The Coming War against Home Schoolers

http://www.bradmorrison.wordpress.com ^ | 2-13-10 | Brad Morrison

[ciceroqpublic]

So Toyota is in trouble, big, big trouble. They made some shoddy parts, or more truthfully, allowed their suppliers to make some shoddy parts and as a result some people died. This is not why they are in trouble. The reason that a cold chill is running down the collective spine of Toyota's employee base is that their old arch rival GM is on the ropes and the new GM CEO Barack Obama and corporate board, the House and Senate, have decided to destroy their sales base in the USA. Looking for proof ? The Secretary of Transportation actually went on TV and told people to stop driving their Toyotas because the were unsafe and they might kill people. This was a signal that the new political establishment was beginning the cycle of payback for support and contributions.

Barack and Friends, the new megaplex coffee table, talk show powerhouse political vaudeville show rose to power on the funds of the big unions. This, of course, included the unions entrenched inside American Car companies. The buyout of GM and the attacks against Toyota are payback pure and simple. I'm certain that the administration is relieved to be able to pull it off with the clean one, two, right cross, rabbit punch combo. No more worries about the unions in this political cycle. But wait, aren't I forgetting something?

Ah yes, one half of the Democrat war chest in the last election came from Teachers and Government employees unions. So far they have been out in the cold. Worse yet the recent shock and awe campaign against Toyota even caused collateral damage to the self esteem of the rank and file of the Teachers Unions. The Prius brake recall has shattered the one liberal teacher car buying option that runs on clean, non polluting smug. I can hear the whining and grumbling in the distance already. The administration better move fast and pay off the Teacher's Union in a spectacular and creative manner. Fortunately for all of us I can see their next move and issue the warning call so we can all circle the wagons.

A good friend of mine is a Prius driving, inner city Teacher. If you have the misfortune to spend an evening with her - after she has finished justifying her decision to divorce her long suffering husband in an attempt to cure her native ennui, then listed at length her various heroic actions to single handedly conquer global warming she will unerringly turn to her pet peeve,the brutal economic mistreatment of teachers. This is a bottomless topic for her. In fact, since I have a number of public school teachers in my greater social circle I can say with no reservation it is the only topic that fires them into soul deadening rants that are unavoidable and unceasing.

Here's a summary. They work too many hours. The work is brutally hard. They are the most important people in society. They are grossly underpaid. All of the problems with academic performance are the fault of the parents and, in their most offensive diatribe, they don't have enough time off.

My friend for example has been teaching for twelve years. She is tenured so is impossible to fire. She is paid $86,000 per year. (the average American makes $44,000) She has a summer vacation from June 20th til September 5th each year. In addition to this she gets a three day weekend for Columbus Day, then a week off for Thanksgiving, then a week off between Christmas and New Years, then a three day weekend for Martin Luther King Day, then a four day weekend for President's Day, then a week off for Easter and finally a three day weekend for Memorial Day. In addition to this she gets 5 personal days and 7 sick days and TWO WEEKS PAID VACATION. She receives full health care insurance and life insurance. Her loans are subsidized and guaranteed through the union. All tuitions of almost any conceivable kind are paid in full. ( she complains bitterly that she must pay the bill in full and wait three full weeks for reimbursement!) This career is the result of a four year college education majoring in mildly demanding topic of education.

Dangerously this worldview, shared throughout the ranks of the Teacher's Unions, is an opportunity that the Obama administration is about to exploit in an effort to fix the next election in their favor. They will do it by offering a two pronged pay off. First they will launch an initiative to make inroads with Catholic Voters. This is a weak demographic for the President. This will provide political cover for the administration to pass a bill making St Patrick's Day a national holiday. It's a win/win for Obama. He solidifies support of American Irish Catholics, a large segment of the pie and more importantly he gives teachers a FOUR DAY WEEKEND in March. As any parent of school age children knows March is the ONLY month where teachers work for the whole month. The government worker's unions and the teacher's unions will faint in gruesome bliss. ( I must tip my hat to history here. The roman emperors had a tradition of adding holidays to the calendar to celebrate their accension to power. By the end of the empire there were almost no days left to conduct business on since a holiday precluded all official business)

The administration won't be satisfied with this very visible, idiotic and counter productive change in the American work schedule. They, after all, have control of the House and Senate. The payoff to the AFLCIO involved legislation didn't it? Well the payoff to the teachers will use all the power and organization of the legislative branch as well.

It's a little reported fact that Toyota has recently stood up to the Unions and refused to allow the unionization of their new US car plants. A week before the government's declaration of open war against Toyota the unions began picketing the car company. It is a time honored tradition in political corruption that the powerful use the government to destroy their enemies. For the Car Unions Toyota is THE Enemy. For the Teacher's Unions Home schoolers are THE Enemy. This will be the administration next campaign move. Heed my warning friends, control of our children's education is about to come under withering fire. This administration and congress will be moving this year to outlaw home schooling.

Recently home schooling has boomed. In many parts of the country flat enrollment numbers in public schools is directly attributable to home schooling. I won't discuss the ironclad logic why this reaction on the part of parents is a good, laudable and positive trend to end the tyranny and political myopia of the public school system. It is just necessary to recognize that to the Teacher's Unions home schooling is public Enemy #1. The coming attempt to reelect Barack Obama shows that the war is on. They haven't gone public as of yet but this year is the beginning of the full-blown campaign.

Look for the first few leaks of damning stories about home schooling. They will start by demonizing the movement. Then they will move rapidly to tax it, and outlaw it in practice if not in law. Before the next election home schoolers will see a world on the horizon where school boards and local school administration have to certify their credentials. Homes will be subject to inspection and regulation by OSHA and the EPA. The list of obvious and viscous options are too depressing to outline. All I can say is we must spread the word and fight.............

Copyright Brad Morrison/Billiken Media 2010

[dr_who]

Regulation of homes by OSHA was a non-starter in the Clinton administration. Of course technically so was allowing gays into the military.

[AlexW]

The destruction of America just speeds up with each day.

[MTMS]

I don’t believe this will happen. Think lions protecting their cubs. The homeschoolers I know are vigilant in protecting their freedoms. Not going to happen.

[J Edgar]

If you elect Communist, it is only logical that you are going to get Communist policy designed to implement Communist goals.
In this case, since citizens are State assets, their development is a State responsibility!

[MTMS]

The movement is already demonized. We have been swimming upstream for years and we will just fight harder.

[MTMS]

Homeschooling wasn’t legal and now it is...people won’t lay that freedom down...not by a long shot.

[Arthur McGowan]

It helps a lot, when writing about homeschooling for publication, to avoid omitting prepositions.

And watch out for those viscous options!

[Tired of Taxes]

I don’t think so. If it does happen, we would never surrender without a fight.

[CaribouCrossing]

Glad we got our kids homeschooled before the government nannies-who-know-nada could shut us down. If you want the best education for your kids, homeschooling is definitely an option that should be considered.

[Clintonfatigued]

At the very least, they would go underground.

[B-Cause]

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1955 vs. 2010

Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.
1955 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack...
2010 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1955 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2010 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3: Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.
1955 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2010 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD... The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1955 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.
2010 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1955 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock..
2010 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations... His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6: Pedro fails high school English.
1955 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2010 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist.. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher.. English is then banned from core curriculum.. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1955 - Ants die.
2010 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism.. The FBI investigates his parents --and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1955 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy

[B-Cause]

---

The Enemies Within Our Education system

Education Unions (the N.E.A.), School Administrators and Yes - Even Some Teachers

Worm in the Apple

What is to be Done?

Leave No Teachers Behind!

Lefty Teachers Meet the MP3 Player/REcorder

---

[television is just wrong]

the home schoolers may just be this nations salvation! They will NOT bend.

[metmom]

This ping list is for articles of interest to homeschoolers. I hold both the Homeschool Ping List and the Another Reason to Homeschool Ping List. Please freepmail me to let me know if you would like to be added or removed from either list, or both.

The keyword for the FREE REPUBLIC HOMESCHOOLERS’ FORUM is frhf.

[dr_lew]

So Toyota is in trouble, big, big trouble. They made some shoddy parts, or more truthfully, allowed their suppliers to make some shoddy parts and as a result some people died.

I have yet to be convinced of this, for my part. Just sayin'

[blondee123]

Guess we’ll be claiming religious reasons why our kids should be homeschooled & not exposed to public schooling!

[metmom]

My friend for example has been teaching for twelve years. She is tenured so is impossible to fire. She is paid $86,000 per year. (the average American makes $44,000) She has a summer vacation from June 20th til September 5th each year. In addition to this she gets a three day weekend for Columbus Day, then a week off for Thanksgiving, then a week off between Christmas and New Years, then a three day weekend for Martin Luther King Day, then a four day weekend for President's Day, then a week off for Easter and finally a three day weekend for Memorial Day. In addition to this she gets 5 personal days and 7 sick days and TWO WEEKS PAID VACATION. She receives full health care insurance and life insurance. Her loans are subsidized and guaranteed through the union. All tuitions of almost any conceivable kind are paid in full. ( she complains bitterly that she must pay the bill in full and wait three full weeks for reimbursement!) This career is the result of a four year college education majoring in mildly demanding topic of education.

Entitlement mentality at its finest.

And a teaching degree is generally considered the dummy degree at any college I know of that offers one. It's the degree for kids who aren't smart enough to get a real degree in a real field and have to go out and support themselves in the real workplace.

And before all the PS defenders and offended teachers rag on me for that, that is NOT my opinion, that is simply what I've heard for decades, since I started my college career in a college that offered a teaching degree major.

I know some wonderfully smart people who got that degree, and aren't using it.....

Besides, when most of the teachers in the Buffalo area can't pass a high school equivalency test and then scream *racism* over it, it is pretty condemning of the system.

You'd think that it would at least be reasonable to expect someone who is supposed to be educating students to know as much as the students are required to know to graduate. Being put out because they can't even demonstrate that they are as smart as a 12th grader, fools no one.

[Waryone]

0bama may not be smart but if he tries coming after homeschoolers the world will quickly find out just how smart he isn't.

They think the tea parties are giving him fits? Let him go after homeschoolers who can create entire unit studies on writing letters to congressmen, senators, the president, and to the editors of every newspaper and call it English. Who can take their 8+ children to Washington, DC or any state capital in the country in protest, sit in their representatives office, and call it a field trip. Moms and students flooding the internet with facebook, twitter, and anti-0 blog posts for internet skills class. Children phoning the goverment in protest as civics or communication skills credit. Does he really want that kind of uninterrupted 24/7 attention? Does he really imagine that teachers who have to report to work everyday and are held accountable by school boards can compete with families who can dedicate days and weeks to nothing but protesting him?

Unless homeschoolers have gotten lazy and indifferent since I finished homeschooling, the above scenario is exactly what he can expect.

"Look for the first few leaks of damning stories about home schooling. They will start by demonizing the movement. Then they will move rapidly to tax it, and outlaw it in practice if not in law. Before the next election home schoolers will see a world on the horizon where school boards and local school administration have to certify their credentials. Homes will be subject to inspection and regulation by OSHA and the EPA. The list of obvious and viscous options are too depressing to outline. All I can say is we must spread the word and fight............."

They have been demonizing homeschooling on tv and in the media for years. We already pay taxes to the school systems where our children don't attend the schools. We get no tax break for the money we spend on our school supplies. We pay sales taxes on the supplies we buy locally. They have been trying to require certification and regulation for years and they have even attempted to bring child welfare workers into the home to declare that homeschool children are abused. So, we've seen this all before. If that is the best he can do -- he's already lost. We've been there because they've done that already.

This article might be a good reminder for people to get connected with the HSLDA and stay in touch with their local homeschool organizations. Though 0bama might try to do this, I certainly don't believe it will succeed.

[Longhair_and_Leather]

Another fantastic book on homeschooling is “Public Schools, Public Menace” By Joel Turtel. Read excerpts of his book and but it, at www.mykidsdeservebetter.com