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Defending home-style ABCs [Homeschooling Ping]
Los Angeles Times ^ | 4/3/08 | Seema Mehta

Posted on 04/05/2008 3:09:38 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim

Madison Browning, 8, spent a recent school day coloring, playing on swings at a park and whirling to Japanese string music at a cozy dance studio. Caedyn Curto, 13, studied biblical scripture at his family's kitchen table before tackling decimals, completing a biology test and revising a journalism essay.

The Browning and Curto families, both of whom live in the South Bay, have embraced very different styles of education. But they now find themselves on the same side of a battle to continue teaching their children at home in the face of an appellate court ruling that home schooling in California must be conducted by credentialed instructors.

The February court decision is not being enforced pending appeals. The 2nd District Court of Appeal agreed last week to rehear the case in June, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to support new legislation allowing home schooling if the decision is not reversed. Meanwhile, the ruling has forged a rare alliance of religious and secular home schoolers.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: constitution; education; homeschooling; religion; stumblebummer
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To: humblegunner

I so like you :) lol.

As said before, I get what you’re saying. Some really do post that crap. Some don’t. However, I shouldn’t be in this thread because I don’t homeschool. I was told that in a thread not too long ago. But by that logic, the public education threads shouldn’t be taken over by the homeschoolers but we all know they are. Hmmmm. Guess I’m in a mood tonight ;)


161 posted on 04/07/2008 5:29:27 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Twink
I shouldn’t be in this thread because I don’t homeschool.

Keep reading on down.

It gets better! ;-)

162 posted on 04/07/2008 5:34:26 PM PDT by humblegunner
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To: elk
Actually, there's mostly no such thing as a gifted, nor a disabled learner among most children Sure there is. Children who are mentally retarded or developmentally behind, for whatever reason, aren't on the same level as an average kid and certainly not the same academic level as an honor student or one with a high IQ. That doesn't make that child less but let's not pretend that there isn't a difference. We see this daily in our schools with mainstreaming. What was learned or learning 100 yrs ago is nothing compared to what kids are taught and need to learn today. I agree that the elderly or old people are a tremendous resource and have wisdom we can only hope to attain but their education is nothing compared to what kids are learning today in schools. There is far more knowledge, information, etc. today than 100 yrs ago, on an academic level. My parents had a high school or GED education. They both grew up in the Great Depression. My Dad was a WWII vet and both my parents were street smart and school smart. But neither could help me with Calculus in high school. Or Advanced Chem, or AP Bio. Let's not pretend that what was taught 100 yrs ago is anything like what kids are being taught today when it comes to academics. As for your last paragraph, I agree. I don't homeschool my kids but you can bet your ass they are respectful and kind and everything else you said. It's called parenting. Something far too many parents today forget or can't be bothered but it has nothing to do with homeschooling or private schooling or public schooling - it's about parenting.
163 posted on 04/07/2008 5:44:44 PM PDT by Twink
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To: humblegunner

I’m reading ;)


164 posted on 04/07/2008 5:48:28 PM PDT by Twink
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To: blu

I admire you. You’re providing a valuable service to those kids.


165 posted on 04/07/2008 5:52:08 PM PDT by Twink
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To: ican'tbelieveit

Prom. My oldest broke up with her boyfried of 3 weeks for two reasons. He was whiney and she doesn’t do whiney well. Other reason was because she didn’t want to go to the prom (he was a senior, she’s a junior). I’m working on that - mark my words, she will attend her prom next year lol. Teasing about that. She doesn’t have to attend but I’m working on it.

She’s just not into that stuff (and she attends public high school, catholic grade school). The kid was born an adult, sometimes I swear she was.


166 posted on 04/07/2008 5:57:41 PM PDT by Twink
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To: itsahoot

I think she/he meant that it’s like life. Good and bad. There’s pros and cons to everything, especially education. That statement was taken out of context imo. But it’s just my opinion and it matters only to me :)


167 posted on 04/07/2008 6:03:58 PM PDT by Twink
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To: ican'tbelieveit

You must have very mature, astute kids. Speaking as a nerd, happily married to a nerd, with 4 wonderful nerdy kids, home schooled, I thought the high school prom was a stupid waste of time. Seriously. I remember having much more fun going on family ski trips, or playing soccer, or riding go-carts, or target shooting, or summer swim team competitions or ....

In college, I discovered I really liked costume parties. Dressing up showed more creativity than renting a tux.


168 posted on 04/07/2008 6:10:14 PM PDT by Stat-boy
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To: ican'tbelieveit

you want a definition of a good public school district? Google lenape regional in NJ.

These are the kind of posts that tick off some of us, not that any of you care.

Do you think every parent is stupid? I know I’m not. My kids attend a fantastic public high school in a wonderful regional public high school district. I have two Master degrees. And my BS degree wasn’t in education so don’t go there.

Do your own research and google lenape regional in NJ. Pay close attention to the AP/honors classes and BCC involved.

Ummm, do they have a homo/hetero club? Sure they do. But my kids are secure enough in their faith not to be influenced by the homo or lib agenda.

Indoctrination is happening. And it’s happening in grade school to k, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. graders. And it shouldn’t so parents have to fight it. It’s happening because parents refuse to parent and have given this power to the schools. Also, it doesn’t really matter, because the home is what counts, and none of these kids, if they aren’t weak anyway, will fall for this crap.

It’s the parents job to make sure they don’t and to change what’s happening.

There were failures in public and catholic and private schools back in the 70’s and 80’s when I was in school. This isn’t a NEW thing.

Homeschooling is a wonderful and viable alternative to public and private/catholic schooling. It’s ONE of the alternatives. Public schools have been taken over by liberals and their agenda and conservatives are to blame for not doing anything before now.


169 posted on 04/07/2008 6:15:54 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Twink

“But neither could help me with Calculus in high school. Or Advanced Chem, or AP Bio.”

Very true point. Fortunately, where there is a demand, the market will provide. Advanced home school kids can take those classes from colleges, thus earning college credit. For example, University of Texas has a distance learning program with about 80 classes available [most of the first and second year core courses, with a special admissions process geared towards high school kids. Many local community colleges also admit high school kids for dual credit. A Beka allows parents to home school by having the students watch the classes on DVD, and A Beka will grade the coursework.

We plan on our kids taking college classes, starting around their junior year. My guess is that their senior year might be half or more college classes. Why take high school Advanced Chemistry, and then take an AP test for college credit, when one can simply take the class from a local college?


170 posted on 04/07/2008 6:20:21 PM PDT by Stat-boy
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To: ican'tbelieveit

Oh and I’m sure there is massive failure in homeschooled kids too. But that’s not gonna be posted, right? Somebody that cares should post impartial articles and stats (and stats can be manipulated as we ALL know).

There is failure and success in education and the bottom line is parents, homeschooling, public or private have to be involved and kids need to be held accountable for their behavior and eduation.

Life is hard. Beer helps.


171 posted on 04/07/2008 6:22:18 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Twink

“public or private have to be involved and kids need to be held accountable for their behavior and eduation”

That’s about it—accountability, along with love and time and attention, all best served from the parents.


172 posted on 04/07/2008 6:26:08 PM PDT by Stat-boy
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To: Stat-boy

True. My junior public high school student (omgosh) is taking 3 courses - AP - from BCC. She’s taking them in her high school, taught by BCC profs and on their schedule and grading. She is taking AP English, AP Chem and AP Calc next year through our community college, BCC. Unfortunately, Penn State, where she plans to attend, doesn’t honor AP classes for those planning to major in engineering, so it’s still gonna cost us. Oh well. lol. Most high school AP classes aren’t honored at prestigious Universities, partly because even AP classes taught in high school by the CC aren’t college classes and partly because it’s all about the money anyway.

We’re not doing the Community College route so all the AP classes probably won’t transfer to the university of her choice. No biggie. NJ, Rutgers, has to accept them but she’s not going there.

I so agree with you. Taking Advanced classes does nothing, it’s the AP classes with the test, testing out, that count. But here, they don’t really count in that the kid just has to take a higher level (at penn State) which is fine with her and us.

My soph is in AP classes so you should look into that. Not sure what your district or state U is like but still, they’re still great classes for high school kids to take.

We have Advanced classes but they’re different from AP classes. They don’t count for college credit like the AP classes do (even tho most schools won’t accept them other than as electives or for the freshmen classes). AP classes follow the CC schedule/testing but many universities don’t accept them now a days in place of the requirement. Meaning, the kid will have to take the college class at the advanced level unless the go to the state school.


173 posted on 04/07/2008 6:36:47 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Stat-boy

Yep. And unfortunately, far too many parents have given up their right and responsibility to parent/raise their kids.


174 posted on 04/07/2008 6:39:59 PM PDT by Twink
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To: humblegunner

Maybe not in this thread yet (although we’ve seen it in other threads).

Don’t you just love that, public school kids are so worse off, their parents don’t care about them, nonsense?

I’m sure it’s said in this thead, just haven’t found it yet, but I bet you it’s there.


175 posted on 04/07/2008 6:52:38 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Twink
Here's my stats:

10 yrs of homeschooling.
Out of 16 kids...
11 graduated
3 did not (dropped out)
2 were dismissed (and it's really hard to get me to give up/kick out anyone! So, yeah, they were bad!)
1 still in school.
Then, factoring in the parental involvement, the 2 who were kicked out had parents who always made excuses for them. Also, the 3 who dropped were total mommy's boys, always ready with an excuse.

I tell my parents that I am mean, and expect them to be equally mean, and to back me up. Most of them do.

So, 11 out of 15 gives us a graduation rate of about 74%. Not great, but certainly better than Detroit's 25%!. But, of those who decided to stay in school and slug it out, our rate becomes 100%. I like that number better! (Oh, and if my math is off, remember, it is my weakest subject, and this post serves as a great reminder that tomorrow, instead of doing algebra problems, we'll be working on percents!) So, I have failures and I'll admit to them. My saving grace is that one of the little darlings who did graduate, after much work and head-banging and screaming into my pillow, was our son, God bless him!

176 posted on 04/07/2008 6:53:51 PM PDT by blu (Last one out of Michigan, please turn off the lights.)
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To: humblegunner

LOL you are so bad but too funny :)

And so freakin’ right. I’m sorta new here. Started reading and posting last year but I so know what you mean about the homeschool thing. I was surprised, on a conservative forum, that the homeschoolers (and not necessarily in this thread before you all attack) are so not conservative in the whole choice thing. It’s homeschooling or nothing from the threads I read. And we’re, those not homeschooling, are told not to post in homeschooling threads, but they can take over the public school threads, and believe me they do. I’m really interested in the public school articles but rarely post anymore in the threads because it’s not about discussing PRACTICAL options or solutions but more about weeding through the psycho homeschoolers who hijack the threads. Some of us just want to discuss practical solutions to our issues with public schools. And I think most of us respect homeschoolers.

My kids (girls) can beat up your kids. Wanna bet? ;)


177 posted on 04/07/2008 7:03:23 PM PDT by Twink
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To: sitetest

Now that got personal imo.


178 posted on 04/07/2008 7:30:36 PM PDT by Twink
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To: Twink
Dear Twink,

“Now that got personal imo.”

Nah. That merely responded in kind. But not as nastily.


sitetest.

179 posted on 04/07/2008 7:44:38 PM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: Balding_Eagle; humblegunner
You sure do make an effort to be offended don’t you?

I don't believe he is saying he's offended or came here to be offended. Maybe he came here to make a point that is lost on some people? Why not stay away from home schooling threads?

That's an interesting question. Why don't homeschoolers stay away from public school or any school thread that doesn't pertain to homeschooling?

180 posted on 04/07/2008 7:57:06 PM PDT by Twink
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