King and King in the Government Schools ( So what is your excuse? )

[SvdByFaith]

Yes, many homeschoolers do have the option to take AP courses. Many are already taking college courses by the time they are 16.

Homeschooling parents do not need to have a college education to teach their children. There are so many co-ops available for courses that seem too difficult to teach for some parents. It's so much easier than they think!!

I'm horrible at math. I failed algebra in high school. My son was taking calculus at the junior college by the time he was 16 because another homeschool parent shared her knowledge of math with my son. In return, I shared my knowledge of art with her daughter.

A homeschooling mother in our town, who is also a chemistry prof., decided to open up her home to other homeschoolers while she was teaching her son high school chemistry. My son was able to take chemistry without blowing up my house!!! ((for free))

My daughter loves science, but I'm not really great in that area either. She uses a Christian DVD curriculum and has a 98 average so far. There are many options available for whatever she enjoys studying.

I've had so many friends (who are not homeschoolers) tell me that they could never do what I do! They are sure that I'm super-smart or school from 6am to 6pm because my kids are so advanced for their ages. They are then shocked when I tell them that I dropped out of high school and failed math.

We only school from 8am till noon. (two kids) the rest of the afternoon is either spent at homeschool choir, piano, sports (homeschool teams) JMG, scrapbooking, or whatever else the kids are interested in. My kids do not have courses that are of no use to them. They study what they love and what is necessary for their future roles. These courses may fluctuate from year to year.

I don't know about others here, but I sure as heck don't remember one thing from biology class (except almost passing out at the smell of a fetal pig) because it was not something I was interested in and it was of no use to the job I have now. I do remember the bullying, the peer pressure, who wore what, who was having a party, who was going to fight who in the bathroom after Phys. ed., who got pregnant, who had an abortion, the teacher who was flirting with us girls, etc... All that and I wasn't wearing one piece of armor from the Lord.

Homeschoolers can actually finish the same amount of work given to public school children in less than half the time, freeing them up to enjoy many other activites that they love.

When my son was in school, he did schoolwork all day long, then came home and did homework till it was time to go to bed. That's ridiculous!

We are not rich by any means! Most of the homeschooling activities are free and we buy used curriculum from other homeschoolers when possible. There's also quite a bit on the internet for free. There's always help available and other homeschooling parents with advice.

Having said that:

I have three friends that send their kids to the government schools. I do not agree with their reasoning, but I also do not beat them over the head with my opinions. We talk about it and I do let them know what's going on with the NEA, without being preachy. They are my friends, and I love them and respect them. (I also pray for them daily)

There are many reasons why parents think they can't homeschool:

not enough money
not enough education
not enough patience
two income family to keep up with the Jones's
too busy a social life to deal with kids all day long
think their kids need the socialization the government schools offer. (that's a scary thought)

There is nothing more important than the education of our children. This education extends far beyond what can be taught in a classroom and begins and ends with the Lord.

When we die and stand before our Lord, is he going to care what college we got into, or how book smart we are, how big of a house we built or how nice of a car we drove? There is only one book that He will ask if we've read. His book. There's only one school he's interested in, the school that teaches His precepts, and places Him first above all worldly things. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 8:34 "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Matthew 8:36

Is there really a difference between secular schooling and Christian schooling?

"Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain..." Psalm 127:1

The sad fact is that 88% of Christian kids leave the church after high school.

Bruce Shortt said in an HSLDA article:
"We know as Christian parents we're supposed to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and that our children's education should lead to a Christian worldview. Unfortunately, 80–85% of Christian parents educate their children in government schools because they don't realize that our government school system has become aggressively anti-Christian. But studies have shown that a majority of children from Christian families leave the church after high school. In fact, a 2002 Southern Baptist Convention study puts the percentage leaving at 88%. And why should we be surprised at this when we educate our children for 12 years in an institution that treats the name of Christ and Christmas carols as hate speech?"

The entire interview can be found at:
http://www.hslda.org/docs/hshb/55/hshb5501.asp

The harsh truth about public schools:
http://harshtruth.blogspot.com/

I highly recommend the Harsh Truth about Christian Schools by Bruce Shortt to every parent, regardless of whether they use the public schools or not. If you're a parent who has decided to continue to use the public schools, at least be armed with the knowledge of what's going on at your child's school.

[RedBeaconNY]

Since you're so big into the Lord's protection, which is a good thing, I might as well let you know that I'm at my church every school day from 5:55-6:45 studying the Bible. I've got all my bases covered.

I am fully aware that homeschoolers can do the public school work in very little time. I missed a month of school due to pneumonia complicated with strep and it took me about a week to make it up. I admit I do a ridiculous amount of schoolwork, but most of it's pretty interesting. As a junior, I have all of my credits to pass and get to take a series of electives in my field of interest, which happens to be medicine/biochemistry.

Everything has its pros and cons though, so whatever works best for you is good with me. I'll stick to public school. We pay enough for it...

[wintertime]

"Thanks to the school's AP curriculum, I can be done with a year of college before ever leaving high school. Does your home school do that?"( RedBeaconNY)

To RedBeaconNY,

The following can not be done in government school:

My homeschooled kids were enrolled in community college at the ages of 13, 12, and 13. All three finished all 3 levels of college calculus and all general requirements by the age of 15. The two younger graduated from university with B.S. degrees in mathematics at the age of 18. The older of the two just finished a masters degree in mathematics at the age of 20.

The oldest of the three is a nationally and internationally ranked athlete. He choose to study accounting since it meshed with his intensive training and travel schedule. At the age of 19 he left to serve a church assignment in the Baltics and returned recently at the age of 21 completely fluent in Russian. He has resumed his training and education. He has only 13 more course before finishing his B.S. in accounting.

Also,,,you are using what I call the "Blue Ribbon" excuse. Even though your school is ranked 37th, it is still staffed by graduates of our nation's colleges of education. That means they have been thoroughly indoctrinated in the worse of liberalism. Although your Social Studies teacher is an exception the vast majority of your teachers aren't.

[wintertime]

i don't understand what you are attempting with this thread? ( xmomey)

To xsmommy,

I am attempting to change the language. For far too long it has been homeschoolers who have to continually explain themselves.

No....It is those sending their children to government schools who need to explain themselves. Just exactly why are they doing this to their children? Why are they sending their children to a school where the reading methods cause permanent reading dysfunction? Why are they sending their children to schools were boys are educationally mistreated and emasculated? Why are they sending their children to schools were children dress like whores and pimps? Why are they allowing their children to be bullied or to witness bullying? Why are they risking sexual abuse from a classmate, teacher, or school employee? Why are they sending their children to schools that send them home with books like "King and King"? Why are they sending their children to a school where other children have a "Day of Silence" to emphasize homosexuality? Why are they sending their children to institutions where children are herded about like cattle to the sound of bells? Why is it that all the children's art on the walls look exactly the same? Why are they sending their chilren to a school that cripples them in math? ...Well..I could go on and on.

Why are they doing this to their children?

The only acceptable answer should be that they are too poor, too disorganized, or too dysfunctional. If they didn't armed police, court, and foster care action would be taken against them.

That is really the only possible excuse that is acceptable.

[wintertime]

i don't presume to judge the choices that others make ( xsmommy)

To xsmommy,

Are we brain dead? I don't think so. It is long past time that we exercised some good judgment about government schools.

[wintertime]

As a junior, I have all of my credits to pass and get to take a series of electives in my field of interest, which happens to be medicine/biochemistry.

RedBeaconNY,

If you hadn't wasted so much time in school, by now you could be finished, and had more than enough time for many friends of all ages. You would have had MORE than enough time to develop several talents and a sport or two.

Government school wastes lives. And a life is a terrible thing to waste. ( a twist on the Negro College Fund slogan)

[wintertime]

Why don't normal people take back the schools? ( Mlc9852)

To mlc9852

We must eliminate government schools. Why? Because they can never be politically, culturally, or morally/ethically ( religious) neutral in content or consequences.

If you took over the government schools and fashioned the curriculum and policies that were acceptable to you, the government school would be establishing your political,cultural, and moral/ethical ( religious) worldview and trashing that of other citizens who disagreed with you.

Really the only solution is to begin the process of privatizing universal K-12 education.

[wintertime]

but I also do not beat them over the head with my opinions. ( SvdbyFaith)

To SvdbyFaith)

I agree with you that on a personally level it is not helpful to "beat them over the head".

However....in public forums such as this, it is long past time that we started asking the hard question: Why are they doing this to their KIDS!!!???

[xsmommy]

you are doing your cause no service with your rhetoric. i personally would not send my children to public school under any circumstances, but i am here to tell you your tactics are not going to garner support for your position.

[RedBeaconNY]

...I'm a nationally rated semiprofessional musician in voice, piano and organ performance. I also play every brass instrument well.

[wintertime]

I'm a nationally rated semiprofessional musician in voice, piano and organ performance. I also play every brass instrument well.

To RedBeaconNY,

If you were homeschooled, you would have far more time available for your avocation.