Texas Ed Spectator

Ask Rockridge: Can a Progressive Support Homeschooling? — Rockridge Nation

So, yes progressives can support homeschooling.

But apparently with quite a few “ifs”. I really can’t bring myself to read through all the comments. I’m sure there is the usual education as the foundation for democracy and so on. I’m sure there are plenty of anti-homeschoolers who are certain we are isolating our children although the number of homeschoolers they personally know they probably can count on one hand. It’s just tiring.

For some reason, people think that public schools and education are the same thing. And progressives are for mandatory school attendance if the schools are teaching the “right” information just as conservatives would have no problem with requiring everyone attend public school if they were teaching the “right” conservative information.

It’s not about the quality of the schools, it’s about parental choice. And if you can’t trust parents to ensure that their children will be educated well enough to function in the “real” world, why stop with education? Why not regulate the clothing parents may buy children or how about inspecting every family’s kitchen? Why not require every two-year-old in the nation to be inspected for parental quality?

Granted, it’s a gray area and difficult to draw the line but if nothing else, consider homeschooling an escape valve for parents who don’t want their children in school for whatever reasons–too conservative, too liberal, too regimented, too dangerous, etc. If everyone grows up learning only the public school group think, who will be around to challenge it?

Technorati Tags: Progressive Homeschooling

Broadsheet: Women’s Articles, Women’s Stories, Women’s Blog - Salon.com

It’s that exciting time of year when adolescent girls across the nation go in search of the essentials for starting off the school year prepared and ready to learn as a hot new ‘tween: pink, padded bras, T-shirts with slogans declaring their total lack of smarts (”I Left My Brain in My Locker”) and, perhaps, a Juicy Couture gym bag made especially for prepubescents, announcing “Juicy and Happy.”

If you want to understand why homeschoolers give you a look of amazement when you ask about socialization, think about “back to school.” Now if the phrase “back to school” conjures up a collection of warm feelings and exciting images, you can stop reading write now. But if “back school” brings a creeping feeling of dread, you might get some glimmer of understanding why homeschoolers think it’s schools with the socialization problem and not homeschoolers.

Do homeschoolers have to deal with the latest fashion trends? Yes. But it generally isn’t in the context of who is wearing what in Algebra class. And I don’t know many homeschoolers avoiding advanced math and science classes because they might be perceived geeky.

So the next time you have a feeling that all the “back to school” hype has gotten a bit out of control, you’ll have some insight as to why people choose to homeschool.

Technorati Tags: Back to school, why homeschool, commercialization, socialization

Who knew that sports writers were so well informed about homeschooling to be able to make the following statement?

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

Unlike a lot the typical home-schooled students, Berrier (pronounced like Perrier) is well-adjusted and blends in enough with his McKay teammates that outsiders can’t tell the difference.

And then there is the basketball coach:

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

“The kids love him,” McKay coach Jack Martino said. “They get along with him great. There’s times you could see it would be a lot better if he was here. He’s socially inept at times. But that was more when he was a freshman and a sophomore — you’re trying to get him to act like a human, and he was a kindergartner at times.

Aren’t most freshman and sophomores socially inept at times?

Looks like his teammates are experts on homeschooling as well.

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

“Being home-schooled, he’s around 10 people a day, so he doesn’t take criticism from anybody,” said senior teammate Greg Plater.

Well, if he hasn’t received any criticism in homeschooling, surely he’s received some in college?

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

Berrier has finished his home-schooling curriculum for high school — but hasn’t graduated — and is taking classes at Chemeketa Community College.

He figures that he’ll have 60 credits toward a college degree by the end of the school year.

What’s interesting is that they never really give his opinion about the school and why he doesn’t attend although his sister does. They don’t have him saying, “yeah, since I homeschool, people are really easy on me” or something to that affect. The only statement from him is about when he couldn’t get into the high school dance.

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

“After that, I was so sick of it, I never went to one,” said Berrier, whose twin sister, Samantha, attended McKay and graduated in February. “I lost interest in it. If they don’t want me there, I’m not going to go.”

Sports - StatesmanJournal.com:

The thing that keeps Berrier coming back to McKay is basketball.

So he isn’t in school for the academic challenge or social opportunities–just basketball? What a resounding endorsement for the benefits of attending high school. Gosh, he’s so lucky to have been able to play basketball to save him from being a typical socially inept homeschooler.

For those who read “Rudolf and the road not taken” post, it looks like the reindeer were in McKinney High School. Working backwards, here are the “apologies” from the reindeer about not letting Rudolph join any reindeer games.

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | McKinney News:

“I don’t have a senior year,” Elizabeth said. “I might have made some bad decisions like the picture and staying in the group at homecoming, but it’s taught me a lot about how life is. I’ve learned a lot from it.”

Here are reindeer parents explaining that is was just a game and after all, they’re just teenage reindeer:

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | McKinney News:

The cheerleaders admit they’ve messed up, but they deny they are mean people. Some of them are honor students. Others volunteered at shelters after Hurricane Katrina.”I’ve done charity work with these girls,” the mother of another cheerleader said. “I’ve stayed up all night seeing them work at shelters.”

Here’s the “well it shouldn’t have happened but now it’s affecting all of Santa’s operations so could we please do something about it so that Santa in’t embarrassed?”

Star Community Newspapers:

Cheryl True, the mother of a MNHS junior, also said the district’s investigation is still causing problems for the school.

“Seniors at McKinney North have had to delay college applications because they are waiting on letters of recommendation from administrators who weren’t available,” True said. “Students at North have been made to feel embarrassed and ashamed in college interviews for something they had nothing to do with and that you have complete control over. Students, staff and parents have to continue to deal with gossip and ridicule.”

True blamed the district for not providing enough information to the public on the MNHS situation and not sharing more of the blame.

“To say you’re focusing your attention of educating students is an insult,” True said. “You’ve been focusing your attention on protecting yourselves. That’s not the kind of leadership we need in McKinney.”

Here’s the reindeer school directors blaming the organizer of the reindeer games.

McKinney ISD Issues Response To Cheerleader Sponsor - Education:

Fact: Interestingly, Ms. Ward sent a thank you card to her principal on September 26, just two days before her resignation as cheerleading sponsor, praising her for her leadership. The card included statements such as: “I want you to know that I admire the way you’re handling things and taking care of what needs to be done. You are so strong, you always display such a professional demeanor, and somehow you manage to smile all the way through it! I look up to you in so many ways! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.” Eight days later, Ms. Ward stated to the Dallas Morning News that her attempts to discipline were thwarted due to the fact that the principal’s daughter was on the squad. It is important to note, McKinney North High School Principal Linda Theret’s daughter earned a spot on the squad through an impartial tryout process and Ms. Theret has not appealed any of the consequences that her daughter has received. Ms. Ward is attempting to capitalize on the fact that Ms. Theret’s daughter is on the squad by omitting the relevant facts on this issue when speaking to the press.

And here’s someone stating what no one wants to admit:

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | McKinney News:

Mr. Jones said Saturday that he wishes the families well, saying the kids’ behavior didn’t shock him as much as it appears to have shocked the media.”I really wasn’t faulting the kids’ behavior so much as trying to determine whether the adults did their jobs,” he said.

The press’s reaction has been a cross between “Shocking! Just shocking! Our society would never condone such behavior” and “see how the mighty have fallen” both of which ignores the fact that you could find this going on in any school in the country.

That just leaves the question of where’s Rudolph? The media hasn’t seemed to be able to find a specific person who was excluded from the reindeer games. Somehow, the cheerleading coach, Michaela Ward just doesn’t fit the bill. And maybe that’s the most revealing aspect to this whole story. Nobody wants to come forward and admit that they have been excluded from the reindeer games or that they had been mistreated at the hands of the popular reindeer. Why? Because while these specific reindeer may be reassigned or graduate, the reindeer game remains and no one wants to suggest that their might be something wrong with the game itself if there is still a chance for them to join it.
In real life, there is no Rudolph that can come in, save the day, and redeem the other reindeer because that only happens in fairy tales.