How to Suppress Homeschooling

Heir.org ^ | 6-10-1997 | Leon F. McGinnis

[petuniasevan]

This article is an oldie but goodie. The writer describes conditions for homeschoolers in Georgia.

Your restrictions, and the restrictions placed on your children, may vary from state to state. No surprise.

[petuniasevan]

The above is my own quote.

[Fraulein]

One of my closest friends was home-schooled from kindergarten through the 8th grade (after that she attended a private, all-girl Catholic high school). Without a doubt she is one of the most interesting, most informed, and most well-read people that I know. She was awarded a full academic scholarship to study at Notre Dome, and, after that, she received a graduate fellowship at Vanderbilt University.

[pcl]

Both of my daughters were homechooled. They never attended a day of public school. One daughter was given a full scholarship to Stanford. The other daughter was offered the same but is choosing UC Santa Cruz.

Stanford, the US Military Acadamies, MIT and many other colleges actually seek out homeschoolers. They are more open minded, more curious, more serious about learning, have a boarder education and are better socially adjusted then puiblic school children.

That last one, social adjustment, comes as big surprise to many people not familiar with homeschooling.

[Dallas]

tHe pUblick skool sistem wokred worKed fOr mE

[Sonny M]

To the best of my knowledge, home schoolers do better on the S.A.T.S. and the A.C.T.S. then do kids that go to schools. At least in NYS. A few of my friends are teachers and have had talks about this. The Union points out the socialization aspect to them, and hits on it alot, they also try and tell them that mostly white parents do this because they want to raise the kids racists, and blah blah blah. "Its the job of the teacher to sometimes undue the damage that a misguided parents may do". They also point out that fewer students in schools affects their budgets and salaries, it part of the reason teachers are so against it. Their union leadership will lie to them for its own purpose, I was surprised about the scores being better for home schooled kids though.

[Tribune7]

bump

[LarryLied]

A few years back there was a lawsuit filed by a homeschooler in Georgia who aced the SAT's and was told he had to undergo further testing to get into a state college. Do you or anyone know what the outcome was?

[Calico]

Thank you for bringing this article to my attention. I am curious to know what you think of the requirement for the homeschooling parent to have a 4-year college degree--as is the case in some states. Is this a deterent or is there a legitimate reason behind it?

I will graduate college just in time to homeschool my child, but I wonder--from what I have experienced in my institute of "higher education"--if that will make me a more capable homeschooler than my child's godmother with whom I share virtually the same life experience, save her decision to stay home and mine to go to the University.

[Fraulein]

Ping!

[Slyfox]

One of the best homeschooling moms I know did not graduate from high school. The need for accredidation is a bunch of malarchy. What is really needed is the parent's willingness to do a good job and access to good books. I would say that some NEA types have neither of those two requirements.

[petuniasevan]

I can't think of any legitimate reason any state could name for requiring parents to have a 4-year college degree in order to homeschool their own children.

Only a high-school education is required for military service.
Registering to vote doesn't even require that much.
Dittos for getting a driver's license.
In most states, a day-care provider needs no special training, just a license to operate the center.

The degree requirement HAS to be a deterrent, promoted by and for the public education establishment.

[petuniasevan]

lawsuit filed by a homeschooler in Georgia who aced the SAT's

No, I'm not familiar with the story.

When I was in the military, I was given some good advice.
"No matter what you know, or think you know, someone will resent you for it."
And "Never ace a test. Never. Put down one or two wrong answers. All perfect scores are automatically suspect."

[conway]

Whyat would be wrong with a group of people getting together and hiring a qualified teacher to teach their children.

Our socialist don't make it in a system where there is compettion. God forbid we should have a say so concerning our own wards of the state.

[petuniasevan]

mostly white parents do this because they want to raise the kids racists

The teachers' unions are desperate, aren't they, if they're such braying jack@sses as to spout such vile lies.

Their worldview does not include home-educated children who excel, think for themselves, and aren't under the leftist thumb!

[Calico]

Thank you. I thought it was an unnecessary hinderance. I see much in day-to-day college life that tells me many of those who receive degrees will still be far less equipped than those of us with life experience and most of all--COMMITMENT to give our children the best education.

[petuniasevan]

People used to do just that. In small towns, they would advertise for a teacher, then interview the candidates.
The best, most competent teacher (and one whose worldview was acceptable to the parents, BTW) was chosen.

It used to be common to hire tutors, too. This was more often true of wealthy families, but that fact doesn't negate the truth.

There is no substitute for a well-rounded, real-world, old-fashioned education.

[Verax]

Whyat would be wrong with a group of people getting together and hiring a qualified teacher to teach their children

That's what we are planning to do for our children...perhaps 6-10 parents collaborating to develop a curriculum/hire a teacher/volunteer one day per week, etc.

[homeschool mama]

Thanks for the ping. Amazing how ignorant folks opinions find their way to making homeschoolers appear odd or otherwise inept, huh?