Posted on 02/01/2012 7:14:56 AM PST by Sopater
What did you think when you read this teaser on the cover of the February 6 issue of Newsweek magazine?
If you are like me, your blood pressure began to rise, you began marshaling all of your “liberal media” talking points, and then you remembered that Proverbs probably says you should read the darn thing before you go nuts on your Facebook page. So then—yes only then—you read the article.
Then you repented. Because the title was intentionally provocative, but the article is a positive, even pleasant story about “why urban, educated parents are turning to DIY education.”
You may read the article here >>
True, the author suggests that “We”—meaning the typical Newsweek reader—“think of homeschoolers as evangelicals or off-the-gridders who spend a lot of time at kitchen tables in the countryside. And it’s true that most homeschooling parents do so for moral or religious reasons.”
But the rest of the article goes on to explain how more and more highly educated, urban-dwelling parents are catching on to what “we” evangelical, off-the-gridders have known for decades—Homeschooling works!
After getting to know several homeschooling families, the author wistfully considers homeschooling herself. “So the more I hung out with homeschoolers, the more I found myself picking him [her preschool-aged son] up from school early, to squeeze in some of the fun these families were having. I began to think, why not homeschool?”
Yes indeed. Why not homeschool?
Didn't that used to be a magazine or something?
I don’t think anyone reads Newsweek anymore; let alone cares what Newsweek has to say about anything.
I have a libinlaw that, when asked, said she considers herself “informed” because she reads Newsweak every week.
So, yeah, some do read it and care what it says.
So.... They’re not ALL racist, evangeical nuts. Some of them are, instead, sophosticated urbanites!
Home schooled children Newsweek would NEVER attack:
1) Islamist children
2) Gay children who don’t want to be ‘bullied’
3) Black children escaping public education hell
4) ‘Confused’ Transgendered children
5) Children escaping public schools with religious phrases on the walls because they are offended
Raised 3 homeschoolers and they are doing very well, thank you! Can't say the same for a lot of their government-educated friends though...
#3 they might deride.
Leftists are like crabs in a bucket - if one is escaping, the others will reach up and pull him back down.
Spewsweek....
“Highly-educated urban” parents would likely be sending their children to private school, costing a fortune (in addition to the taxes they’re paying for the government system) and taking a lot of parental effort. A little common sense would show that homeschooling, especially with some professional classes thrown in, would save them money, time, and hassle.
Yeah, but THEY would have to deal with the little brats instead of shipping them off for someone else to take care of while they, the parents, seek their “me time” and “self-actualization”.
We’re almost done with our kids, and it was undoubtedly one of the best decisions of my life. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Exactly...
I do not homeschool. I have kids in high school now.
Over the years, I have met quite a few homeschoolers. Their reasons are many - from Christian values to special needs to distance to quality schools to parents wanting to push academic achievement. I have learned a lot from homeschooling parents.
My outsider’s view - these kids are always well-mannered, well-spoken and well adjusted. Obviously, not all public schools are not a bad environment (though many are), but all public schools DO waste a lot of time.
Course work that would take a full day in public school takes only a couple of hours in homeschools. No need to focus on stragglers, less review, no need to spend time keeping class discipline, and of course, no educrat propoganda to deal with.
Awesome... keep recommending it.
WOW and actual balanced article on home schooling.... objectively writen.... I’m .... stunned.
Yah; it was a news magazine about 40 or 50 years ago.
Now it is a propaganda tool of the far Left.
So one has to wonder what the real agenda of the article is.
I may have to bend my principles and read this article.
“think of homeschoolers as evangelicals or off-the-gridders . . .”
I and my wife are neither “Off-the-gridders” of evangelicals. We just did not like the quality of public education when we chose to homeschool. So far, two sons are now engineers (one on track to become a tech fellow at his company, the other tracked to project manager less than a year after graduation) and the third is studying engineering.
But we did organize our home school as a religious school - St. Menas Orthodox Academy. Why? Because there are greater court protections if you are homeschooling for religious reasons than for purely secular reasons. School districts are more likely to leave you alone if you opt out of their services because you want to provide your children a religious education than if you opt out because you are dissatisfied with the quality of public education.
To put it in other words, they are happier viewing you as a religious kook than viewing you as someone who realizes they are incompetent twits. The former is less of a threat to their world-view, and my objective was to be left alone, not make a statement.
Move? Well sometimes that is not an option. People have to stick around taking care of sick parents or they cannot find a job in another area or they own a small business.
What I have noticed is most people who homeschool live in more rural, low cost of living areas and if they live in a urban area one spouse has a very high paying job so the other spouse can stay home.
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.