You have no right (rebuttal to editorial that laid claim to home school kids)

Raleigh News & Observer | December 6, 2001 | Tom Smedley

[TomSmedley]

“North Carolina is depending on today’s children to grow into the type of skilled workforce that attracts new business and investment. We ignore the education of 38,000 of these priceless resources at our peril.”

What is wrong with this excerpt from Friday’s editorial page? What makes it so obnoxious, threatening, condescending? To be blunt, the “we.” The imperial/imperious “we.” “We” the masters must make sure that “you” the subjects don’t mess with “our” merchandise. “Our” possessions. “Our” “resources.”

Got news for you, N&O, and coercive utopians everywhere. Home school children are cherished family treasures. Family responsibilities. They are not yours to process. They are not domestic cattle of The State. They enjoy that archaic thing called “freedom,” which is, historically, the catalyst for greatness.

Statists, worry about the kids you already have. When your janissaries, your “resources,” are as resourceful, competent, and literate as the home-schooled kids, then you might have credibility. Meanwhile, mind your own business, and leave well enough alone. What we see you doing with those you already have gives us no confidence in your bald, bold assertions regarding the kids outside your re-education camps.

[steve-b]

One day we will hear a massive sonic boom that will travel around the world (twice) when he pulls his head out of his butt.

You couldn't do that with a backhoe.

[AmericanVictory]

They are always so anxious to spend other people's children.

[TomSmedley]

It is unfortunate, but if I don't (and we don't) start fighting back, what kind of legacy will I leave my children.

The other side is baffled, because they assume that man shall live by bread alone, and bread comes from the government. Christians value freedom of worship, and freedom to raise their children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" more than money.

When we lived in Virginia, we simply ignored the system, and operated under the "conscientious objector" category. We did not go looking for trouble, and none found us, thank God.

We have not found the NC regulations to be onerous. THere's only 3 folks implementing 'em! And they are said to be reasonable people. So, we have not "felt led" to make bold stands down here.

(besides, our 18 y.o. son is now attending his first public school, NC State University!)

[Cleburne]

Thank ye greatly, but I'ld prefer to abstain from your so called "education". It may come as a suprise to this fellow, but the children of his state are not the property of the state! Novel, yes, but true! I'ld break it to him all those tax dollars for his edercation' projects shouldn't be the state's either, but he would likely die from shock.

[caseyblane]

The "we" reminds me of Ayn Rand's "Anthem".

HomeSchool Bump

[Cleburne]

His use of "we" obviously excludes the parents of those 38,000 children: it is as if he wishes to use the coercion of the state-the "we"- to impose his standards and ideas on education and child rearing upon the disenting parents-which, by the way, oversee their children. The state does not have title to these children. This man expresses his intent, by force I would suppose, to remove "them" and bring them to "us", that is, the state, the majority as he so gleefully would have us know. He's the crackpot-socialism and Marxism were never uncracked!

[RightOnline]

Well, we've been homeschoolers for nearly 18 years..........the last seven in North Carolina. I do NOT "register" with the State. It's none of their damned business what I do. We homeschool through junior high, and our kids then attend public high school here (pretty good, college-prep oriented high schools). By time they enter high school, they are WELL prepared and have been told that they can take whatever courses they wish based upon their (meticulously maintained and readily presented) standardized test scores. Any drooler at the Noise and Disturber that wants to challenge me on homeschooling vs. public schooling had best bring along plenty of sandpaper........for they'll get one helluva shellacking.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I've heard some horror stories out of N.C. One family I'm aware of in that state lost some of their adoptive children because of overzealous school officials.

[TomSmedley]

I've heard some horror stories out of N.C. One family I'm aware of in that state lost some of their adoptive children because of overzealous school officials.

So how is the cause of freedom in Tuscaloosa?

(I'm recalling that line from a Marx brothers movie, it might have been Duck Soup. Groucho, in the persona of a big game hunter, said he preferred hunting elephants in Alabama, where the Tuscaloosa....)

Seriously, though, we'be been members of HSLDA since Day 1. Even while living in low-risk areas, we viewed our annual dues as an investment in liberty fellow saints elsewhere.

[Illbay]

I know you people are big fans of "keywords." When Bush41 used the term "new world order" (meaning a state of peace and stability between nations) I thought you were all going to have aneurisms.

[Illbay]

Actually, there was a time when "collectivism" wasn't confused with "citizenship," as you're obviously doing.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Basically, here's the way it works: the government says, "You're using federal money to educate your children, so we have a right to tell you how to do it."

Where did they get their money?

From the same parents that they're now telling how to educate their children.

Oh, yeah. That makes sense. </sarcasm>

[codder too]

Massachusetts Home School parents who attended the MCAS hearings several years ago were told that taking the MCAS would be optional for their kids. That was at a time when the MCAS was not "High Stakes". It will be important to keep eyes and ears open as the High Stakes status becomes fact. In order to work in the Commonwealth after that, the "Human Resources" will need a CERTIFICATE, which can only be had via the MCAS. The academic portion of the Assessments isn't the problem: the subtle way that it determines the values and beliefs and PCness of the "student" IS.

Well EDUCATED citizens are a threat to a Planned Economic System. THree cheers for Home Schools, Freedom and Liberty, they go hand in hand.

[Green Knight]

The more people that home school, the better. Personally, I hope I'm lucky enough to one day marry a woman who'll want to homeschool our children.

[Snuffington]

Grammatically speaking, the first person plural is, in newspeak a euphemism for the state and its coercive elements.

That's an excellent observation. Your rebuttal was also excellent - nicely phrased, concise, and accurate. Good work!

[Publius6961]

I'm not sure what the original article said exactly, but my impression is that the notion that children belong to the "State", and the parents have no rights is one of the foundations of Fascism.

[TomSmedley]

The more people that home school, the better. Personally, I hope I'm lucky enough to one day marry a woman who'll want to homeschool our children.

AMazing how many home school kids can tell you who John Galt is! After all, that is our approach to "reforming" public education!

I pray you'll have sweet success in landing a life-partner committed to Christian family formation and development, PART of which is "home schooling!"

[TC Rider]

Thanks for reminding me why I cancelled my subscription to the Noise and Disturber.

[BibChr]

You go, TS! I've often said, if The State wants kids, it had better da**ed well learn to make its own.

Dan

[SCalGal]

The state pays the school districts based on daily attendence. The schools DO consider the kids to be "resources". They are also income.