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Thursday, May 18, 2006

Homeschooling Parent Elected To School Board

My dander's getting up and I'm about to speak out on an issew, whoa-boy. This right here irritates the snot out of me. If this was my school board, I'd be marching down there and pitching a hissy fit.

Why do I hate homeschooling so much?

Where I used to go to church is crawling with homeschoolers. I helped teach children's choir for a couple of years there. You ask a kid "What school do you go to?" The MOTHER jumps in and answers, with nose in the air, pulling her child to her, "We HOME school."

Half the time, homeschooling people don't allow their kids to ever have any sugar of any kind. One time, at the same church, we had a little Christmas party, and this one little girl could not partake in any of the treats because her mother wouldn't allow she and her 10 siblings to have anything that wasn't "natural." This happened several times that year whenever we'd have treats for the kids. That little girl had to just sit there and watch and I felt so sorry for her.

And why is it that a lot of the HSers have a ton of kids? They have these little tribes. Somehow, that goes with homeschooling. A local doctor out here in Hendersonville is expecting his 8th child, on purpose. She keeps popping them out and he's going to wonder why she has to "go away" for awhile one of these days. Did you know there's a website for these people ? The word "creepy" comes to mind when you look at that site.

I'm not saying you can't teach your kid at home and them not get a good education. Sure, they can. When I think back to my schooling, and now watching my own kids, so much of my education had nothing to do with the three R's. There are life-lessons learned that you don't learn from a book.

This morning, #1 is going on and on about the 8th grade trip to Kentucky Kingdom tomorrow that he is not going on. Why is he not going? Because it's for the kids who made the Honor Roll. #1 would've been on the Honor Roll had he not gotten the unacceptable grade in band. So, he's trying to act like he didn't want to go anyway, he gets to sleep in tomorrow, it costs too much, etc. But, I know better. Most of his closest friends are going. He knows he's going to miss a fun time. Part of me is sad for him, but, at the same time, I hope he gleans how yes, even enrichment classes that aren't academic, require your best effort.

I guaran-dang-tee ya he's wishing he'd have practiced that saxophone about now.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

at my old church the youth minister married himself the most eligible bachelorette in the flock. He was a "quiver full" guy. She was a "i don't want to ruin my figure" gal. Needless to say, they didn't stay hitched long. I still wonder if he got his quiver full...

Tony Arnold said...

The sugar story was ridiculously funny. Based on my knowledge, sugar is natural. Anything that comes from cane, beets, corn, or bees sounds natural to me.

In home-school defense, I know many home schooling parents and they have no such weird restrictions and their children are some of the best behaved and most polite (and smart too) children in our church.

I don't think we will home school, but I wouldn't have problems with a home school parent being on the school board. Home schoolers have to adhere to the school board curriculum, grade testing, and many other public school standards. So if they are becoming a increasing percentage of the education system and must abide by that system, they should be represented.

Tony

Spunky said...

I enjoyed some of the lighthearted humor here. But you really didn't explain why you hate homeschooling. You explained your dislike for some homeschoolers. But that doesn't translate into why all that "hate" for those that choose to do things differently than you?

Sharon Collie said...

Spunky...you are correct. I thought about this during the day that I really didn't finish my thought on the whole thing. Sometimes the ol' ADD kicks in and I just get sidetracked.

What I hate about it is it seems to me, especially the Christians who are so gung ho about it, is that, we should be in the world, not of the world. If all the Christians yanked their kids out of schools to be homeschooled, we can't really be salt and light if we got all our younguns holed up in the house and hanging with the little homeschooling groups, away from all the "badness" of those awful, public schools. As Christians, we have to be out there, in the world, not preaching and Jerry Falwelling everybody, but, living by example.

Recently, I was sitting in a break area at work and there was something on the news about some sort of violent something that went on somewhere in a high school and a guy sitting close by said "That's why we homeschool our kids."

You keep your kids away from schools because of what MIGHT happen? I don't like that attitude and I don't think that builds good adults. You keep them out of school because they might hear ugly language, get teased, be around kids who are different than them...what MIGHT happen?

I also don't get how kids can learn to deal with people and be prepared for life in the work world being around people who have the exact same beliefs, look exactly like them, etc.

This is the kinda thing I see in my community amongst the homeschooling crowd. Maybe "hate" is the wrong word to use, but, I really don't like it.

Anonymous said...

"Salt & Light" - that's absurd. The role of a child is to be trained, educated & molded. They are not of an age or a mind where they will be likely to be a source of salt & light. It is more likely that they'll be shaped by the school & their peers. They're created to be learning & growing as children, so they will naturally soak up that which is around them. The younger they are, the more this is true. But even older teenagers struggle greatly with this and will benefit from homeschooling where their minds can be sharpened and hearts strengthened.

Your "concerns" with socialization are equally absurd. Homeschoolers are typically involved in a variety of extracurricular activities and rather than being socialized by other children, they learn to interact in the world with adults (in other words, people who have the maturity and wisdom to teach them the right way to be in the world). Any social disadvantages are greatly outweighed by the advantages of homeschooling.

You're way off base in your general assessment of homeschoolers. Your post shows that you've had run ins with some of the odd homeschoolers out there. With the strengthening of the homeschool movement, I can assure you, these represent the minority. Whether it is in your head or if homeschooling moms have actually acted as though they're "better than you" I really think most of your attitude comes from this.

Most homeschoolers wouldn't judge you so harshly and I think you're very unfair in your judgment of them. You claim to be a Christian yet you show so little grace toward other Christians. Homeschooling is a difficult choice and requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice on the part of homeschooling moms. I'd think twice before harshly judging them for a choice that requires so much sacrifice and is clearly made out of deep conviction and love of their families.

Sugar isn't "natural" as it is highly processed. I don't personally feel sugar should be completely excluded from the diet, but maybe you should have done something special to include this family despite their lifestyle choice (which I'm sure they find difficult). Instead, you simply write a judgmental and mean post and say how "sorry" you felt for the little girl.

It seems to me you're the one raising your nose.

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