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To: Thatcherite

You raise interesting arguments, but my daughter's schooling history would illustrate the fact that while some schools make every effort to accommodate, others do not and never will no matter how much time is spent with teachers and administrators on the issues, classroom help and the like. I let her go thru almost 6 years of unmitigated stress before I realized nothing I could work out with the schools would solve the problems.

I'd still like to understand why you think homeschooled kids don't socialize ? They are in co-ops, they volunteer in all kinds of organizations, they even tutor at the local schools. They participate in all kinds of community activities including Toastmasters International, 4H, karate, local sports clubs, music schools, bands, art schools, Math Olympiads, Lego Robotics, Debate and on and on and on. The list of available classes and social outlets for homeschoolers would spin your head around. Here in PA many local school districts even let them participate in anything the district offers, whether it's sports, extracurricular clubs, or even regular classes. I'd just love to know why you think this is so isolating ?

As to the rest of your comments, I understand what you are thinking but I have this to say. This country did not grow great because all the kids went to schools and socialized. It has grown great because of all of the rugged individualists and free thinkers. Communities thrive because VOLUNTEERS provide the glue that hold it all together. I'm thinking of neighbors helping neighbors, Meals-On-Wheels, and the like.

Now in many public schools, 15-20% of the kids are on Ritalin and the like, or anti-depressants. The level of education has decreased, discipline issues even at the best of schools causes many problems for all students, and the only ones getting a really good education are those who end up in the top track classes at their schools.

Most people cannot opt out of public schools because so many tax dollars are sucked into them that families cannot afford to pay for the education they'd really like their kids to have. I've worked in Catholic schools, and the sacrifices those parents make to pay the tuition for their kids is awe-inspiring. Imagine if they could have their own school tax money back so they didn't have to work so hard to pay the bills.

Do you really think a coercive institution teaches the best lessons to kids ? Isn't education just another form of child care and government nanny service to many parents who can dump their responsibilities at the government's door ? Are the schools teaching conformity or individualism ? Do all kids need 12 years of education in lockstep fashion or should some kids go to trade school and some others accelerate to early college ?

These are the important questions. You should read John Taylor Gatto and John Holt, to name just two, who might open up your thought processes to alternatives to institutionalized schooling.

No, homeschooling is not for everyone but it's just fine for many.


409 posted on 12/30/2005 2:13:33 PM PST by cinives (On some planets what I do is considered normal.)
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To: cinives
Do you really think a coercive institution teaches the best lessons to kids ? Isn't education just another form of child care and government nanny service to many parents who can dump their responsibilities at the government's door?

I think one point is that the public school system needs people like you to be a catalyst for conservative change and improvement.

410 posted on 12/30/2005 5:45:50 PM PST by phantomworker (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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