And a small member of high school teachers seduce their students. Both are sad situations. What do you propose? Regulating homeschoolers even more? I grew up in PA, which has the strictest homeschool laws anywhere except maybe CA. It seemed normal at the time. Now that I've lived in free-er states I wonder why my parents put up with it. Why is it the government's business to put a stamp of approval on parenting? Should we let the government monitor kitchens to make sure kids get healthy balanced meals?
Most homeschoolers are motivated to make their kids succeed. It's much easier for lazy parents to take the eight hours of free daycare, free transportation, and free food, than having the kid around. (I am NOT saying that all parents who send their kids to government schools are lazy and using daycare. Just talking about the subset you mentioned).
"And a small member of high school teachers seduce their students."
Absolutely...sadly I know that all too well.
"What do you propose? Regulating homeschoolers even more? "
I suppose I could ask you the same thing - I wasn't trying to get a defensive reaction out of you, but it is a complicated issue.
This is a thread posted by a homeschooling mom who regularly paints public school workers with a broad stroke.
I have known many homeschoolers. Mostly they are good at what they do - but they are human just like the rest of us.
There are some here upset that elementary teachers are not proficient enough in various subjects. Hmm....the homeschool moms that I know aren't either. They learn with their kids as they go.
My husband has dealt with many homeschooled kids who come into the public school system. Some of them are at grade level - some of them are below grade level - occasionally they are above grade level.
It is common for a bright homeschooled kid to be woefully lacking in one or two subjects. Why? Probably because it reflects the weakness of his instructor.
I am well aware of the problems with the public system as well....my point? This is not the black & white, good vs. evil subject people here are trying to make of it.
"Why is it the government's business to put a stamp of approval on parenting?"
It appears that is what the voters have asked for.
Unfortunately - there are enough idiots out there mistreating kids and neglecting them that the government steps into regulation mode to "protect the children."
"Should we let the government monitor kitchens to make sure kids get healthy balanced meals? "
Well...they do come into peoples' homes who run at-home daycare. Part of that is the home inspection (including the kitchen). They do scrutinize how the kids are fed. I was told by one daycare worker they even quizzed her about how she was disciplining the kids and told her she could not use "time outs"
"Most homeschoolers are motivated to make their kids succeed."
Yes, most are.
Some do it for religious purposes and may or may not offer an equivalent education in non-religious subjects.
Some do it because they are educators themselves and know they can handle it better than the school system.
Some do it because they are transients and the last school they were at hotlined them for child abuse and they don't want their kid being scrutinized at the new district.
Some do it because they're kid runs the house and refuses to go to school, so they give in - hand the kid the video game controller - and go to work.
One man did it because he had just kidnapped an 11 yr. old boy and knew he couldn't come up with proper ID to enroll his victim in school.
He claimed the kid was homeschooled.
Homeschoolers don't like it when others point out these problems.
"It's much easier for lazy parents to take the eight hours of free daycare, free transportation, and free food, than having the kid around. (I am NOT saying that all parents who send their kids to government schools are lazy and using daycare. Just talking about the subset you mentioned)."
The parents who are doing it for the right reason are working hard...the ones who aren't doing it for the right reasons are not working hard and are damaging their children.