Here's a fascinating article I just saw: School officials trying to bully homeschooling parents to put their kids back in school. The article dubbed it "the beginning of a disturbing trend."
Apparently homeschooling parents in Ritchie County, West Virginia are being contacted by school districts who don't like the fact that so many children are not enrolled in public schools (thus costing the districts $12,000 per pupil of government funding).
So what's a desperate school district to do? "The county’s superintendent ordered a campaign designed to convince homeschooling parents to put their children back in the public schools."
And how does a school district "convince" parents they shouldn't homeschool? By harassment, intimidation, and quasi-stalking. HSLDA reported that one family "had gotten so many calls at their place of employment that their work supervisor was asking questions about the calls."
Yeah, real convincing technique, guys. Really illustrates how much you have the children's best interests at heart.
The article says, "[HSLDA staff attorney Michael] Donnelly points out that besides trying to use the judicial system to its advantage, the public school system is instigating battles with homeschool communities. He tells how officials are now maneuvering to deploy a combative strategy to instill fear in home educators so that they will surrender their children back to the schools."
As one commenter wrote,"Maybe homeschooling parents will send their children back to public schools when the public educational system gets back to the basics; when they stop indoctrinating the kids with socialism, globalism, multiculturalism, Islam, the homosexual activist agenda, dispensing ritalin and telling them what kids cannot eat for lunch. It wouldn't hurt to honor God in the classroom again either."
Showing posts with label HSLDA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HSLDA. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Parents can’t be trusted
Here's a portion of an article that came out of the Home School Legal Defense Association (of which we're long-standing members) concerning the death of a homeschooled child who suffered from severe cerebral palsy. Her death was in no way connected to her home education, except in the minds of those anxious to link homeschooling with child abuse in an attempt to discredit the entire movement (since, of course, we only homeschool to hide the bruises).
The last part of the article was so interesting and so well-expressed that I lifted it from their website. It verbalizes beautifully the disdain and downright hostility so many people have toward homeschoolers. From the article:
______________________________
Opponents of homeschooling frequently couch their objections under the guise of child protection to mask the real reason they dislike this form of education: They don’t like what many homeschoolers teach their kids. So they argue that children in homeschooling families are at risk because they are “off the grid” and not “in the community.” Studies by the federal government have shown, however, that only a minority of reports of child abuse and neglect come from educational professionals with most coming from other mandated reporters, neighbors and others. Different studies also show that homeschoolers are quite active in the community, participating in at least five regular activities outside of the home per child, on average.
Again, behind this failed argument lies the true reason would-be reformers target homeschoolers. They fear the influence homeschool parents have over their children, especially given the fact most of these parents wish to teach their faith and values—usually, Christian values.
For advocates of radical social change who often disdain traditional religious values as “intolerant” or “narrow-minded”—laws that grant homeschool freedom are simply “intolerable.” For these, parents can’t be trusted and only the government can and should be in control of educating children. This idea of total state control over education, of course, runs counter to the principles of limited and enumerated powers that our government is founded upon. What’s more, documents such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights recognize that parents have a prior right to choose what kind of education their children receive, including private education.
Unfortunately, there are some opponents of homeschooling who go so far as to favor the kind of educational totalitarianism that exist in states such as Germany and Sweden. There, parents who attempt to exercise their human right to teach their children as they see fit face real persecution. Attempts to spread the philosophy behind this oppression have even touched North America.
...The fact that homeschoolers are outside the “control” of the state frustrates people who have a different vision for society. So, whenever they can, they encourage more regulation...
The last part of the article was so interesting and so well-expressed that I lifted it from their website. It verbalizes beautifully the disdain and downright hostility so many people have toward homeschoolers. From the article:
______________________________
Opponents of homeschooling frequently couch their objections under the guise of child protection to mask the real reason they dislike this form of education: They don’t like what many homeschoolers teach their kids. So they argue that children in homeschooling families are at risk because they are “off the grid” and not “in the community.” Studies by the federal government have shown, however, that only a minority of reports of child abuse and neglect come from educational professionals with most coming from other mandated reporters, neighbors and others. Different studies also show that homeschoolers are quite active in the community, participating in at least five regular activities outside of the home per child, on average.
Again, behind this failed argument lies the true reason would-be reformers target homeschoolers. They fear the influence homeschool parents have over their children, especially given the fact most of these parents wish to teach their faith and values—usually, Christian values.
For advocates of radical social change who often disdain traditional religious values as “intolerant” or “narrow-minded”—laws that grant homeschool freedom are simply “intolerable.” For these, parents can’t be trusted and only the government can and should be in control of educating children. This idea of total state control over education, of course, runs counter to the principles of limited and enumerated powers that our government is founded upon. What’s more, documents such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights recognize that parents have a prior right to choose what kind of education their children receive, including private education.
Unfortunately, there are some opponents of homeschooling who go so far as to favor the kind of educational totalitarianism that exist in states such as Germany and Sweden. There, parents who attempt to exercise their human right to teach their children as they see fit face real persecution. Attempts to spread the philosophy behind this oppression have even touched North America.
...The fact that homeschoolers are outside the “control” of the state frustrates people who have a different vision for society. So, whenever they can, they encourage more regulation...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Hee hee hee. Homeschooling vindicated (once again)
The usual snark homeschoolers hear from those in favor of gommint education is the protest of "But what about socialization?" - as if having one's kids hanging around street corners smoking cigarettes is an acceptable form of the social graces.
So here's a nice article that debunks that absurd objection.
_____________________________________
Washington Times Op-ed—Socialization not a Problem
by J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
One of the most persistent criticisms of homeschooling is the accusation that homeschoolers will not be able to fully participate in society because they lack “socialization.” It’s a challenge that reaches right to the heart of homeschooling, because if a child isn’t properly socialized, how will that child be able to contribute to society?
Since the re-emergence of the homeschool movement in the late 1970s, critics of homeschooling have perpetuated two myths. The first concerns the ability of parents to adequately teach their own children at home; the second is whether homeschooled children will be well-adjusted socially.
Proving academic success is relatively straightforward. Today, it is accepted that homeschoolers, on average, outperform their public school peers. The most recent study, “Homeschool Progress Report 2009,” conducted by Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute, surveyed more than 11,000 homeschooled students. It showed that the average homeschooler scored 37 percentile points higher on standardized achievement tests than the public school average.
The second myth, however, is more difficult to address because children who were homeschooled in appreciable numbers in the late 1980s and early 1990s are only now coming of age and in a position to demonstrate they can succeed as adults.
Homeschool families across the nation knew criticisms about adequate socialization were ill-founded—they had the evidence right in their own homes. In part to address this question from a research perspective, the Home School Legal Defense Association commissioned a study in 2003 titled “Homeschooling Grows Up,” conducted by Mr. Ray, to discover how homeschoolers were faring as adults. The news was good for homeschooling. In all areas of life, from gaining employment, to being satisfied with their homeschooling, to participating in community activities, to voting, homeschoolers were more active and involved than their public school counterparts.
Until recently, “Homeschooling Grows Up” was the only study that addressed the socialization of home-schooled adults. Now we have a new longitudinal study titled “Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults” from the Canadian Centre for Home Education. This study surveyed homeschooled students whose parents participated in a comprehensive study on home education in 1994. The study compared homeschoolers who are now adults with their peers. The results are astounding.
When measured against the average Canadians ages 15 to 34 years old, home-educated Canadian adults ages 15 to 34 were more socially engaged (69 percent participated in organized activities at least once per week, compared with 48 percent of the comparable population). Average income for homeschoolers also was higher, but perhaps more significantly, while 11 percent of Canadians ages 15 to 34 rely on welfare, there were no cases of government support as the primary source of income for homeschoolers. Homeschoolers also were happier; 67.3 percent described themselves as very happy, compared with 43.8 percent of the comparable population. Almost all of the homeschoolers—96 percent—thought homeschooling had prepared them well for life.
This new study should cause many critics to rethink their position on the issue of socialization. Not only are homeschoolers actively engaged in civic life, they also are succeeding in all walks of life. Many critics believed, and some parents feared, that homeschoolers would not be able to compete in the job market. But the new study shows homeschoolers are found in a wide variety of professions. Being homeschooled has not closed doors on career choices.
The results are a great encouragement to all homeschooling families and to parents thinking about homeschooling. Homeschoolers, typically identified as being high academic achievers, also can make the grade in society.
Both “Homeschooling Grows Up” and “Fifteen Years Later” amply demonstrate homeschool graduates are active, involved, productive citizens. Homeschool families are leading the way in Canadian and American education, and this new study clearly demonstrates homeschool parents are on the right path.
So here's a nice article that debunks that absurd objection.
_____________________________________
Washington Times Op-ed—Socialization not a Problem
by J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
One of the most persistent criticisms of homeschooling is the accusation that homeschoolers will not be able to fully participate in society because they lack “socialization.” It’s a challenge that reaches right to the heart of homeschooling, because if a child isn’t properly socialized, how will that child be able to contribute to society?
Since the re-emergence of the homeschool movement in the late 1970s, critics of homeschooling have perpetuated two myths. The first concerns the ability of parents to adequately teach their own children at home; the second is whether homeschooled children will be well-adjusted socially.
Proving academic success is relatively straightforward. Today, it is accepted that homeschoolers, on average, outperform their public school peers. The most recent study, “Homeschool Progress Report 2009,” conducted by Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute, surveyed more than 11,000 homeschooled students. It showed that the average homeschooler scored 37 percentile points higher on standardized achievement tests than the public school average.
The second myth, however, is more difficult to address because children who were homeschooled in appreciable numbers in the late 1980s and early 1990s are only now coming of age and in a position to demonstrate they can succeed as adults.
Homeschool families across the nation knew criticisms about adequate socialization were ill-founded—they had the evidence right in their own homes. In part to address this question from a research perspective, the Home School Legal Defense Association commissioned a study in 2003 titled “Homeschooling Grows Up,” conducted by Mr. Ray, to discover how homeschoolers were faring as adults. The news was good for homeschooling. In all areas of life, from gaining employment, to being satisfied with their homeschooling, to participating in community activities, to voting, homeschoolers were more active and involved than their public school counterparts.
Until recently, “Homeschooling Grows Up” was the only study that addressed the socialization of home-schooled adults. Now we have a new longitudinal study titled “Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults” from the Canadian Centre for Home Education. This study surveyed homeschooled students whose parents participated in a comprehensive study on home education in 1994. The study compared homeschoolers who are now adults with their peers. The results are astounding.
When measured against the average Canadians ages 15 to 34 years old, home-educated Canadian adults ages 15 to 34 were more socially engaged (69 percent participated in organized activities at least once per week, compared with 48 percent of the comparable population). Average income for homeschoolers also was higher, but perhaps more significantly, while 11 percent of Canadians ages 15 to 34 rely on welfare, there were no cases of government support as the primary source of income for homeschoolers. Homeschoolers also were happier; 67.3 percent described themselves as very happy, compared with 43.8 percent of the comparable population. Almost all of the homeschoolers—96 percent—thought homeschooling had prepared them well for life.
This new study should cause many critics to rethink their position on the issue of socialization. Not only are homeschoolers actively engaged in civic life, they also are succeeding in all walks of life. Many critics believed, and some parents feared, that homeschoolers would not be able to compete in the job market. But the new study shows homeschoolers are found in a wide variety of professions. Being homeschooled has not closed doors on career choices.
The results are a great encouragement to all homeschooling families and to parents thinking about homeschooling. Homeschoolers, typically identified as being high academic achievers, also can make the grade in society.
Both “Homeschooling Grows Up” and “Fifteen Years Later” amply demonstrate homeschool graduates are active, involved, productive citizens. Homeschool families are leading the way in Canadian and American education, and this new study clearly demonstrates homeschool parents are on the right path.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
We lost a great man yesterday...
The name Christopher Klicka is familiar to most homeschoolers in the United States. As the first full-time attorney with the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, Mr. Klicka was integral in protecting homeschooling freedoms for all of us.
He passed away at the young age of 48 due to complications from multiple sclerosis, leaving behind a wife and seven children as well as a nation of homeschoolers who mourn his passing.
May you rest in peace, Mr. Klicka. We may mourn our loss, but you enrich heaven.
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