How does your state deal with home schooling? Hopefully you have checked into it just to make sure things are on the up and up.
Here in the Sooner State our leaders are so convinced that our citizens are so bright, intellectual, and enamored with the love of learning that they allow home- schoolers and their parents to go totally unregulated and unrestricted.
Think of the thousands of Oklahoma children who elect to be "home schooled" because:
1. They hate the teacher or the school;
2. They hate algebra or science, some class;
3. They have been suspended and just say "to hell with it, I'll just be home schooled";
4. Maybe mom or dad need them to babysit.
My point is obvious: there is plenty of room for abuse in this new societal approach to academia.
The religious zealots say they pull their child out of the schools due to the social environment only to later demand that their child be allowed to be a cheerleader, on the ball team, or serve on the debate team. Many of these parents demand to enroll their child in driver's education in order to skirt the cost of private training.
Are there legitimate reasons for home schooling? Absolutely. My fear, however, is that one day we will read of something horrible or dreadful as a result of this new method of scholastic achievement.
Lastly, just because someone has an education it doesn't mean that h/she could inculcate a lesson correctly or appropriately.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
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As a former teacher of high school students, I agree with you that not everyone can appropriately educate, especially their own child. One of my concerns has been that social integration will be lost on home-schooled children, though it is often the very reason parents opt out of public schools.
ReplyDeleteI addition, how will these children learn respect for authority outside the home? At some point in their lives they will have to come to terms with that.
We have only to read the news of abusive and controlling parents who have inflicted great harm on their children to know there are dangers in this scenario. It is a hidden form of domestic violence which often stays dormant until the child is rescued or reaches an age where they have the courage to seek help.
Many concerns indeed....
Very interesting post Del!
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering for some time about homeschooling. Surely it makes sense for certain kids, but how many? And how often is it done well?
A lot of it seems to be pretty nutty. I'm all for strick standards and assessments of it!