States Begin Crack Down on Home Schooling

Icehouse ^ | 01/03 | unknown

[hsmomx3]

H ome schoolers have long held the belief that if they received exemptions from the education laws being put in place at the state and federal level, they could safely teach their children at home without government interference. A good example of this is the exemption home schoolers achieved to HR 6 in 1994 and ESSHB 1209 bringing education reform to Washington State in 1993.

What home schoolers did not know, however, is that education reform was instituted to bring education into coalescence with systems governance, and under systems governance, all really does mean all ? no one can be exempted from inclusion in the system. That includes home schoolers.

Home schoolers believed the exemptions would protect them. A good example is the home schoolers in California. For years they have existed under the private schooling laws. Now, California is cracking down on home schoolers in order to bring them into the system. In other states that have home school laws, the matter of bringing home schoolers under the umbrella of systems education and government control will be as easy as requiring a certificate of mastery in order for the child to get a job, a drivers license, or go on to higher education. We are already seeing signs of that happening in Washington State. No doubt it is, or will, happen in other states with home school laws as well.

Home schoolers have not been exempted from the system, they have only been exempted from the laws putting the system in place.

[antaresequity]

They dont wear degrees...they are required to have them...what I mean are people who cant get 10 words out of their mouth before they tell you they went to this school or that...or have this credential or that one...

Degrees dont mean Jack...

Go start a business...hire and manage people over time and you will know exactley what I am talking about...There is absolutley no correlation between certificates of achievement and the ability to put the rubber to the road...none...

[Bella_Bru]

Well, do you think the education system is going to change anytime soon? Until it does, face the facts that if you want your kid to go on to a university or local community college, they will more than likely have to have taken SATs, ACTs, and likely need either a GED of HS diploma.

[dasboot]

Nope! Homeschooled my kids eight years. I gave them their diplomas: I knew what they were capable of...and so did the colleges that accepted them, when those schools looked at their SAT's (voluntarily taken) and the scores on their entrance-battery exams (also voluntarily). Big secret: colleges quietly recruit homeschoolers.

A lot of musicians graduate from music school with degrees; but, aside from teaching positions, they are NEVER asked to produce diplomas at audition: it's "Can you PLAY, man?"

Next time you're on a cruise ship, go up at the bridge: look for the blond with the gold stripes on her shoulders and ask her is her dad is "dasboot". Then ask to see her highschool diploma!

[Bella_Bru]

You couldn't pay me to take a cruise. I really do not need a stomach virus.

However, you said they took SATs and college entrance exams. Would you have made a fuss if they were told they had to? That may the difference between accredited schools and the non-accredited (Bob Jones U).

[ladylib]

My brother-in-law dropped out of high school. Several years later, he went to the Catholic college in his town and talked to the dean. He said he would work towards his GED if he could also take college classes.

He got a degree in finance and now he's the vice president of a pediatric care company.

[Bella_Bru]

However, you still need a GED to get into the military. They went back to that in '89 or '90 I believe.

[don-o]

Ask the military. They have no issue with going by if the state says you pass or not to get in. Who do you want to decide, don-o? Each individual parent? Perhaps a religious board?

The educational component of eligibility into the military should be eliminated, as well.

We could develop specific tests to see where candidates can best serve, w/o Hi skool or ged.

It does not take a brainiac to drive a truck or shoot a towelhead. In fact, our best shooters are probably street thugs, some of whom would welcome a legal way to use their skills.

[glory]

No, and it's not necessary, and teachers hate that fact because "uneducated" homeschooling parents are producing superior outcomes to the pedigreed teachers. Surely, you are not suggesting that only those with a degree in education is suitable to teach? Such an assertion would fly in the face of TRADITIONAL education in the past where even farmers were capable of training their children how to read, write, and do basic math. Many important people came out of this cradle of real learning or do you think that's a myth? Have you never been tutored or trained by anyone who was not? I came out of ps and I have and many times, often times, they were the BEST teachers because they had a talent for teaching and were passionate about their specialty, not a desire to get a long vacation and union pay.

[Lady Heron]

Yeah, like the earth is flat, the sun revolves around it, Lincoln was satan, etc.

I spent several years studying various home school curriculum and have never run across stupid stuff like that. On the otherhand I have run across a lot of information (lies) that I disagree with in the curriculum availible to the public schools. You want to make statements like that then prove them and show us homeschool curriculum like that!!

[twyn1]

Perhaps we are talking apples and oranges here...

Most colleges will already accept a homeschooled student with a home-brewed transcript, letters of recommendation, volunteer or community service records and the results of a standardized test (SAT or ACT) -- that is fair -- some colleges may insist upon extra testing (SAT II) which is also fair -- my (non-homeschooled) son had to take those in order to be accepted to MIT

Most local community colleges will accept a homeschooled student who is still in high-school under a dual-enrollment or enrichment program...the student will have to take and perform well on entrance exams for such early placement...that is fair also

What is not fair are the new tests (called PASS in PA) that educrats have designed. Many of these focus on "subjects" with a PC/environmental/socialistic/humanistic emphasis, following the watered down public school curriculum -- my kids have been exposed to Latin and studied Shakespeare -- but they're not too up on why oil=evil, who we should throw out of the lifeboat first, what the term "fisting" means or what is more important...the fairy shrimp or draining standing water in order to lessen the mosquito population.

[Bella_Bru]

Once again, did I say all homeschoolers? Nooooooooooooo. But don't let that get by you.

[dasboot]

Also incorrect: provision was made several years ago for the admittance of homeschoolers to the armed services--Air Force, I believe. I've no indication that they have ended that policy.

And I know a homeschooler who was accepted into the Coast Guard without a gubmint approved diploma or GED. He's in Alaska right now, defending our country, and working his way up the ranks.

[Bella_Bru]

Most colleges will already accept a homeschooled student with a home-brewed transcript, letters of recommendation, volunteer or community service records and the results of a standardized test (SAT or ACT) -- that is fair -- some colleges may insist upon extra testing (SAT II) which is also fair -- my (non-homeschooled) son had to take those in order to be accepted to MIT

Thank you. Some here think their kids can get into MIT by just saying, "I know Johnnie can do it because I taught him."

Anyway, I am on my way out the door. Congrats to your MIT student, BTW. :-)

[SERE_DOC]

"About time. If private citizens wish to assume the functions of government, let them meet government standards."

You sir are misinformed. Some of the reasons that people home school is because they want to give their children an education that is worth something, not a little government stamped moron who can’t think for themselves or have any other aspiration other than appear on “jackass” as a life goal. The government produces nothing and costs too much. I would suggest that you turn off your government mind –control and try thinking out side the norm. Home school is not for everyone but the government has no business interfering with a parents right to raise their own children.

If you agree with an intrusive government, I would suggest Cuba is the place for you.

[Radioactive]

You said :

"About time. If private citizens wish to assume the functions of government, let them meet government standards. If I want to build my own house, I still need to comply with the applicable building codes."

I say........"What the hell does education have to do with the damned Government? Show me where it says that any government should be in control of education. It's not in the federal constitution. And it isn't in any of the state constitutions that I've read.

Why is it that people are so willing to accept that government will do this or that for you.

I think that there are too many Mathew Lesco's (You know the guy who is on TV with all the question marks on his suit shilling for his book on how to get money form the government) out there who are willing to allow the government to control their lives and the lives of their children.

Since the federal government has been involved in education, the education of our kids has been degraded. To Heck with the NEA and the beurocrats who have made education one of their best ways of getting control of US.

[don-o]

Still awaiting an answer on how a conservative can defend the state power to educate.

From the Constitution and the Founding Fathers, s'il vous plais.

Or even a cogent argument. Point boils down to - the educrats, and their toads and running dogs, say that the state OWNS the children. And shall do for/to them as it deems best for the greatest good to the greatest number.

FMCDH

[ladylib]

Don't let the door hit you on the butt.

[Lady Heron]

I didn't say all homeschoolers are like that, or even most. But to ignore that there are a few is ridiculous.

Why not? We ignore all those who fail misserably in the public schools and do not hold the public schools accountable. What do those kids do with their lives after school??? The ones who have a work ethic start busisnesses, drive taxis, work construction etc. At least the home schoolers are usually taught some type of moral ethics and are less likely to fall into criminal activity. We need people to work those types of jobs also. Clean up the public school system before you have a right to say anything to me! Even then I will tell you to bug off until this becomes a communist country you have no right to tell me how to raise my children!

[don-o]

Why is it that people are so willing to accept that government will do this or that for you.

It IS a perplexing question. But, homeschoolers, who pay the tax for pulik edukashun, as well as being one earner breadwinners are paying the price.

We think our kids deserve it.

[Marie Antoinette]

Well, do you think the education system is going to change anytime soon?

It is changing. Homeschooling is growing because there is a lowering of standards in public education to keeps scores up and money coming in.

Homeschooling is yet another threat to that money pipeline and the NEA, thus the attacks. I just don[t understand why you and others attack homeschoolers for expressing their freedom.

Mr.M