Try it!

[giovani]

After reading it looks as if the state just wants you to school your children (as you already do) or let them do it for you if you are unwilling.

Me thinks they don't want more uneducated little urchins, who grow up to be deadbeat burdens on society.

What is it you find wrong with this.

 

[RockofStrength]

After reading it looks as if the state just wants you to school your children (as you already do) or let them do it for you if you are unwilling.

Me thinks they don't want more uneducated little urchins, who grow up to be deadbeat burdens on society.

What is it you find wrong with this.

Paying for it?

 

[88GT]

After reading it looks as if the state just wants you to school your children (as you already do) or let them do it for you if you are unwilling.

What does the state care what I do with my children as far as their education goes? What do you care, for that matter?

Me thinks they don't want more uneducated little urchins, who grow up to be deadbeat burdens on society.

Because we have none with compulsory attendance laws and government administered schools, right?

What is it you find wrong with this.

If good intentions were the standard by which I judged government intrusion in my life, I wouldn't oppose any of it, would I?

I have stated umpteen times what I find wrong with it. Why is it that you don't find fault with it?

EDIT: just saw the post asking about my kids' ages. Sorry, the "go to last post" while on my phone is slow and sometimes I start scrolling before things get completely loaded, resulting in some of the first posts since "last post" getting missed. Lower elementary and pre-school. Would you care to share why you asked?

 

[giovani]

I agree we have too many uneducated burdens on society, but I don't wish for the percentage of them to increase.

For this reason I support compulsory attendance, just not compulsory attendance to a public school.

And as I stated before the law meant nothing to us, as no one representing any school or governmental agency contacted us for 7 years while we homeschooled our children.

This is why i asked the ages of your children, you are fairly new to the game and are running around like the sky is falling.

The truth of the matter is you can pretty much do as you please, in regards to educating your young ones, and no one will care.

 

[monitor51]

We started this last fall. Free Online School from Home: Connections Academy

Though not quite "Home schooling" it is done at home. Or anywhere else we happen to be that has a wifi connection. We weren't happy with the school system and we sure don't miss all the bull**** drama that goes on. It has taken some adjustment on all our parts but I think we will stick with this. My daughter has mentioned about attending her "senior" year, we shall see.

 

[88GT]

I agree we have too many uneducated burdens on society, but I don't wish for the percentage of them to increase.

For this reason I support compulsory attendance, just not compulsory attendance to a public school.

And just exactly how much will that percentage increase?

Isn't it true that compulsory attendance hasn't done anything to prevent/minimize burdens on society? Or am I just imagining the ever-increasing expansion of entitlement programs meant to perpetuate the lousy parents and their lousy kids?

Isn't it true that parents who want an education for their children and want their children to value education would make it happen without being told they had to by the government?

Isn't it true that ass-in-seat is no guarantee of an education at all, and merely being in compliance with attendance laws does NOTHING to ensure a result, any result?

Isn't it true that parents are the largest determining factor in the success of the child's education, regardless of where he is enrolled?

So how is it that you can argue with any credibility that compulsory attendance laws stave off this massive flood of lousy burdens on society? Because I sure as hell don't see it things changing if we didn't require students to go where they didn't want to be. They aren't there anyway, not in the way it matters.

And as I stated before the law meant nothing to us, as no one representing any school or governmental agency contacted us for 7 years while we homeschooled our children.

This is why i asked the ages of your children, you are fairly new to the game and are running around like the sky is falling.

The truth of the matter is you can pretty much do as you please, in regards to educating your young ones, and no one will care.

Holy hell, that's hilarious. I don't have to be a homeschooler, new or 20-year veteran, to see the obvious.

 

[giovani]

So really it just boils down to you don't like authority,you don't like having to live by rules.

I can tell you whats funny, shutting down the public school system, repealing compulsory attendance and then expecting the public at large to give their children a good education.

If you see this quality in most of your fellow Americans, you must be looking in a different place than I

 

[tem375]

As a teacher I am a little biased, however here is my $.02. I believe that all children deserve a good education. If the parents want to take them on themselves, I think that is an awesome idea. However I truly believe that the article is doing to teachers what the media does to gun owners.

I would urge anyone to come to my school and sit in any classroom on my team and tell me one "lie" or "inaccuracy" being taught. The fact that people are willing to lump all teachers and schools into one large category , then will post elsewhere saying they are sick of the media making every gun owner out to be a criminal, absolutely makes me sick.

I encourage everyone to do what is best for their children and would never tell someone what to do to make their child the best person they can be.

Please stop subscribing to the opinions of others, and think, how long has it been since you were in the classroom as an adult, seeing what is actually happening? Is it a perfect system? No. But neither is home schooling.

 

[Beau]

I don't think just anyone can home school. I know I couldn't do it. I also know of a few kids that are being home schooled and they are at least two grades behind where they should be.

 

[rhino]

I teach at a government operated, post-secondary institution. I've never taught in a high school, but I was a student when the system was doing a much better job overall and doing less damage to the children. I still would not subject any child of my own to that.

I do not think the government should be operating schools.

I especially do not think parents should effectively be forced to submit to the goverment schooling system. Sure, if you can afford to pay for alternatives after you're already soaked by the taxes you have choices, but you shouldn't be coerced into paying for something you don't want to use, even if it's the government. Well, especially if it's the government.

For those who have the means to effectively educate their kids at home, I applaud you. At least some of you are doing a great job because I've had more than few home schooled students in my classes and without exception they've been among the best of my students by any metric one chooses to apply, including participation during lecture/discussion and interacting with other students. I've yet to meet the stereotypical introverted home schooled kid who can't interact with the outside world. I'm sure they exist, but I am skeptical of any correlation with home schooling, and I am amused by assertions of a causal relationship.

I do not intend to demean the ability, dedication, or intent of any teachers employed by government schools. Many are excellent and effective, but they're stuck in a system that is swirling around the bowl and I would strongly prefer if all were employed by privately own schools who grew and were strengthened by ongoing competition with other private schools.

Furthermore, I do not believe that the actual goal of those who control the government school system overall is to educate children and help them prepare themselves for life as an adult. It should be, but the evidence supports the contrary. As I observe them happening, each time changes are made, they diverge further from methods that worked better in the past. This is not rational if the goal really was to educate the students, so the only conclusion I can make is there is another goal or set of goals, which ultimately do not have the best interests of individual students among them.

 

[ocsdor]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujuDvwSOFto[/ame]

 

[jamil]

We are in a 4 star school district, and we as parents can see where our money goes by just going to the school administration office and asking for a copy of the budget...I think that is very good accountability

It's fortunate that you happen to live in such a district where the school board and administrators are motivated to do all that. It's a start, and probably your schools would survive in a free market system. Motivated by competition, they may even become more efficient, and better educators. Wanting to be all you can be is an okay motivation, but existential motivation is orders of magnitude more motivating.

I live in a district that has some pretty good schools. We had a four star elementary school close because of budget problems. Many of the teachers who made that school four-star were laid off because they had less tenure. Public education is not free. Someone is paying for it, mostly people who have no children in public school. Though there are some shining exceptions, the public school system is overall a failing model.

...now I know IPS schools are horrible. They have vouchers that are means tested to go to charter schools...only people on welfare passes the means test, or working at minimum wage job.
My daughter and her 3 kids live with us. A Long with another grandchild. She could not pass the means test because our incomes would be combined.

"Charter schools" isn't exactly what I'm suggesting. I'm suggesting we eliminate all publicly owned and operated schools, as well as eliminating the useless waste of resources that is the US Department of Education.

Public schools would be replaced by private, for-profit enterprises, including online distance learning. Everyone who has a child attending must pay their own way, but low income families could have a portion of their tuition subsidized. Of course anyone could opt to home school.

I am sure you don't get back what you pay in property taxes, unless you have a lot of kids. But that is just the way it is...I hate paying for abortions but my tax dollars do it...I hate paying for people getting disability because they took to many drugs, I hate paying for food stamps, welfare and all the other free stuff that people get because they don't work.

That's just the way it is now. Must everything remain as it is now? Can't we advocate a better way instead of accepting the current way?

 

[jamil]

These are contradictory statements. Either the parents are the determining factor or they are not.

To which I say, we already have kids with lousy parents growing up to be lousy adults. What exactly would be the big change again?

Then again, if governments schools are such the saving grace, why aren't the kids with the worst parents doing as well as those with better parents?

Not contradictory. I didn't say parents are THE determining factor, but listed parents along with other determining factors. Growing up with poor or lousy parents, by itself, doesn't assure kids will grow up to be poor or lousy adults. I know kids who grew up in the worst conditions, but because of caring teachers, managed to remove themselves from the cycle of lousiness. Kids can't help it that their parents are lousy. And I don't want to exclude them from the opportunity to break the cycle.

Public schools aren't a saving grace. I want to eliminate them. Individual teachers who cared about their students' future were the saving grace in the examples I know personally.

I get that people are fine with paying or others' responsibilities. But it's called charity and it's not your business to tell me when and how to be charitable. I don't mind helping others unable to help themselves either. But I sure as hell don't want to be forced to fund an entity whose very existence is anathema to my idea of freedom, that indoctrinates my children with a set of beliefs I do not want them to have, and usurps my parental authority by its very existence. You might as well be asking me to fund a gulag they want to put me in.

If you want accountability, you necessarily have to remove the government from the equation. Money talks. And when the provider doesn't have to worry about the money being given to a competitor, it has ZERO motivation to provide a decent product and every motivation to do whatever the hell it wants regardless of the preferences of the "users." Until the money is paid on a user-choice basis, and the non-users aren't forced to pay into it to keep it afloat, you will always have a bloated government inefficiency that occasionally provide the service it is supposed to provide.

Again, I don't want a department of education at any level of government. I don't want state or local school boards. I don't want publicly owned or operated schools. I think it's reasonable for the state and local governments to pass laws that establish general standards and appropriately regulate the industry (it should be an industry), but beyond that the government is out of it.

I do support subsidizing families who are unable to home school or pay for school. If that can be accomplished by charitable trusts and other private funding, I'm all for that.

 

[RockofStrength]

As a teacher I am a little biased, however here is my $.02. I believe that all children deserve a good education. If the parents want to take them on themselves, I think that is an awesome idea. However I truly believe that the article is doing to teachers what the media does to gun owners.

I would urge anyone to come to my school and sit in any classroom on my team and tell me one "lie" or "inaccuracy" being taught. The fact that people are willing to lump all teachers and schools into one large category , then will post elsewhere saying they are sick of the media making every gun owner out to be a criminal, absolutely makes me sick.

I encourage everyone to do what is best for their children and would never tell someone what to do to make their child the best person they can be.

Please stop subscribing to the opinions of others, and think, how long has it been since you were in the classroom as an adult, seeing what is actually happening? Is it a perfect system? No. But neither is home schooling.

Quite true, but then no one demands money to homeschool his own children from his neighbors. While I disagree that some people can't homeschool, why are private schools not sufficient for those who cannot or will not educate their own? As I've already posted, private schools teach kids for less money per student than public schools as it is: we'd be getting a bargain and the schools would have to compete in terms of quality of teachers, sports equipment etc. Win/win, yes?

 

[steveh_131]

So really it just boils down to you don't like authority,you don't like having to live by rules.

This is the standard attack any time someone advocates liberty.

Why are you so afraid of freedom? Did our nation fall apart before this system of public schools came into existence?

It's certainly falling apart now.

 

[88GT]

So really it just boils down to you don't like authority,you don't like having to live by rules.

No, it just really boils down to the fact that I shouldn't have to pay for your responsibilities, whether it's your health care, your grocery bill, your housing costs, OR your kids' education.

I can tell you whats funny, shutting down the public school system, repealing compulsory attendance and then expecting the public at large to give their children a good education.

And how is that different from now? Simply being in the school means nothing. Look at the dismal graduation rates of inner city public schools. Detroit has less than 10% of its eighth graders reading at an eighth grade level. The fact is that there will be very little difference in the number of children that actually receive an education if you took away the free ride babysitters known as government schools.

What's funny is that you think you have some moral authority to tell people how to live and how to raise their kids though.

If you see this quality in most of your fellow Americans, you must be looking in a different place than I

That has nothing to do with it. Unlike you, though, I don't feel the need to tell them what to do. I also know that laws don't change behavior and people will do what they want anyway. I kinda have some personal experience with that portion of the population that doesn't care to educate their children, and I know for a fact that their attendance at the public schools doesn't result in the education you seek for them.

As a teacher I am a little biased, however here is my $.02. I believe that all children deserve a good education. If the parents want to take them on themselves, I think that is an awesome idea. However I truly believe that the article is doing to teachers what the media does to gun owners.

I would urge anyone to come to my school and sit in any classroom on my team and tell me one "lie" or "inaccuracy" being taught. The fact that people are willing to lump all teachers and schools into one large category , then will post elsewhere saying they are sick of the media making every gun owner out to be a criminal, absolutely makes me sick.

I encourage everyone to do what is best for their children and would never tell someone what to do to make their child the best person they can be.

Please stop subscribing to the opinions of others, and think, how long has it been since you were in the classroom as an adult, seeing what is actually happening? Is it a perfect system? No.

Why does everybody think that his one little tidbit of data is somehow magically changing the big picture?

I didn't stop to check you join date, but if you think I'm a follower who can't formulate her own opinions, you haven't been paying attention.

But neither is home schooling.

Actually, homeschooling is perfect when it's the choice of a family. It's not the perfect choice for every family. But when it is chosen, it is implemented more perfectly than any other system because there are no influences that undermine the parent from doing what is best for the children. And none of us ask for you to pay for it.

Besides, if you don't want to homeschool, don't. I don't effing care. There are several other options out there. But don't pretend you're not stealing from me to pay for your responsibilities.

 

[jamil]

I don't think just anyone can home school. I know I couldn't do it. I also know of a few kids that are being home schooled and they are at least two grades behind where they should be.

I know of a few public school kids who are at least two grades ahead of where the really should be. Who flunks anymore? Kids are just passed on to the next grade without having mastered the previous one.

I won't say that home school is the best solution for everyone but it's at least as good as public school in general terms.

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

My wife and I home schooled my son from the time he was 12 until 18. The public school system in hobart was failing my son, they seen a handicapped boy who wasn't worthy of the same education as the kids in his class.They focused on what he couldn't do and limited the things he could.At 12 yrs old my son seen no future and was on a daily basis, telling us he couldn't go on anymore.He is now a 22yr. old man who we couldn't be more proud of. Sometimes just learning the 3 R's just isnt enough.The public school systems are failing cause they no longer teach honor,respect, and loyalty, it's now all about money. I highly encourage everyone to home school if your able, cause some things only a parent can teach thier children.

 

[tem375]

Why does everybody think that his one little tidbit of data is somehow magically changing the big picture?

I didn't stop to check you join date, but if you think I'm a follower who can't formulate her own opinions, you haven't been paying attention.



Actually, homeschooling is perfect when it's the choice of a family. It's not the perfect choice for every family.

I have been around a while.

I am not saying that you subscribe to others beliefs as much as I am saying that I am sick of being lumped into one big category by someone who writes articles, post online, or otherwise forms an opinion then decides to distribute it to people. This goes for teaching, being a gun owner, etc...

I agree that homeschooling is a good option for those who can feasibly implement it correctly. However, as a teacher, I can say with 100% certainty that my children will go to public school.

 

[rambone]

So really it just boils down to you don't like authority,you don't like having to live by rules.

The natural state is to be left alone. It is an unnatural state to be bossed around on family matters.

Rather than looking for other people's lack of submissiveness, look for your own tendency toward wanting to control others.