Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 3equ3cp1fsw0n on February 15, 2011 at 1:42pm

I don't have anything against proper home schooling but, for example, Christian fundamentalists home schooling their children is a horrific scenario.

 

I have an x-friend who is now a fundamentalist Baptist and I can remember her telling me (back when we were still frends) her husband and his family did not believe man ever landed on the moon.

 

They educated both of thier sons through home schooling.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Raymond on February 15, 2011 at 1:41pm

The best thing my mother ever did for me was to put me in a public school setting.  She cursed the catholic schools because of what she had to go through and the way she was treated!  THANKS MOM!

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Permalink Reply by Courtney on February 15, 2011 at 2:38pm

I'll never be a parent but I'm all for parents having the right to home school their child or send them to private school.

I am not however for the subsidization of private education via tax credits, etc.
Some state legislators in my state have tried to pass bills where parents who send their kids to private school will be able to write off their child's education.
I think that is unfair to the parents who WANT to send their children to private school but can't and it's just a give-away to the super wealthy. While there are some "affordable" private schools where I live, there are also some that cost as much as a year at a private college.

 

I do think there should be guidelines for homeschooling but in some states the regulation of homeschooling is very lax or non-existent.

 

I'm very much conflicted on this issue because there are some children who would very much like to attend school instead of being home schooled but because they are a minor, they have to go along with what their parents want.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Mama on February 15, 2011 at 2:52pm

At the same time, there are children who would love to homeschool but have to go to school because that's what their parents think is best.

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Permalink Reply by Courtney on February 16, 2011 at 9:18pm

Agreed.

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Permalink Reply by Radu Andreiu on February 15, 2011 at 2:53pm

I believe that what should be done is whatever is best for the children, not the parents. In many situations, however, it is the parents who are getting all the rights, while children are defenseless. Indoctrination certainly comes to mind first, but I'm sure there are other cases in which parents are able to cripple their children's lives for ever. I'm glad my family was a sane one, but I'm horrified whenever I see children being legally mistreated by their parents under the consideration that parents should be allowed to raise their children as they see fit.

 

P.S. I'm sorry for not providing actual insight to the issue of homeschooling. I think I'm way too inexperienced in such matters to really be opinionated about them.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Mama on February 15, 2011 at 3:06pm

I totally agree that children's needs should be put first...that's why I homeschool :)  Actually, by choosing to keep my son out of school (public for education reasons and private because the good private schools are religious out here), my husband and I have basically  taken a vow of poverty.  It sucks that we're damned broke all the time, but my son's needs come before anything else.  He's consistently working 1-1.5 grade levels ahead of his schooled peers and he has most of his day free for playing, reading and hanging out.  Win win in his case.  Of course, there are others who don't fare so well, either in school or at home.

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Permalink Reply by Violet Chartreuse on February 15, 2011 at 4:05pm

I agree with Radu.  The point is what is best for the children.

How your own child turns out is certainly a concern for you, but how all of society's children turn out is of importance to us all.  If we get a mass of children turned out into society who are not just home-schooled but preferencially indoctinated instead of educated then we are all in for a load of trouble.  We all have a vested interest in seeing that ALL children are being educated to our collective best.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Mama on February 15, 2011 at 4:25pm

There is a huge vested interest in seeing that all children get educated, however the current state of public schools is not it.  Children are graduating high school without being able to read at an eighth grade level.  There is a huge population of incoming college freshmen who cannot perform basic algebraic functions or understand the scientific method.  There are people out there, all former children of society, who can't decide when to use an apostrophe and when not to. There are people who can't decide whether to use the word "idea" or "ideal", "than" or "then", or "bare" or "bear". Before taking away a parent's right to homeschool or private school their child, the current education system needs to be fixed.  

 

Public schools are already over-crowded and under-funded.  Can you imagine if they suddenly had to support the millions of children currently outside its realm of responsibility? 

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Permalink Reply by T A A on February 15, 2011 at 5:53pm

and when to use "effect" or "affect" :)

Proper universal access to high quality education is IMO a prerequisite for any society claiming to be a democracy. For without knowledge of social issues, on what grounds are people voting! Government expenditures in education must be a top priority, before military, before corporate tax breaks, before tax shelters for the richest 5%, before bailouts of corporate giants. Education, not only math/chem/phys/bio but all subject matters, at elementary and secondary levels, phys ed is just as important as science. Youth is a time when minds should be expanding, not being limited by politics.

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Permalink Reply by scLovely on February 15, 2011 at 10:49pm

And "they're" "there" or "their". It irritates me... BAD. And when they punctuate the imperative "Guess what" with a question mark. UGH! I don't even wanna get started.

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Permalink Reply by Violet Chartreuse on February 15, 2011 at 6:31pm

If what we have is not suitable,we must improve it. Education is similar to and more important than infrastructure. Just like roads and bridges there are some passages we need to make safe, available and of the highest quality for all our citizens...not just some.
Personally, I think the money should come from professional sports.

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