Posted on 06/02/2005 12:55:33 AM PDT by baseballfanjm
ESPN.com ran this article, intending for it to be an amusing take on how to predict the winner of the National Spelling Bee. However, the last "formula" irked me.
Here's what it says:
"Stay away from home-schooled kids.
It goes without saying that these kids don't get out of the house much. There are 34 home-schooled competitors in this year's bee, including speller No. 142 Jack Ausick and speller No. 217 Benjamin Zachary Walter. The first home schooler won in 1997 and others followed, including Lala in '99 and Thampy in 2000. But kids that actually interact with other children at school have won three out of the last four bees."
While he has other "stay away from" picks that fit the joking manner of the article, that one struck me as just lame and as a swipe more than a joke.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
Dear Serenissima Venezia,
"They are social misfits."
That's from MikeyA5150's first post to this thread.
That was about the nicest thing he had to say about homeschool folks.
"And I think you proved your point quite well by getting the irate responses you got."
Gee, d'ya think after the garbage Mikey spewed, one might expect strong reactions?? LOL.
"If a home schooling parent is so insecure that they have to attack someone who disagrees with them, how can their children grow up to be emotionally stable?"
LOL. Looks like you're ripped from the same page as ol' Mikey. Attack, attack, and then cry foul if someone reacts, no? * chuckle *
sitetest
Your children are social misfits.
LOL - I enjoyed reading the replies to your post. They were everything I hoped they would be. :)
Homeschoolers and Libertarians are two groups that will swarm a thread and always, well generally, post intelligent, long, and thoughtful remarks.
Gotta love both 'em!
I'm glad you were able to move to a good public school. You are one of the lucky ones. Check out the link on my tag.
You won't take him to movies where objectionable material may be portrayed, but you will send him to a school for seven hours a day, five days aweek, where he lives in the midst of, is affected by, and may participate in many of the same behaviors? When you go to a zoo, do you just look at the animals or do you enter the enclosures and try to play with them?
Dear traviskicks,
I browsed your website. Lots of interesting stuff.
sitetest
I agree.
>>> Having worked with and had roommates with home schoolers, I would never home school my son. They are social misfits. <<<
B.F.D. In my life I have worked with, and had roommates, who were both public school graduates and text-book social misfits. Take it from an expert: my wife (the expert) has been a public school teacher for over 30 years, and she recommends home-schooling IN EVERY CASE. Ten to fifteen years ago she would have recommended otherwise. But the Clinton administration, and the resultant degeneration of social mores and the forced leftist instruction in the public schools (leftist instruction that promotes perversion and legitimizes social misfits) has changed her mind.
Ask yourself this question: Do you want your young daughters turned into sluts? If yes, then send them to public schools. Otherwise, keep them as far away from the NEA-controlled public school system as possible.
BTW, Mikey. Your tagline notwithstanding, I think you are a troll.
Dear PhilipFreneau,
"But the Clinton administration, and the resultant degeneration of social mores and the forced leftist instruction in the public schools (leftist instruction that promotes perversion and legitimizes social misfits) has changed her mind."
That appears to be a serious problem of late in the vaunted Montgomery County, MD school system. This is a highly-rated large public school system, but the sex ed they were about to introduce into the middle schools was so outrageous, so anti-religious, that even a liberal judge couldn't choke it down. The program is on hold, for now.
sitetest
If your children are totally shut-in, I'd agree with you. However, there are other means of socialization than a public school.
you know--in their eyes we are freaks... and that's that... and i really don't mind that we are peculiar people... that is the way it should be, amen? it's getting easier and easier each year, that hubby and i hardly ever second-guess ourselves anymore... and we have several friends who are freaks, too--so we aren't completely alone... i mean--we don't want to be "Ruby Ridge-ish."
and isn't it funny that we he/she does become an adult (18-21) he/she is mainly considered a kid... how many times have you heard a man of 18-2? called a kid or a boy? i hear it all the time... hardly anyone expects adult behavior from young adults...
if it's important to the parents, their children will be exposed to many cultures because the parents will have friends from many different cultures... it hardly happens in school... sure--they see the different kids, but for the most part, even in public schools--or should i say, especially in public schools, kids gravitate towards others like themselves... for the most part...
yeah--the opportunity to feel like a "somebody" because the cute guy asked her to dance... and then the chance to feel like a nobody because he then dropped her for the cuter girl... such important opportunities for a 13-year old...
Nope.
Just go to NHERI and read the studies that show that HSed students are socially superior to their public schooled counterparts.
"Outside influences" and "socialization" are red herring arguments; back in the 1700s and 1800s, a child rarely saw friends or socialized. They did not have the time! They were staying alive, and building the greatest nation that ever existed on the face of the earth. They did not need constant socialization, nor ouside influences. In fact, I think the schools are neurotic about socializing all the time. It makes one question the agenda behind such statements. If one is not socializing 24/7, one has time to think, and to develope their own personality, and inner strength. A person has to be an individual first, and learn to consult themselves about what is best for them; not other people who can lead them astray and down the wrong path. That is what the left fears; that HSers will be conservative and independent, and not able to be overtaken by them.
I took our boys to the lake last weekend without mom, and a woman in the next campground decided she would take care of my boys in mom's absence. This woman was amazed at how well my boys interacted socially with everyone else at the lake.
After I told her they were homeschooled, she looked at me and said
That's wonderful. My only concern for them is the socialization they are missing in public schools.I looked at her and wondered if she realized the contradiction. My response was: "I don't know who started that..." and before I could say anymore, she said:
Is that a myth?I looked at her, smiled, and said my boys are evidence it is.
Apparently some people are so used to hearing the myth they repeat it without thinking.
there is a line in Farenheit 451 that says it all... i cannot remember it word-for-word, but Clarisse, the young girl thrilled by ideas, and interested in being part of the world around her, tells Montag that she is not missed at school because they think she is strange... a misfit... not socialized... but she says, "i think what we're doing now (talking, sharing) is social... not sitting at desks all day until the next bell rings."
i got a kick out of that... truly, time spent in public school is artificial living...
You are showing your ignorance. My homeschooled kids know many people from varied backgrounds and they know about various beliefs - including political beliefs and religious beliefs. I'm not going to get into a whole thing about it, but you really are the one who needs to be more open-minded about other peoples beliefs.
Also, what do think public schooled kids do all day?
"Hi. I'm black. Do you want to hear about my cultural background?"
"Sure. I'm Jewish. I'll explain my religion to you after lunch, okay?"
"Gee, that will be fun. I'll invite one rich white kid and one smart Asian kid to join in on our discussion, too!"
"Yay! See you later. I'll also bring my friend Sal. His parents are gay. And I'll bring Ringo, his mom just got out of prison."
Give me a break...lol
You are showing your ignorance. My homeschooled kids know many people from varied backgrounds and they know about various beliefs - including political beliefs and religious beliefs. I'm not going to get into a whole thing about it, but you really are the one who needs to be more open-minded about other peoples beliefs.
Also, what do think public schooled kids do all day?
"Hi. I'm black. Do you want to hear about my cultural background?"
"Sure. I'm Jewish. I'll explain my religion to you after lunch, okay?"
"Gee, that will be fun. I'll invite one rich white kid and one smart Asian kid to join in on our discussion, too!"
"Yay! See you later. I'll also bring my friend Sal. His parents are gay. And I'll bring Ringo, his mom just got out of prison."
Give me a break...lol
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.