TX Mulls Whether Homeschool Kids Must Learn

[downtoearth]

Nov 2, 2015 11:27:35 GMT -5 BlondeSpiders said:

I wanted to say this in the other thread, but it grew too large and unwieldy and it got away from me.

I think some parents tend to forget the purpose of having kids. We use the phrase "raising children," but what you're really doing is raising adults. Your job as a parent is raise up your kid so he/she becomes a functioning adult who can survive in the world. That means other standards apply, not just your own.
If your child grows to be an adult who can only function in your house but not in the world at large, than you have failed as a parent. Period.

I agree somewhat, but not completely b/c this is also pretty harsh. I know quite a few adults who are struggling and it's not the fault of their parents or homeschooling - they might have other issues and things their parents couldn't overcome on their behalf.  I just think this is too simplified and doesn't apply directly to homeschooling legislation/oversight.

[laurenpetro]

Nov 2, 2015 11:52:21 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Nov 2, 2015 11:27:35 GMT -5 BlondeSpiders said:

I wanted to say this in the other thread, but it grew too large and unwieldy and it got away from me.

I think some parents tend to forget the purpose of having kids. We use the phrase "raising children," but what you're really doing is raising adults. Your job as a parent is raise up your kid so he/she becomes a functioning adult who can survive in the world. That means other standards apply, not just your own.
If your child grows to be an adult who can only function in your house but not in the world at large, than you have failed as a parent. Period.

I agree somewhat, but not completely b/c this is also pretty harsh. I know quite a few adults who are struggling and it's not the fault of their parents or homeschooling - they might have other issues and things their parents couldn't overcome on their behalf.  I just think this is too simplified and doesn't apply directly to homeschooling legislation/oversight.

eh.  i have a son that will likely not function on his own as an adult.  but that doesn't mean it's not my job to do my damnest to help him as much as possible.  not getting them there =/= not bothering.

you don't just get to sit back as a parent and say, "Fuck you, government!  IMMA DO WHAT I WANT!!" and not expect some reprecussions from your choices.

[laurenpetro]

and while we're on this tangent (or at least i am, anyway), what happens to SN kids whose parents keep them off the radar? do we just say, "too bad so sad. you could have had a shot but your parents who are completely uneducated in your needs fucked you over. sucks to be you!"

this is really where my issues with homeschooling lay. i get that AW thinks she's the bestest thing since sliced bread WRT her own kids but what if one was autistic? would she just educate that kid in the same manner as her other kids because that's all she knows? i can't see she and her husband allowing the fools in government schools being allowed to work with that one child.

[downtoearth]

Nov 2, 2015 11:58:07 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

Nov 2, 2015 11:52:21 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

I agree somewhat, but not completely b/c this is also pretty harsh. I know quite a few adults who are struggling and it's not the fault of their parents or homeschooling - they might have other issues and things their parents couldn't overcome on their behalf.  I just think this is too simplified and doesn't apply directly to homeschooling legislation/oversight.

eh.  i have a son that will likely not function on his own as an adult.  but that doesn't mean it's not my job to do my damnest to help him as much as possible.  not getting them there =/= not bothering.

you don't just get to sit back as a parent and say, "Fuck you, government!  IMMA DO WHAT I WANT!!" and not expect some reprecussions from your choices.

I agree and that is why I think the OP about "raising adults" was a bit off-topic for this. I think homeschooling does need more oversight, but I also don't think that was specific to homeschooling kids.

[AJL]

The arguments that anti-regulation home school parents give echos so much the anti-vaccination movement. It's all me, me, me and mine, mine, mine.

[mominatrix]

Nov 2, 2015 12:02:02 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

and while we're on this tangent (or at least i am, anyway), what happens to SN kids whose parents keep them off the radar? do we just say, "too bad so sad. you could have had a shot but your parents who are completely uneducated in your needs fucked you over. sucks to be you!"

this is really where my issues with homeschooling lay. i get that AW thinks she's the bestest thing since sliced bread WRT her own kids but what if one was autistic? would she just educate that kid in the same manner as her other kids because that's all she knows? i can't see she and her husband allowing the fools in government schools being allowed to work with that one child.

Like my friend the Un. Schooler.

Kid on the spectrum. Our state has NOTHING required before age 9, about third grade.

I see this turning out well.

[pixy0stix]

Nov 2, 2015 12:19:40 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Yesterday, DH interviewed a kid who applied for Andover. He is currently in 8th grade IN PUBLIC SCHOOL and doing calculus. He is also on the under 14 US soccer team and plays some instrument pretty well (he has had paying gigs). So far, he's done really well on the SATs and has won some scholarship for boarding school.

I know this isn't the point, but there's been a lot of studies that kids who are going to succeed are going to succeed in any environment. So this particular kid would have succeeded wherever he went whether it be homeschool, private, or public. Which is why when people say, "My kids excel in homeschool!" that I sort of roll my eyes. Those kids would do well regardless. How about you tell me about your kid that struggles and is mediocre, then we can discuss how well the different types of schooling work for those children.

[sushi]

The gubmint is only there to protect children until they're born. Hth

[mominatrix]

Nov 2, 2015 12:28:06 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Nov 2, 2015 12:02:02 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

and while we're on this tangent (or at least i am, anyway), what happens to SN kids whose parents keep them off the radar? do we just say, "too bad so sad. you could have had a shot but your parents who are completely uneducated in your needs fucked you over. sucks to be you!"

this is really where my issues with homeschooling lay. i get that AW thinks she's the bestest thing since sliced bread WRT her own kids but what if one was autistic? would she just educate that kid in the same manner as her other kids because that's all she knows? i can't see she and her husband allowing the fools in government schools being allowed to work with that one child.

Like my friend the Un. Schooler.

Kid on the spectrum. Our state has NOTHING required before age 9, about third grade.

I see this turning out well.

Mom's also VERY against vax.

So, yeah.

[laurenpetro]

Nov 2, 2015 12:28:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Nov 2, 2015 12:19:40 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Yesterday, DH interviewed a kid who applied for Andover. He is currently in 8th grade IN PUBLIC SCHOOL and doing calculus. He is also on the under 14 US soccer team and plays some instrument pretty well (he has had paying gigs). So far, he's done really well on the SATs and has won some scholarship for boarding school.

I know this isn't the point, but there's been a lot of studies that kids who are going to succeed are going to succeed in any environment. So this particular kid would have succeeded wherever he went whether it be homeschool, private, or public. Which is why when people say, "My kids excel in homeschool!" that I sort of roll my eyes. Those kids would do well regardless. How about you tell me about your kid that struggles and is mediocre, then we can discuss how well the different types of schooling work for those children.

G is an ok student.  i stress ok.  she does as well as she does thanks to the highly trained teachers who are educated enough to recognize where she needs help and they give her support and extra help as she needs it.

the random "oh, i can handle this.  i went to college." parent would not be able to do this.

[eclaires]

Nov 2, 2015 12:12:24 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Nov 2, 2015 9:18:00 GMT -5 lurkingaw said:

Writing for academic publication - sure, Latin plural is what is more commonly accepted. Writing for Yahoo News? Not sure it matters, as both are acceptable and it isn't an academic journal. Journalists are told to write at an eighth grade reading level, you know.

And the proof that homeschooling, when done well, is a superior form of education lives in my home.

Your comment that someone who thinks curriculums is the correct word must have been homeschooled reeks of condescension and (incorrect) judgment.

You'd have to have kids going to school outside the home to really "prove" anything.  I mean, to truly "prove" something with your small group, you'd need to have data points on both side in the same household, no?

I really don't care one way or the other and am not arguing for either side.  I'm just pointing out that your insistence at going over the top in defending yourself doesn't help make your case.  You just look reactionary and lose credibility.

Not to mention she follows up with how she doesn't have to offer proof of anything even though she's the one who brought proving something up in the first place.

[AJL]

Nov 2, 2015 9:18:00 GMT -5 lurkingaw said:

Nov 2, 2015 8:59:05 GMT -5 AJL said:

Yes, however the Latin plural of "curricula" is more widely accepted and of common usage. I would expect someone writing for publication to use the more accepted plural form.

You probably are very ignorant of many things. I don't think that has to do with being a home school mom, though. I'm ignorant of many things as well, but please don't kid yourself that home schooling is a superior form of education.

Your comment that someone who thinks curriculums is the correct word must have been homeschooled reeks of condescension and (incorrect) judgment.

As it should. I was being condescending and judgmental. 

[NewOrleans]

I wish all these assholes would hurry up and get raptured.

[NewOrleans]

Nov 2, 2015 10:25:41 GMT -5 lurkingaw said:

Nov 2, 2015 10:14:54 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

Except that you can't prove that because your state doesn't require oversight, and you want it that way.

Yes, because I don't have anything to prove. It's no one's business but my own. I don't need some bureaucrat or fool from a failing government school looking over my shoulder. They can't even fix the schools THEY are responsible for and by all standards are failing the kids they serve. Forgive me if I have little faith in them to provide any helpful insight into my own school. Matbe when they are doing something worth emulating or showing some type of proof they are doing it right, I'll give a few cares for what they have to say about what I am doing. For now, I trust my judgment much more. Say what you will. The law is on my side, and thanks to HSLDA, it will be for the foreseeable future

1. not all schools are failing
2. ones that are are usually doing so because of social factors at play, such as poverty.  Makes me question what-- or who-- you're really keeping your kids away from.
3. other ones that are are usually doing so because assholes (like you) won't enforce the social contract by ensuring their kids do the required work.  

You are genuinely an awful person.  You really are.  

[StrawberryBlondie]

Public schools. They're called public schools.

[WOT?*]

On the homeschooling front, my brother and his wife homeschooled their kids. Very religiously (in every respect, lol.) He has one daughter that got her bachelor's in 3 years and his second daughter is pre-med in Texas. But they also worked with a group that had a lot of people who had different strengths. (My brother did all the shop and "guy" stuff, his wife is an accountant who did math and English, a friend did science.) But they also did this in California, where homeschooling is strictly regulated. (Still, the girls can't spell for beans. I'm pretty sure none of them are strong spellers.)

OTOH, there is a reason I volunteer like all-beat-hell at our public schools. We have outstanding teachers that will do a better job, even with 25-30 students to educate, than I could ever think of doing on my own with just two to look over. I'm generally lazy when it comes down to it.