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Um.... you really do not want to get Winter's dander(uff) up about homeschooling. I personally have nothing against it and respect those who do because I do see it as a viable choice. I appreciate the ones we have around here.

But I do agree completely with your statement about involved parents. Make that TWO involved parents. It all starts in the home.

Perhaps one of the advantages of having taught for over 20 years in Catholic, Baptist and public schools in elementary, middle and high school is that I have a perspective that is unique. I've seen a range of parents, children and behaviors that spans the entire gamut. I could tell you stories for hours about what I've seen and it would probably only be interesting to me.

But this is a fact. Homeschooling, done right, is the best situation for any child. It is one on one with instant feedback in an comfortable environment. Done wrong, it can be a nightmare beyond all imagination. Several years ago, I had a student who had been "home schooled" her whole life. She was almost non-verbal. Her expressive vocabulary was under 500 words; her receptive was somewhat larger. The local child protective services had taken her from her parents. She screamed when she saw crowds of kids; she ran down halls yelling at the top of her lungs. It was a nightmare for her and everyone else. About 6 weeks into her 6th grade year, she was institutionalized for repeated suicide attempts.

I don't care whose feathers I ruffle. You know if you do a good job. Keep on doing it. But don't stick your head in the sand and pretend that every parent out there is good and righteous because some use the excuse of "homeschooling" as a dodge for abuse.

From what I've read here at FR, these are good people who do the right thing day after day. That's great. Wish we could clone them.

But I do agree completely with your statement about involved parents. Make that TWO involved parents. It all starts in the home.

To moog,

If it is all due to the parents, how do you explain the wonderful parents of 5 and have one go bad? The rotten kid had the same parents as the other 4.

I have known many of these families over the years. In every case, the parents blame the friendships made in government school.

Many foolishly think that it is the child who chooses his friends. No. no. no! It is the clique who chooses the child. A clique is really a protection gang. The faddish styles are similar to "prison-gang" tattoos. They identify the clique and its participants.

It's toxic really. Thankfully humans are adaptable. Most make the transition from the toxic prison-gang survival socialization learned in schools and proceed to learn more mature and healthy social skills.