[HairOfTheDog]

I didn't say it was necessary to create patriotic Americans... and I am quite certain that all of you here are bringing your kids up to be "good americans". But I saw a sense of community and the necessity of mingling with, and getting to know everyone else as one outcome of "school". For purpose of discussion I don't care who runs it, although I would propose that the schools are still very much locally controlled.

Relax a little ksen, I don't know a thing about homeschooling and it seems foreign to me... I know that the most caring of parents are the ones that may decide to home school.

For me, questions arise when I see it as such a definate trend among conservatives, for the reasons I listed. Mine is a concern from the community, for the community as a whole.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh - And Good morning!

Donuts are too sweet for me in the morning! I prefer croissants as a breaksfast pastry... Does this place make those?

[ksen]

Relax a little ksen,

Oh, alright *breathe in* *breathe out* There! ;^)

I didn't mean to jump on you. The point that I was trying to make was that America had this sense of community before the federal government was involved in the schools. I would point out that our sense of community has gone down since federal involvement with the schools began.

I have no objection to local communities getting together and running a school system. That is the way schooling used to happen in this country. My main objection with today's public schools is with the federal involvement and the lock the teacher's union has on the system.

Get those two things out and I may even consider sending my kids to a local school.

-Kevin

[Overtaxed]

But I saw a sense of community and the necessity of mingling with, and getting to know everyone else as one outcome of "school".

I don't know about the rest of the country but here, the schools have done a pretty good job of destroying the sense of community. Every year the school board changes school assignments to "close the achievement gap." The way they shuttle those kids around every year, it's a wonder if they have school friends at all. (I get an earful from disgruntled parents every year)

Also...this story from an ex-public school teacher...at the high school his daughter went to one of the athletic teams was in the state finals (girl's soccer, I believe). Do you think the student body turned up to support the team? No way. Just (some of) the kids' parents were there. How's that for community?