From: shimeall@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (timothy shimeall)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Homeschooling
Date: 20 Aug 92 20:42:22 GMT
Reply-To: shimeall@cs.nps.navy.mil (timothy shimeall)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA

In article <4023.9208201316@bonzo.xylogics.com> rollo@xylogics.com (Dena Rollo) writes:
>I think homeschooling is selfish, arrogant, anti-social, and
>irresponsible, PLUS damaging to children. That may sound
>strong, but I mean every word:
>
>selfish: having your kid(s) to yourself. not willing
>to deal with conflicts created when "family" meets
>outside (real) world. not willing to share the time,
>resources, and good ideas you obviously have re education
>with a broader community of children

I don't homeschool (no kids), but the selfish attitude you attribute to
homeschoolers is strikingly absent from the ones I know (And I know
20-30 homeschooling families).  These homeschoolers link with others in
the area, thus serving "a broader community of children"; these
homeschoolers frequently involve their children in discussions of
issues and events of current interest, thus dealing "with conflicts
when 'family' meets outside (real) world"; these homeschoolers are
_anything_ but isolationist.  They are simply convinced (and have
statistics to back that conviction) that an artificially-paced
(grade-based), government-prescribed, non-parent-involved school system
isn't as good a choice for their children as full-parent-involvement,
life-integrated, values-based (but government-certified and verified)
homeschooling.  That may be selfish; it may also be an accurate
choice.

Aside: Have you tried to "share time, resources and good ideas" with a
teacher in the public school system lately?  What was their reaction?
Last time I tried (as part of a public-school science fair) I was told
in no uncertain terms that _they_ were the professionals and I was to
keep my opinions to myself; but again, I have no children, so perhaps a
parent's "time, resources and good ideas" would be more warmly received.

>arrogant: you are the only ones who can teach your 
>children the kind of values/skills you want them to
>have. 
[...]

See above -- it isn't necessarily that the parents feel that they are
the only ones who _can_ teach the children the values/skills they want them
to have -- it's that often parents have _no_ control over what values/skills
are taught to their children in the public school system, and that 
the parents may be the only ones _willing_ to teach the desired
values/skills.

>
>anti-social: I believe that public education is THE
>most important resource we have. 
[...]

I see -- since public education is so high a good, it doesn't matter
that _your_ child may be ill-educated by the public school system, as
in:
  + Bored in school -- either by being forced to progress at a pace
    _much_ slower than she is capable of;
  + Forced to sit through classes that are "taught" by teachers who
    have no interest or capability in the subject, but who do have
    seniority and a strong desire to get a paycheck;
  + Harassed by students and teachers -- if he should happen
    to express "incorrect" values;
  + Personally denigrated due to height, weight or other physical factors
    beyond the student's control.
Before you claim that these aren't common in public schools -- all of
these happened to me in public schools, and from conversations with
colleagues these are _far_ from atypical experiences.  Do you condemn
parents for wanting to provide education for their children in a way
that spares them this pain?

Public Education is indeed _the_ most important resource we have;
pity that it's a resource that isn't provided to many of our children
by the current school system.

>irresponsible: see 'anti-social', above. we have an
>obligation to keep the public school system functioning,
>to improve it, to support it.

Cite evidence (not argument, _evidence_) please that shows that the
modal (most common) homeschooler provides less support to schools than
the modal parent of a public-schooled child.  Both must pay tax dollars
that go to keep the current system running (and there is _no_ current
proposal otherwise; even Bush's voucher proposals wouldn't let
homeschoolers avoid supporting the public school system with their
taxes).  The only difference may be that the public-schooled child
consumes (some of) those resources and the homeschooled-child consumes
far less.

>keeping your kids in a bubble won't protect them and
>may harm them.
True, it may harm them -- but homeschooling is _not_ keeping your kids
in a bubble (at least for all of the homeschoolers I know).  And the
statistics are OVERWHELMING that homeschooling is _by far_ the most
effective form of education.  Performance in tests, subsequent
education and careers all ratify this conclusion.  To be fair, the most
closely correlated factor to educational success is degree of parental
involvement and it is exactly this factor that homeschooling
maximizes.  Current homeschooling parents have a very, very strong
committment to their childrens' education, and it shows in the
performance of their children.

I've eliminated your hint that homeschooled children and/or
homeschooling parents are racist, sexist, and otherwise intolerant.  To
my knowlege, there is _no_ citable evidence to support this (don't
bother sending me argument, but if you have a cite for a study that
contradicts me, send it). Most homeschooling parents probably are
heterosexist (my dictionary doesn't contain this term, but from its
roots I interpret it as  "supportive of heterogeneous sex"), as most 
children are the product of heterosexual unions between their parents.

I am _very_ aware that homeschooling is not preferable for all
families (children may have difficulties that truely require
specialized professionals; parents may simply need to work and
don't have the option to homeschool) and that many parents are
quite satisfied with the public school system.  Most homeschoolers I
know also plan that their children will go to a public or private
school at some point (typically, high school). Just don't deny
parents the right to choose what they judge a better option for
their child.  
			Tim
P.S. Please note, I've tried to avoid religious arguments for
homeschooling.  For the homeschoolers I know, religion isn't the
motivation for homeschooling -- effective, threat-free education
is the issue.
-- 
Tim Shimeall ((408) 646-2509)
The proper response to detecting a bug isn't to fix the bug - it's to make 
sure you'll never have to worry about that bug again.  --- Richard Hamming
Newsgroups: misc.kids