Home schooling has come a long way

TownHall.com ^ | Tuesday, June 4, 2002 | by Phyllis Schlafly

[JohnHuang2]

My psychological batteries were just recharged by attending a remarkable convention of Florida home schoolers in Orlando. The 10,000 conventioneers, who overflowed the Gaylord Palms Resort, should have been serenaded with "You've come a long way, baby."

The Florida Parent-Educators Association has grown from a handful of parents 15 years ago to a three-day convention with 100 workshops, 131 booths selling curricula and software, high school graduation ceremonies, and a college scholarship to Harvard. Home schooling has become big business.

The Florida Department of Education reports that the number of Florida children registered in home-education programs has grown from 5,313 in 1990-91 to 41,128 in 2000-01. The number is probably even higher because not everyone registers.

Parents who have been home schooling since the early 1980s can remember less happy times when they felt it advisable to conceal what they were doing. In 1984, five Florida home schooling families were prosecuted for truancy and one family temporarily lost custody of its children. Home-schooling parents often had to suffer the disdain of neighbors, ignorant accusations of child abuse, and the hostility of the teachers union. The Florida State Legislature got the message in 1985 and legalized home schooling.

It takes uncommon commitment by parents to undertake a home-school regimen, but they soon discover that they can do in a couple of hours what takes all day at regular school. Home-schooling parents can save lots of time since there are so many courses they don't have to teach.

They don't have to teach multiculturalism, the peculiar notion that other cultures should be preferred to our own, or teach a course in Islam, such as is now taught in California schools. Home-schooling parents are free to teach that their religion and their country are the best.

Home-schooling parents do not have to teach political correctness, such as the dogma that all academic subjects must be taught through the prism of gender and race oppression. They are free to teach that America is not a land of victims but a country of freedom and opportunity for all.

Home-schooling parents do not have to teach the androgyny demanded by radical feminism. They are free to teach boys and girls separately and differently and let their boys enjoy plenty of recess to work off their excess energy and avoid giving them Ritalin to make them behave like girls.

Home schoolers do not have to take a course every year in diversity, the code word for gay rights, as is now mandated K-12 by the California State Legislature. Parent educators are free to teach that it is OK to be judgmental about illegal and immoral acts.

Home-schooling parents don't have to teach revisionist history that deletes mention of Washington, Jefferson and Franklin, as the New Jersey State Department of Education tried to do, but had to back down after a parental uproar. Home schoolers have academic freedom to study the Founding Fathers and read the writings of the DWEMs (Dead White European Males) who contributed so much to Western Civilization.

Home schoolers do not have to study global education that is designed to promote global interdependence and citizens of the world instead of the U.S.A. Home-schooling parents do not have to teach environmental education fantasies, such as that humans exist to serve the earth instead of vice versa.

Home schoolers don't have to study fuzzy math, whole math, new math, new new math, or rain forest math. They won't waste math time discussing, coloring, playing games or telling their parents how good they feel about incorrect answers.

Home-schooled children will learn to read using authentic phonics as their first order of business, so they won't have to take remedial reading after three years of failure. They won't be inflicted with whole language, which fraudulently teaches children to guess at words from the pictures, skip over difficult words, and substitute any words that seem to fit the context.

Home schoolers will save lots of time because they don't have to read typical middle school assignments of depressing modern fiction by "nobody" authors writing about drugs, violence, sex, runaway teens, witchcraft and other depressing subjects. Home schoolers can read books about heroes and stories that build character, courage, patriotism and virtue.

Home schoolers won't have to spend time filling out nosy questionnaires about sex, drugs and suicide. The public schools are obsessed with asking students impudent personal questions, such as how many times have you felt depressed and tried to commit suicide.

There are many more worthless courses taught in public schools on which home schoolers will not spend their precious time, such as courses in murder (forensics is the latest fad), suicide, death and dying, evolution and self-esteem. Home-schooled students won't have any problem with self-esteem because their self-esteem will be earned by achievement in mastering the important truths of history, literature, math and science.

[maxwell]

When I went to pick these up from our local book store, the proprietor gave me a hard time about letting a 14 year old read Uncle Tom's Cabin. Told me that I needed to put it in context, how a child might misunderstand it, even told me to have him watch the King and I in order to get a better grasp of the issue. He was very condescending in his attitude toward me as a homeschooler, and in the fact that I was allowing my son to read a book that he felt should be "sanitized."

Yeah well see, this is where you tell him to get off, and tell him exactly where else you are going to take your business...

I can't stand self-righteousity and pompitude in any context.

[firewalk]

I'm not homeschooling because I'm paranoid. I'm homeschooling because I'm madly in love with my children.

It's so nice to see someone type what I feel. **big smile**

[ArGee]

So, will I see you on the 13th?

Shalom.

[ArGee]

My three year old told me that he's never leaving home. He said when he grows up, he's just going to stay here and take me to Silver Dollar City!

When I was young I used to spend every other summer at SDC. Today you couldn't get me near the crowds of Branson. Beautiful country ... too many cars.

Shalom.

[mrustow]

Thanks for the ping. Apparently, Phyllis Schlafly can write about anything, but she has a particularly strong handle on education issues. This is a good column -- better than most "education beat" reporters' work -- but it's a jog rather than a sprint for her.

[SpookBrat]

ARGEE!!!!! I've been thinking about you. Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages. So nice to see you my friend. :)

[ladylib]

Please! It is no longer "The Old Man and the Sea." It is now, according to the NY States Regents, "The Elderly Man and the Sea." I wish you would be more politically correct in the future!

[ladylib]

Well-Trained Mind is a good classical website (Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, who wrote "The Well-Trained Mind," the book on classical homeschooling. Great Books Academy (secular), Angelicum Academy (Catholic) classicalfree.org (on-line learning), Christine Miller, the Bludorns. Also, Association of Classical and Christian Schools (if you and your friends want to start a Christian Classical School). Vegsource has a site on homeschooling, including classical homeschooling. Just type "classical homeschool education" in your browser and you will come up with a lot of sites.

[ladylib]

People are doing that already. I read an article where public school teachers are so busy preparing their students for high-stakes tests that they really don't have time to use the internet in class. So much for Pres. Clinton's plan to wire every school to the internet. Public schools will eventually be kicked to the curb. I also read where the head of Ohio's public schools is ordering district superintendents to supply the names of homeschoolers in their districts because the state plans to offer on-line charter schools to them (Don't drink the Kool-Aid homeschoolers!) and the public school students who would rather learn at home than put up with all the nonsense they have to during the school day. I'm getting the impression that public schools are running scared.

[Domestic Church]

You bet, all in red. Pax et Bonem.

[Dutchgirl]

They won't be inflicted with whole language, which fraudulently teaches children to guess at words from the pictures, skip over difficult words, and substitute any words that seem to fit the context.

As a homeschool mom, I assign my 15 yr old son to read Buckley every day, note any new words and write their definition and latin root (when appropriate). The State of Florida allows homeschoolers to incorporate their own schools and issue their own diplomas...I am thinking of incorporating as "The Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies" which provides part of our education in civics, debate, history and satire.

[dbreidenbach]

I've noticed that home-educated kids are much more adept and confident communicating with adults, and other children outside their own peer groups than public-schooled children are. Anybody else notice that too?

I've noticed that with my own dd. At the ripe old age of 8 she is more capable of dealing with adults and other children, especially teenagers, better than her public school counterparts. She is capable of speaking on the level of an 8th or 9th grader. A definite positive aspect of homeschooling.

[Mad Dawgg]

"I also read where the head of Ohio's public schools is ordering district superintendents to supply the names of homeschoolers in their districts because the state plans to offer on-line charter schools to them (Don't drink the Kool-Aid homeschoolers!)"

Interesting I just yesterday received in the Mail A brochure from K-12 (Bill Bennett's home schooling network) and Low and behold a Ohio Based group is offering all K-12's stuff under the guise of a Virtual Charter School for Free. This offer apparently includes a FREE Computer!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WOW!!

This article needs to be passed around to many, many parents!!

[stands2reason]

Could you add me to your homeschool ping list, please, 2JM?

[stands2reason]

What adorable-looking boys you have there!

[ArGee]

Hi, Spook. It's good to hear from you, too. I've been lurking. It hasn't seemed to be so important to post since most everyone I see on the site has already heard what I have to say.

But occasionally there is a reason to pipe up. Plus, if I am too quiet for too long my head explodes. :)

Shalom.

[ArGee]

Hmmm.

I've never been to The Forum, although I work in Harrisburg. Is there some place FReepers could meet? Are there any other FReepers going?

I'll be there with whatever red I can find on.

Shalom.

[2Jedismom]

Thanks! They are good boys too...currently chasing bunnies out of our garden!

Added you to the list.

[homeschool mama]

Thank you, ladylib. :o)

I've come across a number of Classical Ed sites over the past 6 months...am more interested in pros and cons of various approaches to the classical philosphy.