Posted on 03/14/2003 10:58:25 AM PST by freepatriot32
And what member of the Elite will decide what is included on the test?
Shalom.
I'm sorry, but it must also be viewed as an unwelcome intrusion of the government into the parental role of educating a child.
Remember that most of us do purchase standardized tests for our children. We don't do this to prove anything to the government, but to ensure we are doing our job well. As long as we get to choose the tests and verify that they don't conflict with our beliefs there is nothing wrong with that.
When the government gets to choose the test - even if it were a Christian, Home Schooling government, then there is everything wrong with that.
Shalom.
Shalom.
Good one. May I suggest a slight modification before you print the bumper sticker?
When the government funds my children, I will accept their testing.
Shalom.
So, while homeschoolers are free to teach what they want, they do have to face up to the fact that the universities want to see certain criteria satisfied. Some homeschoolers produces kids that are very well educated. They have zero problem with having their kids take exams that test what these universities want to see tested.
Taking the position that any tests are an evil government intrusion are fine - but expect your kid(s) to go to local community colleges or 4 year colleges with really easy entrance criteria. And if they want to pursue a career in medicine, the sciences, or engineering you can write that off as an option.
BTTT
You are missing an important distinction. If I wish (voluntarily) to send my child to a college or university and that institution requires an ACT or SAT score then I may choose to have my child take (voluntarily) one or both of those tests. I may also choose to apply to a different college or have my child skip the college route. (Keep in mind that for my children, they had significant input into all of these decisions - it was not dictatorial at all.)
This is a far cry from the government mandating tests that they choose so they can ensure I fail my children as thoroughly as they would have.
Shalom.
Well...in the case of these tests -- it is not some bureaucrats hiding in a cellar that make them. There is plenty of input from a lot of people. In this case it is more like "government of the people, by the people, etc."
And the tests appear reasonable, overall. They test reading comprehension and mathematics. So it would be highly unlikely that your children would fail, unless you are failing to teach them reading and mathematics. As a group homeschoolers blow these tests away.
As there is with public school curricula. But the schools are failing our children because they would prefer to teach them to "tolerate" buggery than the three R's. And you have to run a significant gauntlet to get legislators to listen to parents over and above "professional educators." I know, I've been there as an activist here in PA. Having made the decision that I don't want the government's help in teaching my child, I don't want their help. I don't want their teachers, their textbooks, their classrooms, or their tests. This approach works fine in every state where this is the law. I see no reason to change it.
And the tests appear reasonable, overall. They test reading comprehension and mathematics. So it would be highly unlikely that your children would fail, unless you are failing to teach them reading and mathematics. As a group homeschoolers blow these tests away.
Today. And what do we do when the test has a reading comprehension section from "Heather Has Two Mommies" that will not allow an interpretation that implies homosexuality is not acceptable?
They can give their tests to their children. I will select the tests I give to mine.
Shalom.
Fortunately we don't have that situation. And if that arises, we fight it. But remember, we are talking about tests at the level of high school seniors, not grade school kids. High school juniors and seniors need to know about the leftists out there anyway. We can't hide the reality from them -- unless you live in a bunker in Montana. They're going to get exposed to this stuff just by being well educated. "Heather Has Two Mommies" is a useful discussion subject - especially when you control the discussion, yes?
Yes, and parental control is precisely what this is about, and what I lose when the state mandates the tests my children take.
Shalom.
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