Ummm...because public school education just generally sucks for about a hundred reasons?
Then why entrust them to the PUBLIC SCHOOL BAND TEACHER?!
If it sucks then why should she want anything at all to do with it?
Here's the question: If parents want their kids involved in school-based activities, why not send them to the school?
Ummm...because public school education just generally sucks for about a hundred reasons?
So.... the parents want their child to represent the schools they despise by playing in the school band? I am all for home schooling. The argument about paying taxes as creating a right to join the school band just doesn't fly though. You have the choice of going to the school or not. If you go, maybe you can play in the band. If you don't, you cannot.
My children went through the public school system - as I did, because where we live Home-schooling was just not something thought of, and due to the crazy education system - parents had to fight for the right to do this anyway. They were shunned, and fought a hard fight to gain that right.
Now, it has become a more open system, rights have been granted, and there is curriculum available.
My friend (whom I have known since school) started her family later in life than I, and she and her husband have chosen to Home school their children - even though they are in one of the highest ranked education systems in the state. Why? Because they want THEIR values instilled, their childern taught well and do not want their children passed over in school because they may be faster or slower than others.
Looking at my children - I wish so badly I had kept them home - at least for a while. A classroom of two or three is much more conducive to learning than a classroom of 30 or more.
With each child learning differently,(we all learn differently, and at different rates - but public school forces students to conform) it is no wonder so many kids are coming out of school these days with the ability to barely function in society. Perhaps in bigger cities and richer districts this is not the case - but my children attended a high school (one is still there), where a higher education is NOT pushed, and the 'general education' classes prepare them for nothing more than a low paying job in which they will be stuck (more than likely) for the rest of their lives.
Another issue falling with the values and curriculum - is the non-presence of teaching self-esteem. Ocassionally a teacher can be found which is instilling such a thing - but where we live - good luck finding that.
Funny thing though - everyone wants to know what has happened to the kids these days - why the drugs, crime, dis-respect? 2005 is not 1985 or 1979 or even 1990. Things have changed so dramatically that many children ARE left behind. If a parent is choosing to give their child a boost up in this world - why is that such a bad thing? Perhaps If I had KNOWN then what I know now - my kids would be in a much better position to contribute to society in the future. But I wasn't brought up to think this way, and now it is too late for one - and my youngest is 16 and refuses to be pulled from his school due to his involvement in JROTC.
Yep, our Home-schooled kids can only participate in select things, too, and since JROTC is an actual class, he could not do it if he were home-schooled.
If we are truly to be a FREE America - should we not have the right to teach our children as we see fit? And if we are still paying taxes - which we are - why should those children be denied rights already paid for?
I've sent three children through Lincoln Public Schools. One marched in the East High band for four years. i found the education they received to be uniformaly high quality, and I'm tired of knee-jerk attacks on the public school system. Some public schools suck, some don't. Some homeschooled kids get a decent education, some don't.