Homeschoolers Disrespected on Ebert & Roeper

Ebert & Roeper ^ | 6/18/07

[LibertyRocks]

I was just watching Ebert & Roeper and would like to report to my fellow homeschoolers that the guest host taking Roger Ebert's place tonight, Robert Wilonsky, made a very disrespectful and rude comment in relation to homeschoolers...

While reviewing the upcoming movie "Nancy Drew" Roeper made a comment that Nancy was a 1950's girl in relation to what she thought constituted a birthday party. When Roeper said that this would be a good movie that would be liked by 12-year-old girls, Wilonsky replied, "Maybe Homeschooled 12-year-olds"...

I found this to be a very ignorant and disrespectful comment, and I am left wondering what Mr. Wilonsky thinks would be better suited for 12-year-old Public Schooled/Private Schooled students to be watching (Sex, Drinking & Drugs???)?

I would like to ask my fellow homeschool parents to write to both Ebert & Roeper (Buena Vista Entertainment) as well as Mr. Wilonsky himself, and express your displeasure with this disrespectful comment.

Here is how to contact the show & Mr. Wilonsky...

Ebert & Roeper Show: http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/ Use the "Feedback" link at the top navigation bar to submit a comment.

Mr. Wilonsky: I could only find one email address online for Mr. Wilonsky (he also writes at RottenTomatoes.com, as well as the Village Voice, L.A. Weekly, and the Phoenix New Times). Here is his email address through his employer the Dallas Observer:

Robert.Wilonsky@dallasobserver.com

In my comment to the Ebert & Roeper show I requested not only that they do not bring Mr. Wilonsky back for any more co-hosting gigs, but also that they issue an on-air apology to all homeschooled students.

[Glenn]

Grow some thicker skin.

[Riverman94610]

‘Senior Skip Day”?
Hey,when I taught in New Orleans,every Monday and Friday were Senior Skip Days!Almost no one went to school all five days.

[Gabz]

I understand what you are saying and where you are coming from, but I truly believe you are going about it in the wrong manner. The insults constantly thrown at parents who choose not to homeschool do nothing to further your case, but rather alienate people who would otherwise jump into your corner to protect your choice to homeschool.

As I said to Jen in a post to her, if my only experience dealing with the issue of homeschool vs. public school was from Free Republic, I would NEVER defend it as a choice.

A homeschooling friend of mine (her daughter and mine were on the same little league team) was absolutely appalled by some of the comments by on some of these threads by homeschoolers. Her oldest two are in college and were homeschooled from the time the oldest was in 3rd grade. Her 2 youngest just finished 1st and 3rd grade. After reading several of the threads where the homeschoolers were allegedly defending themselves she asked me how could I possibly support homeschooling when I was shown so much disrespect here. I looked at her and then at 3 of her 4 children and just said, because I know all of you.

[eleni121]

I think Private School and homeschooling are the best options for our kids academically ..no doubt about that!

However, I wonder about learning how to stand up to bullies (teachers as well) and the other nimrods that can be an advantage gained in the public school setting too...

What say you?

[HungarianGypsy]

I try to keep from running down those who don't homeschool. Except for those who insist on backing me into a corner on "why don't you public school?" Which is why I've never done that to you. ;-)

My in-laws all bugged me about homeschooling. Then, my sister-in-law moved to a little town with no nearby school, so her family is doing k12. My brother-in-law has an older son who got into some drug problems at the local school. They are doing school online with him. This was my brother-in-law who constantly said public school was better. Now, he and his wife are thinking of doing the same with their second son. The only comments I have made is saying I could give them ideas for extra curricular activities their second son could look into.

[TalonDJ]

yet nearly everyone of you here on FR insist on stereotyping parents and children who do not.

Let me put it another way. How often are you personally called a child abuser of compared to the Taliban for sending you children to public school? Not implication or anything but directly. We get that a lot. About every other week there seems to be people on a thread saying directly and with no implication that homeschool = child abuse. Or that by not getting 'socialized' we are somehow warped and maladjusted. These are pretty personal and specific acsations and well deserving of a sharp response to disprove. As to us saying things like 'homeschooling is the best way' we believe it. I firmly believe that for the majority of kids, if they have a good relationship with their parents and their parents have the time, would get more and do better out of homeschooling. But I do know that some kids in some schools can do very well in public school. How I personally believe that homeschooling is a better social environment. I don't think that out of lack of knowledge of both settings. I have been at home, in public school, and in private schools. That is an informed opinion based on the criteria which I put the most importance on. I obviously think those criteria are the most important. But there is a whole range of priorities to raising a child. Each parent makes those decisions based on what they value most and what they think based. Many make the different decision based on, among a difference of priorities. As a proponent of homeschooling I will defend to the death your right to make those decisions yourself without government interference based on what YOU think best no matter how I might disagree. For those parents that DO know homeschoolers well and understand it the disagreement is very small, just a matter of degrees in a few areas of emphasis. That or at has to do with confidence in ability to teach certain subjects. Those are pretty minor, and parents like that, like yourself take enough interest and care enough to really do a good job. Those are the folks, usually, whose kids will come out of any school situation and do well.

So, while I do think that A: Most public schools are bad or have enough badness in them that I don't want my kids near them and B: That almost any parent could do a better job than most public schools and C: that I and my wife can personally do better (in aggregate of social, moral, and academic areas) than any public school. The only parts of that you disagree with are small. You think, and I am guessing, that A: some public schools are quite good and ok B: at such schools your child will have better chances and development than they would at home and C... well C does not matter since you don't really know us. The point is that both, in our cases are informed decisions based on a fair amount of knowledge of both options. So the difference simply is in priorities. We disagree in that area.

Keep in mind that most people that are in the 'no public school for my kids ever' area have the priority or opinion that peer effects and trace of blatant liberal influences on public schools are FAR to negative MUST be minimized. If you disagree with the sentiment or (more likely) just the degree of that statement then you are quite likely to send your kid to a really good public school if you can find it and you should do so without guilt or insult from homeschoolers. You simply disagree in that area on just how bad the effect is or that it is bad at all.

[Gabz]

I understand about being backed into a corner, and I try not to do it (except on smoking/tobacco threads, but that’s a whole different story!)

One of my homeschooling friends was teasing me and another of the team moms after Little League awards last Monday. Our kids still had the rest of the week before school was out, but she said she ditched school two weeks before. Of course she didn’t say it in front of the kids and the other mom, who is a public school teacher, and I both knew it was said in fun and not meant derogatorily.

We’re planning on spending a bunch of time together this summer, her next to youngest is the same grade level as my daughter and we’re planning on doing quite a bit of “homeschooling>” Although most of it will occur when they are all here at my house, when we go there we’ll be going to the beach, when they’re here they want me to teach them how to make jelly!!!

[GunRunner]

But as a parent, would you look eagerly upon the prospect of your son's getting drunk, knocking up some girl and/or getting plowed into a light pole while being driven to the beach?

The chances of these things happening might be greater on prom night, but they'll be plenty of chances for him to make these mistakes all throughout his life. It would be silly and unfair to make him stay home from the festivities just because tragedies can happen. If he's 18 and wants to get plowed on prom, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Every kid needs a killer hangover to make them learn what binge drinking can do to you.

Now if I have a daughter? Different story. She's not leaving the house until she's 18.

[TalonDJ]

However, I wonder about learning how to stand up to bullies (teachers as well) and the other nimrods that can be an advantage gained in the public school setting too...

Many kids DON'T learn to stand up. Many just learn to avoid trouble. And many adults I know that think 'kids need socialization' have expressed the sentiment that NOT that they will not learn to stand up for themselves but that they might not learn not to annoy people that might beat them up. Yep, I have met many people that think it is an important social skill to learn to shut and sit down then the beefy guy gives you the evil eye or seems annoyed. I usually counter argue, that people don't need a black eye to know that big guy can take them out, and that in the adult world people are not very likely to throw a punch if you say something they don't like.

[metmom]

I have never attemped any stereotyping of homeschoolers or homeschooled children, yet nearly everyone of you here on FR insist on stereotyping parents and children who do not. You just don't see what you are doing because in your mind your choice is right and mine is wrong and therefore you are entitled to say all the mean, nasty things you wish.

It's a darned good thing I have friends who homeschool in real life because if I based my opinion on homeschooling just from my experiences here, I could never be a supporter of it as far too many of you come across as narrow-minded, disrespectful bigots.

I guess you just broke your streak.

[TalonDJ]

Now if I have a daughter? Different story. She's not leaving the house until she's 18.

So... it is ok for your son to go get drunk and knock someone else's daughter up but not for your daughter to be in where near that same party. Why the double standard? Son's don't need protecting?

[GunRunner]

One of the best scams I ran as a senior was being a “senior teacher’s aid” for one of my former English professors as one of my classes. He gave me a stack of paper’s to grade for the week, and as long as I had that done, I could come and go as I pleased.

[FremontLives]

Can I go to the bathroom? My boss isn’t here, I can’t get permission. You’re the nearest adult!

[FremontLives]

If they were a protected class, I guess I could be bigoted. Please read above, when someone elegantly said

NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO NEVER BE OFFENDED. Again, Lighten Up.

[JenB]

It’s a lot easier to deal with bullies when you’re confident in yourself, when you deeply believe that bullying is a wrong behavior, when you know you have a strong family backing you up.

There really aren’t any other situations in life where you have as little recourse for bullying. In college, you can get away from someone. At work, you can appeal up the chain of command or quit. In school, you’re stuck there with no way out, no way to defend yourself, and often no help from people who should be in charge.

And even if it was valuable, come on, stack “learning about bullies” against being well prepared in every other way and I think homeschool wins.

[FremontLives]

From your posting record, you appear to be a brilliant, articulate and educated poster. I’ll try to be more like you.

[GunRunner]

it is ok for your son to go get drunk and knock someone else's daughter up but not for your daughter to be in where near that same party. Why the double standard? Son's don't need protecting?

I didn't say it was OK to get anyone pregnant, but if he wanted to drink on prom night, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Alcohol is a part of life for young people, unless he commits to being a lifelong teetotaler when he's a teenager. Senior year in high school is as good a time as any to start learning how to deal with it.

As far as daughters are concerned, I don't have kids, so my views are bound to change.

But if I ever end up having girls, I foresee myself as the kind the kind of dad that sits on the porch with a double barreled shotgun whenever she goes out on dates (tongue only somewhat in cheek).

Having recently lived through rowdy high school, college, and early 20's life, I can confidently say that I can sum up the do's and dont's to my son in about 20-30 minutes. Girls have many more dangerous things they need to look out for and/or be protected from.

[Osage Orange]

From your posting record, you appear to be a brilliant, articulate and educated poster. I’ll try to be more like you.

ROFLOL!!

You have a sense of humor.

That would be a start.......

[Gabz]

Let me put it another way. How often are you personally called a child abuser of compared to the Taliban for sending you children to public school? Not implication or anything but directly.

I have quite an extensive file of such name calling. Not implication, but directly being called a child abuser by proponents of homeschooling on FR threads.

I do not and would not question your decision to homeschool your children, my husband and I just decided it was not for us. Where we used to live the public school system was also not an option, my husband was a product of that system and while he came out of it alright, as did his sisters, his nieces did not fair quite as well and there was no way our daughter would be subjected to it. To afford one of the local private schools would have meant both of us getting a second job, and they weren't much better than the public schools. So we moved, to another state, and I gave up my work altogether.

In the end the education of my child is my responsibility, regardless of the form that education takes. For the moment she attends a public school, which we are generally pleased with, but her education does not end when she walks out the door each day or when school gets out for the summer (Friday was the last day). Although she claims to want to be an animal trainer/veteranarian, she is actually a budding botanist and can tell you the germination time and seed spacing needs for everything we have planted in our 10,000+ square foot "garden." She actually found fault with me the other day for putting tomato plants "too close together" and corn "too spread out."

I guess the entire point I'm trying to make is that those of us who make an informed decision to utilize a public school system should no more be derided than you who choose the homeschool route. Which is why I never find fault and support your decision, I would just appreciate the same damned courtesy from your side of the fence.

[HungarianGypsy]

We already have a daughter. Plus, four boys. My husband says when our daughter starts dating he will be taking any suitors out shooting with him and his brother before they can take her out.