Compulsory education is a 12+ year jail sentence and the schools are the prisons

While my opponent has brought up the point that children are home schooled, he/she has not detailed any of the reasons why parents say they choose to home-school or unschool. Also, as many are single parents, home-schooling is not an option for a majority of those who must work in order to provide essentials (food, clothing, and shelter) for themselves and their families. For these parents, a large population in the States, homeschooling is often a decision of last resort. Also, requiring parents to fill out paperwork, essentially ask for permission, to home school their children can be seen as coercive. Homehoolers in my area must also take standardized tests periodically. Parents can be jailed if their children don't attend school. Another form of the school to prison pipeline [4] Thus, depending on the nature of one's society and economy compulsory education can be viewed as coercive. Also, in many nations/countries home-schooling is illegal. Some examples include Germany, Greece, Cuba, etc. http://www.examiner.com.... As the debate was not limited to the United States, I will consider this portion of Con's argument to be limited in scope. Reasons parents state for homeschooling: Relation to Jail 1. concern for the child's safety and welfare [1] - jail environments are dangerous 2. child has been a victim of bullying. [1] - prisoners are victimized and bullied 3. desire to protect child's individual identity [1] (students are given identity numbers) - prisoners are numbers 4. punishing policies - prisoners are being punished Rebuttal of disimilar purposes argument Purpose for jail sentence 1&2. Deterrence is the use of punishment as a threat to deter people from offending. [5] I assert that attendees are often given time as a means of deterrence, it is called detention. As students can receive detentions for the smallest of supposed infractions as well as for not attending school on time, I argue that this is very similar to a jail sentence. [6] Attendees can be jailed for missing school (type of school to prison pipeline). [7] [20] Attendees can even receive corporal punishment from school staff. [8] These are also retributive measures. 3. Rehabilitation - I argue that the schooling system is attempting to change the attendees' inclinations. Punishment for mismatched shoe laces, having to urinate and growing one's hair are intended to punish something that should not be a crime. The attendees are being punished for free will and independent thought. Adults are not considered non law abiding citizens for having mismatched shoe laces, growing their hair or having to urinate. [9] These are basically thought crimes that are reminiscent of the book 1984. 4. Protection (of society) - The practices of schools are also to protect society. They protect society's class hierarchy (i.e. grading system, differences in qualities of schools, assurance of a labor class vs. entrepreneurs) suggested purpose of schools: 1. Social Development - One of the major reasons parents choose to home school is to avoid inappropriate socialization. Unfortunately, the negative socialization that takes place in the larger "school" environment is often destructive and parents must spend time retraining their children after long exposure to it. Meanness, teasing, gossip, rudeness, peer pressure and other destructive social skills contribute to negative socialization. [10] Also, as inmates spend most of their time isolated in a cell, attendees are expected and forced to sit still and quietly at their desks a majority of the time. 2. Vocational Development - While vocational training is beneficial, the typical education (in the U.S) does not offer vocational courses. When they are offered, the attendees may have to sacrifice academics to receive vocational training. But welding is tough work. It"s "not kind to your knees and your back," says Houle. He started to think about the fact that his body would give out someday. Then what would he do?..That meant going to college. And that"s when he realized that, when it came to academics, he hadn"t learned nearly enough in high school. [10] Jails also offer vocational courses: There is one group of American workers so disenfranchised that corporations are able to get away with paying them wages that rival those of third-world sweatshops...They are the 2.3 million American prisoners locked behind bars where we cannot see or hear them. And they are modern-day slaves of the 21st century. [11] 3. Cognitive Development - most public school students who headed to college aren't prepared for college work [12] Overall, only about half of college grads say they"re prepared for the workplace " and the number of bosses who think they"re prepared is lower than 40%. [13] 4. Emotional Development - Fewer students than ever before are reporting above-average emotional health. [14] Too many college students face challenges for which they are emotionally ill-equipped to handle. [15] Essential Differences 1. already discussed 2. "School for 12 years, college for 4 years or more...then you work until you die. Great." Unknown Student I think generalizing that children want to go to school is an overstatement. [16] Many students think school is boring, dislike school, drop out of school, sow no signs of engagement, put forth little effort and receive poor grades [17] 3. Many districts are eliminating or not expanding nursing positions because of budget cuts [18] Prisoners can be temporarily released from jail. 4. Compulsory education requires outside permission and regulation for a parental decision. I agree education is important. 5. Traditional education is not compulsory...it is practical and interactive (i.e. real world application) 6. As stated, the child's crime is apparently free will and independent thought. Also, sentences can be opinions or decisions and the attendees often state they feel like school is a jail. Famous homeschooled people include: Mozart, Pearl Buck, Susan B Anthony, Venus and Serena Williams "Freedom is earned.." - John le Carr", "All men are born free: just not for long." Freedom is a natural born right. How children's freedom is restricted should be left to parents. They could have family members help with schooling, yet, this is not allowed by homeschooling requirements. "recreational time is limited.." - education, eating and recreation can be mutually inclusive. "if school stopped children from being free-spirited..." - When starting out as a teacher, I heard Joseph Cornell say that keeping children inside one room five days a week is akin to breaking a horse..Our tendency is to keep children in, especially as academic demands only increase. And for discipline or missed work what do we do? Keep them in at recess. Breaking horses. [19] "few schools would actually..." - "..the lunch lady took my lunch away and threw it in the garbage." [21] [22] Pat downs by guards,walking in line and uniforms are methods to strip dignity,independence, and free will from attendees - similar to prisoners. [25] School to prison pipeline - this "pipeline" is the result of public institutions being neglectful or derelict in properly addressing students as individuals who might need extra educational or social assistance. [4] The resulting miseducation and mass incarceration are said to create a vicious circle for individuals and communities. (i.e. Zero-tolerance policies, Excessive policing, Institutional similarity) [23,24,26] Thus, state mandated constrained education in schools is similar to jail. Sources: http://www.crosswalk.com... [1] http://www.tolerance.org... [2] http://www.rollingstone.com... [3] http://www.wnd.com... [4] http://en.wikipedia.org... [5] http://www.khou.com... [6] http://www.pbs.org... [7] http://www.hrw.org... [8] http://www.alternet.org... [9] http://www.americanradioworks.org... [10] http://www.alternet.org... [11] http://www.chicagotribune.com... [12] http://business.time.com... [13] http://heri.ucla.edu... [14] http://www.washingtonpost.com... [15] http://www.naturalchild.org... [16] http://compassionbasedlearning.blogspot.com... [17] http://www.educationworld.com... [18] http://blog.childrenandnature.org... [19] http://endoftheamericandream.com... [20] http://thestir.cafemom.com... [21] http://www.npr.org... [22] http://www.huffingtonpost.com... [23] http://www.tolerance.org... [24] http://pix11.com... [25] http://en.wikipedia.org... [26]