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To: Tired of Taxes
Dear Tired of Taxes, you have obliquely raised an issue not focused upon through the article and posts: a family's priorities.

IQ debate of "races" or not -- I think the issue is what a family nurtures or holds as a primary focus as a directing force. Part of the reason, IMHO, homeschooled students do so well, and regardless of their skin tone? The focus is upon "real time" education. In other families, the focus might be upon, say, shopping, or camping each weekend and visiting theme parks. Those of Asian descent tend to score higher, and from all that I've witnessed, primarily because the parents are very clearly focused upon "education".

OTOH, years back I met a group of homeschooling families who were not especially focused on the "education" aspect as much as they were on the "socializing" aspects. Result? The students weren't especially academically oriented, and while, academically, they were still ahead of peers in pub ed, these students were more into being cool, impressing each other.

Yep, I've read "The Bell Curve" and numerous other race, mixed race studies concerning intelligence. How is it this country has seen poorly (or if at all) educated parents raise geniuses and very gifted children, regardless or race, creed, ethnicity? My own two cents: It has everything to do with where education is prioritized in a family. Others have said this, written about it. I do concur with this. It's not a "race" can do/can't do. It's a cultural issue.

Kudos! on educating your beautiful children!

37 posted on 09/02/2003 6:43:00 AM PDT by Alia (California -- It's Groovy! Baby!)
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To: Alia
I think the issue is what a family nurtures or holds as a primary focus as a directing force.

I think you're right, Alia.

That one poster (now banned) did post a link to a "study" that measured the IQs of "black" and "biracial" children adopted into "white middle-class families", but I find it hard to believe the results of that study. Also, I didn't read it completely nor investigate it further.

Also, that banned poster claimed to have homeschooled his/her daughter. I would think that a homeschooler especially would be able to see very clearly how upbringing influences a child every single day. But, no, apparently, he/she believes that certain "races" don't have a chance and are somehow inherently inferior. (Sadly, he/she is not alone out there in that thinking, either). Oh, well. (This is why we have to stop those gov't studies from classifying according to quote-unquote "race"!)

How is it this country has seen poorly (or if at all) educated parents raise geniuses and very gifted children, regardless or race, creed, ethnicity? My own two cents: It has everything to do with where education is prioritized in a family.

A homeschooling mom I know is a perfect example: Divorced, she is still fighting the ex off in court as he has been consistently late with child support payments but also has been fighting to take custody and put the kids in school for years. She has been buying her homeschool supplies at the Dollar Store (which works for me, too!)

A couple months ago, a judge ruled that she had to put the oldest in school. The father had been belittling her for years saying she was not qualified to teach her children, and then the school principal told her that "homeschooling doesn't work" and that "this school has an advanced program but a homeschooler would never qualify" blah blah blah. Guess what? The child tested and qualified for the advanced program.* (Oh, yeah, this child is "biracial" too).

So, yeah, I think you hit the nail right on its head again: Priority must have everything to do with it.

* (I have to remember to share that story on the FR homeschool thread).

39 posted on 09/02/2003 12:14:51 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes (and tired of this screenname, too.)
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