Posted on 08/17/2002 5:06:31 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
As the summer comes to a close, and fall creeps in, millions of children and teens will be trudging off to the local institutions of learning in the early morning hours. The greatest number of these institutions are the so-called "public schools."
However, there is another form of education that has begun to do extraordinary things. Homeschooling has already outperformed every other form of education in America – and not just in test scores.
In 1985, a Gallup Poll surveyed America on their opinion of homeschooling. The results might startle a few today, because 75 percent of Americans thought homeschooling was a bad idea. Public opinion – at that time – believed that the notion of parents alone teaching their children at home was a foreign idea and questions were raised about whether it would or could be successful.
However, when homeschoolers had a chance to perform and show the world what results could be accomplished, public opinion changed drastically. Less than 20 years later, another Gallup Poll was taken on homeschooling and America changed its opinion to 75 percent believing homeschooling is a good idea.
The simple answer to why public opinion has radically changed on home education is the fact that homeschoolers outperform their peers in government schools and other forms of education.
First, on average, homeschooled students score in the range of 75 to 85 on most tests – while their peers in government education score in the range 50 to 60 on the same tests.
Second, home-educated students score above average on the SAT and ACT tests. Additionally, many colleges and universities are now more likely to be interested in homeschooled students because of their above-average results.
Third, homeschoolers have been ruling the academic "bees" for some time now. Year after year, homeschoolers have been in the top placements for the Geography Bee, Spelling Bee and the USA Math Olympiad.
Even after the successes of homeschooling, the National Education Association still continues to raise the issue of socialization. You would think, by now, we would be past this fundamental issue. Yet, homeschooling is not just about results, test scores and the future business success of a student, but the time spent the way it should be – with families living their daytime hours together.
Government-run public schools have had their chance. For over 100 years, schools have been run publicly by the government and – from the beginning – it has been going downhill alongside the intelligence of America.
In addition, you can see severe lower standards in government schools these days. When students have a 3.6 Grade Point Average and score below 20 on the ACT and have to take remedial classes in college, you know we have a problem with standards in schools.
However, test scores and results on the ACT and SAT are not the worst problem facing government schools. But, rather, it is the intentional indoctrination that is taking place in many schools, under the banner of "hate-crime prevention," "tolerance," and "multiculturalism."
Yet, while some school districts are accomplishing good results, most are not. Education expert and nationally known author Thomas Sowell said, "If every parent in America knew what was really going on in public schools, there would be a revolution."
He was right. American parents are becoming aware of what is happening in our schools and reform has just now begun to take shape.
What's this reform I speak of, you ask? It's the reform that is taking place by responsible American parents taking their children out of government schools. The only element that has a chance of saving public education is competition between private education and public education.
Therefore, I call upon parents to take their children out of public schools, ensure their ability to perform in the business world as an adult, and choose the greatest form of education: parents teaching their children at home.
What does that tell you? It doesn't have a lot of momentum right now but it is catching on. Good.
Public educators have grumbled against homeschoolers for winning saying that they spend too much of their time studying for the tests and that it's not fair and unhealthy for the kids! Can you believe their twisted logic?
Their logic is twisted and bogus. You can't cram for a spelling bee or the Math Olympiad, the field of study is too broad. The real truth is that the homeschool kids are getting a better education and the public school socialists hate it, they can't offer adequate explanations, and so all they have to offer is doubletalk and BS.
I emailed you privately on this. Please let us know where you got this information so we can pass it on.
My siblings and I are all bright people, who COULD have taught ourselves, in three or four years, everything we learned in eight grades of hellish Catholic school. Instead, we were robbed of years upon years of interaction with one another, isolated in separate "grades," later in separate "schools," growing up strangers because of hours of pointless "homework."
Parents: Do not send your children off to the Gulag when they turn six, just because it's been that way for several generations! Life does not have to be hell for children, just because it's been hell for a few generations. Children do not have to be educated in herds; they can be educated by people who love them--their mothers and siblings.
1. Groups "should work through their county or larger homeschool associations and register as a county group"
2. "Interested homeschools must provide the names, addresses and ages of all participating homeschool students." (in bold) *with* their registrations.
3. "All students participating in a homeschool bee must be exclusively homeschooled."
4. "There should also be a contact person that is not a parent of one of the children participating."
At first glance the new guidelines don't seem that bad, but each one sets up roadblocks that were not there before.
(7) they may not eschew normal school activity in favor of preparation for spelling bees; and
(8) they, having once won a Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee championship in Washington, D.C., are ineligible for further competition in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, including spelling bees that are preliminary to the national finals in Washington, D.C. With regard to requirements (1) and (2), spelling bee officials may, at their discretion, set a minimum grade and/or age limit. With regard to requirements (3) and (4), the purpose is to discourage cheating. All sponsors have been notified that their champion speller will be ineligible for the national finals if the 2002 School Pronouncer Guide is used as the word list in their final local spelling bee. With regard to requirement (7), normal school activity shall be defined as adherence to the full school schedule and varied academic course load maintained by a majority of the speller's age-mates and grade-mates.
Well said.
BTTT
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