From: jagnow@al.weeg.uiowa.edu (Al Jagnow)
Newsgroups: misc.education
Subject: Re: Homeschooling
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:38:46 GMT
Reply-To: jagnow@al.weeg.uiowa.edu (Al Jagnow)
Distribution: usa

In article <1992Apr14.113114.27916@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>  
sdavis@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Stephen S Davis) writes:
> To get started I need some interested homeschoolers/teachers/administrators  
to 
> come on line and discuss the issues.  i.e. Can administrative functions be 
> handled over the net.  Can my children become involved with the school  
children
> over the net?  How can we help each other?  Curriculum use, successes, things 
> to avoid, leagal issues, progress issues, gradeing issues, testing issues, 
> participation in school sports/band/trips, how to keep informed of what is 
> happening in the local school, TV usages, video usages, computer usages,
> physical education, daily schedules, work space, filing systems, and on to
> infinitum concerning the domain of the homeschool.
> 
> Please cross post this message as appropriate to any place it might solicit
> response.  I will be setting up a file of contacts and post updates and  
reports
> to any interested parties.
> 
> Regards, ssd
> -- 
> Stephen S. Davis                   FUZZNAME: Stephen_Davis@osu.edu
> 4910 Upper Valley Rd         EMAIL: sdavis@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Dayton, OH 45424             Home (513)879-1869
> OSU APRTMNT (614)262-3480    OSU Work, Ed P&L (614)292-4872
Personal Opinion:
Parents who indulge in 'homeschooling' are guilty of child abuse.
Very rarely are they qualified to teach. Even more infrequently can they  
provide an education that comes close to what is provided in public schools.
(I'll admit to a bias here - Iowa schools are better than average.)
The real reasons for home schooling seem to be racism, religous bigotry, or  
laziness on the part of the parents. (they want the children at home to act as  
their slaves)
Although there may be some cases that require home schooling, necessity does  
not seem to be a common reason that is given. The local home schoolers group  
seems to think that schooling can be acomplished in 20 min to two hours per  
day.
If these people were really concerned with educating their children, they would  
send them to public schools and then supplement their education on weekends and  
on vacations.
Of the homeschoolers that I know, one family has had a son refuse to obey his  
parents, run away from home, and begin hang out with the local street gang.
Another family has had a 13 yr old daughter attempt suicide. (She said that she  
didn't have any friends and that her parents didn't like her.)
OK, so that can happen to kids who attend public schools too, but I think that  
these children would have had a better chance if they had public school  
education and had access to the resources of the public education system.
We don't need more people who will be a burden on society.
You should also note that in today's job market, a GED certificate may be a  
mark against you when applying for a job.  It indicates that although you may  
have the knowledge, you were not reliable enough to attend school on a regular  
basis.  Unless you have a real high school diploma, you may even have trouble  
finding a job flipping burgers.  

Disclaimer: This has been a personal opinion. Flames will be ignored.
Newsgroups: misc.education