cute and fun to listen to and it teaches the kids about classical music and artists like Beethoven!
I also add the christian element too.
So far, so good.
I take this very seriously. As it stands, my 4yo is already doing kindergarten work, while he's being pre-k homeschooled. He blows thru the pre-k work in minutes. He can already read 15 of the sight words. The 3yo sits with us at the table and either listens to us (which is causing him to learn early...) or does things like coloring or cutting and pasting. Typically, from what I've learned, homeschooled children are anywhere from 1 to 3 grades AHEAD of others their age in public school.
I know an 11yo homeschooler who is doing Algebra. And another girl, 16, who is tutoring at a local university for math. Many of the older homeschoolers in my son's PE group, are BRIGHT.
Last edited by twowolves; 09-03-2009 at 09:21 AM..
VERY much in favor of home schooling! My children are homeschooled by two teachers who also pulled their children out of the left winger indoctrination centers. They are so far ahead of other children their age because education is actually focused on education instead of social engineering.
My opinion of homeschooling is that it's mostly done by white people who don't want their kids rubbing elbows with "undesirables" and/or to stuff their heads full of evango-fundie mythology, homophobia, xenophobia and judgmentalism.
I'd be amazed if more than 1 home-schooled kid out of 50 gets a really valid education. I can't imagine kids raised in a bubble at home are well socialized and able to function in a normally diverse society.
IMO, it's an insane proposition which produces emotionally and intellectually stunted citizens who'll need a long period of adjustment to the REAL world.
__________________
- Please follow our TOS.
- Any Questions about City-Data? See the FAQ list.
- Want some detailed instructions on using the site? See The Guide for plain english explanation.
- Realtors are welcome here but do see our Realtor Advice to avoid infractions.
- Thank you and enjoy City-Data.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
