Home-schooling standoff (MA Liberals try to get state custody for 'abused' home-schooled kids)

Metrowest Daily ^ | 6/13/03 | Beecher

[nmh]

"Well, per the link below (from an educrat publication), "A Harvard graduate, a Boston University graduate, and an MIT Ph.D. failed the Massachusetts new-teacher assessment test", so I'm sure the Massachusetts education establishment can figure out how to design a test that home-schooled kids would flunk."

Others pass it with flying colors! In fact, our local homeschooling families in NJ, take the STATE exam and breeze through it. It serves as a measurement of what is known by the child. I can't imagine why anyone could or would object to that.

I don't care what teacher flunked what. You've beed distracted. This thread is about why a homeschooling family should be excempt from ALL tests. That's ridiculous.

"Funny how the educrats scream bloody murder when anyone tries to make THEM take tests, but then they think it's totally unreasonable when homeschooling families refuse to take tests."

Again, I don'r care what teacher fails what test! Failing a test indicates a problem. There is no reason WHY a homeschooling family should not accomodate the LAW and have their child take this test. Other homeschoolers routinely take state tests WITH NO DIFFICULITY.

[ladylib]

I sent them an e-mail.

[nmh]

Me: "Sounds like a nutcase to me. Why wouldn't a homeschooling parent test their kids? Something fishy going on here. Just what is it that these kids KNOW that can't be measured by a test?"

You: I don't think there is anything wrong with being an exception to a rule, especially if it's a bad rule. However, I tend to agree that something doesn't smell right.

You: If the parents are preparing their kids for the world, the need to have some way to assess their progress. I can't imagine a caring parent who would teach their homeschooled child to be afraid of measuring their academic progress.

Me: EXACTLY! How does one asses progress WITHOUT OBJECTIVE TESTING? Sorry but the "honor" system doesn't cut it. The homeschooling parent needs to abide by the law that is IN PLACE where they live and as you say not be afraid for their kids to test. Something is VERY wrong here.

[Lady Eileen]

SIGN THE PROCLAMATION "I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education."

I signed...FReepers please join us as we work for true freedom in education.

www.sepschool.org

Sign here.

www.sepschool.org/Proclamation But the struggle to make home schooling the norm and return to sanity will be difficult still.

[ladylib]

I think the problem with this family is that the law says they have a choice as to whether they want to take a test or submit a portfolio and the school (or the social worker) has made that decision for them.

[Tax-chick]

We have a cat. Her idea of being friendly is to sit in the same room, with her back to us! She never forgave us for having all the kids!

[nmh]

"What is a public school system doing regulating homeschooling? There should be state law that takes that discretion away from local districts with political points to make and axes to grind. "

They are NOT regulating homeschooling. Re0read the article. The parents are REFUSING the LAW in their state that requires testing.

"There are multiple ways to assess academic progress, (Virginia law names several) and the school district should not be choosing it, not should they choose the test used if testing is the method picked. "

Great! BUT that is NOT what is in place in the state in the thread. What the law says NOW is what must be upheld.

"I have my son tested because it's convenient and he tests well. But I agree it is actually a poor measure of what he has learned...though it is one way to compare his progress with that of other children."

I don't agree that is DOES NOT measure what they know. It's simply a guideline and MANY homeschoolers in our area willingly take it to make sure their child is AHEAD.

[MonroeDNA]

Government schooling should be abolished, outright.

[nmh]

"First of all standardized tests are tools to make sure the civil servants we pay to teach are doing their jobs and therefore "worth" our money. "

Oh please, stop the paranoia! They are NOT doing their jobs and hence the tests are EASIER AND EASIER to pass which is WHY I really think something is awry here.

I purposely didn't post the rest of your reply because it is idiotic.

[don-o]

I think as a society, we owe it to ensure that our children receive a good education and a fighting chance to lead a productive and worthwhile life.

I love ya, man, but you are way off on this.

The Republic was formed by folks who assumed that families could be entrusted with management with their own affairs, including education. Of course, today we are about a billion light years removed from such an idea.

However, some of us actually hold on to that ideal and are willing to pay the price.

Compulsory public education in this country was modeled off the "Prussian system."

Do a web search on John Taylor Gatto for details.

[ladylib]

In Barnstable, MA, children were forced at gun point to go to the newly created public schools. Things don't change much in MA apparently.

Compulsory public school education has done more to ruin families than any other institution I can think of. Compulsory public school education should be abolished.

[don-o]

I feel for this poor couple and their family. If they hire an attorney and fight, they will probably bankrupt themselves.

Any homeschooer who is not a member of HSLDA is a fool. I thing it's a hundred bucks a year.

If any homeschoolers have put off doing that umnil now, you know it's only going to get worse. Join today.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Testing for tolerance and diversity is going to happen at the high school in my district. It will be on a list of "competencies" needed for graduation. I don't know if the school board can make it legal or not. But it has been proposed and put in place.

[Tax-chick]

HSLDA - $100 a year, or $85 if you're part of a discount-group, which includes enrollees of most major correspondence programs, and members of many support groups. Check their state pages for details at www.hslda.org.

[don-o]

Home School Legal Defense Association

[JudgemAll]

"We have legal custody of the children and we will do with them as we see fit," DSS worker Susan Etscovitz told the Bryants in their Gale Street home. "They are minors and they do what we tell them to do!"

WALTHAM, MA -- A legal battle over two home-schooled children exploded into a seven-hour standoff yesterday, when they refused to take a standardized test ordered by the Department of Social Services.

George Nicholas Bryant, 15, and Nyssa Bryant, 13, stood behind their parents, Kim and George, as police and DSS workers attempted to collect the children at 7:45 a.m. DSS demanded that the two complete a test to determine their educational level.

Ah,, but we cannot see the level of education and care of the DSS. This is preposterous. The parents have no search warrant against them and the DSS can remain secretive while it pretends to know through a test how a child performs or thinks.

Complete fraud.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I ask you in all seriousness, do you suffer from muliple personality disorder, or do you have two people posting under your screen name. IMO Your posts seem so fragmented. and irrational.

[doc]

I can guarantee you that public school children are not forced to take and pass this test as would these homeschoolers. Someone on the homeschoolers side needs to press this issue.

[Lady Eileen]

For starters, if they fail, they get placed with a foster family and registered in to public school, during their teen years.

This is the truth.

[ladylib]

If I had a child in your high school, I would pull him/her out pronto.

It's none of the school's business about how students feel about diversity or tolerance.

Schools are supposed to impart academic knowledge. The teaching of diversity and tolerance is up to the parents, not the schools.