Thursday, February 25, 2010

Homeschoolers are now an army of Zombie Zealots?

If this article by Wayne Besen wasn't so hysterically funny on so many levels I'd be inclined to think the author had some sort of ax to grind...oh, wait...he does.

Wayne Besen writes, "It is generally understood that today's youth are more supportive of equality for gay and lesbian people. Faced with losing the next generation, fundamentalists are ferociously scrambling to capture the minds of youth through homeschooling and the subversion of public education."

Immediately, it's obvious Besen feels threatened by those unscrupulous mommies who have chosen this alternative to public schooling for their toddlers and preschoolers. Has it ever occurred to Mr. Besen homeschoolers are more inclined to choose this path because they want their children to learn reading, writing and arithmetic as opposed to being indoctrinated into the sort of thinking he is espousing?

Besen also writes, "It is important to realize that the goal of many in the homeschooling movement is to create an army of zealot zombies who are committed to transforming America into a fundamentalist "Christian Nation." What planet does this guy live on? Even if they were creating homeschooled 'Zombie Zealots' what business is it of his? Hey, Wayne, this is America and last time I checked we still have constitutional, parental and God-given rights. Deal with it!

Besen complains, "While many of these students are educated in terms of test scores, they may lack critical thinking skills. In a sense, they are like computers with large hard drives that have been programmed with faulty software. No matter how fast they compute they always arrive at same flawed conclusions based on the Biblical bugs planted early in their memory chips." I guess this is what some might term a moral compass. If there is any 'bug' it's in the chip on Besen's shoulder.

Sounds as though Mr. Besen isn't quite as tolerant as he expects the rest of the world to be. He goes on to whine, "When it comes to support, the next generation was supposed to be a wash. However, this successful trajectory is threatened if we allow today's youth to be brainwashed. While paying attention to school boards is boring, it must become a priority for all Americans who want schools to be about education instead of indoctrination."  Brainwashed? Who's been indoctrinating whom all these years?


Mr. Besen's credentials may better explain the reasons for his crybaby tirade against homeschoolers and homeschooling. At the end of the article this dude is described, "Wayne Besen is a columnist and author of the book "Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth."

Homeschool Activities Bill Clears Senate Ed. Committee

Homeschool Activities Bill Clears Senate Ed. Committee

Kudos to Republican Senator Mark Madsen. Maybe if homeschoolers keep whittling away at getting the public schools to cough up open participation we can eventually take over the schools and make them all free and independent learning centers. Now, how to we get rid of the union stronghold?

Every teacher at school fired... What will happen next

Every teacher at school fired... What will happen next

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Let's hope parents realize they can do as good a job, if not better, of teaching their children at home. The beauty of homeschooling is that learning is a natural process. Once some of these families discover homeschooling they may never go back to the rigors of trudging off to a failing public school every day. Kudos to the courageous folks who did the firing!

Here is another good link to read more about the firing.

Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds | Video on TED.com

Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds | Video on TED.com

"Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids."

This is an amazing video of Temple Grandin speaking about autism. Very encouraging for parents with children diagnosed as autistic. People have different learning styles. The public schools cater to only a few, if that many.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Arrest warrant issued for Va. mom: Rutland Herald Online

Arrest warrant issued for Va. mom: Rutland Herald Online

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There aren't enough Dork Awards to go around in this case.

Teachers' Lap Dance Video Sparks Uproar at Canadian High School - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

Teachers' Lap Dance Video Sparks Uproar at Canadian High School - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

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Holy cow! I don't recall pep rallies like this when I was in high school. Even some students realized the 'dancers' crossed the line of decency. The problem is schools are full of teachers like this...young minds full of mush that graduated from the same system they now teach in. Wouldn't surprise me to find out these two lap dancers were A+ students in their Values Clarification class! Geeeeeesh!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Creative Homeschooling for the Autistic Child | autisable

Creative Homeschooling for the Autistic Child | autisable

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"Home schooling an autistic child can be challenging. You need to be parent, teacher, therapist and psychologist. You need to understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses. You need to be able to engage your child in the learning process, every day."

So glad to see more and more parents taking on these challenges. I've always believed that public schools are no place for any child, especially those with special needs.

IowaPolitics.com

IowaPolitics.com

"Many homeschooling families throughout our state educate their children independently at home, at their own personal expense, using no taxpayer dollars whatsoever. The savings for taxpayers is enormous. At the current state funding level of $5,768 per enrolled public school student, taxpayers save $1 million for every 174 independently homeschooled students."

Only $5,768.00? As of 2007 the figure here in Vermont was $11,835.00! At that time New York was the most costly with $14,119 per student. New Jersey was second on the list with $13,800. District of Columbia was $12,979. Vermont even topped Connecticut which was shelling out $11,572 per student. Who knows what the true figure is today!

We homeschoolers have known for a long time that we save the taxpayers a pile of money but, until now, no one really seemed to care. I guess with the present economy we've finally got their attention. Had enough of being squeezed by school budgets yet?

Monday, February 22, 2010

Guest Post : My Case For Radical Unschooling

Guest Post : My Case For Radical Unschooling

This is a wonderfully forthright commentary on radical unschooling by Heather Burdett, a homeschooling mother of three free range boys. Heather also writes for her own blog Swiss Army Wife. Kudos to Heather!

Indian State Confiscates Textbooks With Picture of Jesus Holding Beer, Cigarette - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

Indian State Confiscates Textbooks With Picture of Jesus Holding Beer, Cigarette - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

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"The primary school textbook, which teaches cursive handwriting, used the picture of Jesus on the page for the letter 'I' — to represent Idol."

Amazing!

Deserted and discarded

This is The Little Red Schoolhouse in our town. Years ago it was a full fledged schoolhouse. In the 1960's it became a community center. When our daughter was 4 years old she attended a free preschool here for 4 days. These days we affectionately refer to her as our preschool dropout. I also spent six years directing a children's theater troupe here on its tiny stage.

Recently, the community center was deserted and discarded when a state sponsored, taxpayer supported preschool program opened in the town's public school system. The public school didn't have room for the paying preschoolers so they placed the program in the local daycare center. Former board members of The Little Red Schoolhouse were great supporters of this new taxpayer preschool program so they deliberately let the corporation status for the community center lapse for 3 years. This dissolved the community center and its programs. A Dork Award is in order here for those former LRSH board members.

Low and behold, the daycare center recently found themselves in an alleged nefarious situation unbecoming to a preschool program. Now a group of parents, led by a homeschooling mom, are reviving the Little Red Schoolhouse and some of its programs, including a playgroup for preschool aged children (they've been told they cannot call it a preschool).

Why is it when the government and public school officials get involved in the learning process they tend to botch everything? Guerrilla Homeschooling wishes this new group of board members all the best and kudos for reviving The Little Red Schoolhouse, especially the homeschooling mom who is working to reinstate this little treasure.

New York State Home Schooling Laws | eHow.com

New York State Home Schooling Laws | eHow.com

This article contains some good info on homeschooling in the state of New York. Homeschooling requirements in individual states vary from not having to do anything to being a certified teacher. There seems to be no consistency in regulations across this country. The bottom line is if you truly want to homeschool your child you'll find a way to do it, with or without state interference.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

What did you do on YOUR summer vacation?

Not Homeschooling…Unschooling: www.ReThinkingEverything.info

Not Homeschooling…Unschooling: www.ReThinkingEverything.info

"In the Ellis County Judge race, it’s interesting to note that Republican Tea Party-backed candidate Kelly Kovar and Libertarian nominee Brandy Owen each homeschool their children. Carol Bush publicly broke truancy laws (I don’t agree with truancy laws) to take hers to what was it, get a new Harry Potter book or something silly like that?"

My homeschooled children had perfect attendance all their lives. They were never truant from their homeschool. Four years apart they were also Valedictorian of their graduating class...a class of ONE! Truancy laws are bogus. These laws are only meant to keep control over the parents. Without coercing parents into sending their children to school how else can the teacher's union maintain their monopoly.

Question of the week

Should homeschooling be regulated?

FOXNews.com - China Schools Deny Role in Hacking

FOXNews.com - China Schools Deny Role in Hacking

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"Google revealed Jan. 12 that digital thieves had stolen some of its computer code and tried to break into the accounts of human rights activists opposed to China's policies. The sophisticated theft also targeted the computers of more than 30 other companies, according to security experts."

Government run schools?

Pennsylvania School Denies Officials Spied on Students With Webcams - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Pennsylvania School Denies Officials Spied on Students With Webcams - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

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"Harriton High School student Blake Robbins and his parents, Michael and Holly Robbins, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Tuesday against the district, its board of directors and McGinley. They accused the school of turning on the webcam in his computer while it was inside their Penn Valley home, which they allege violated wiretap laws and his right to privacy."

Why am I not surprised?

Friday, February 19, 2010

Home Team Advantage | Information on Attention Deficit Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Parenting and More

Home Team Advantage | Information on Attention Deficit Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Parenting and More

This article appears on the ADDitude website and is a great read for those who've been told their child has ADD:

If your ADHD child struggles in school--and dreads going every day--help him shine by teaching him at home...by Lynne Ticknor.

"The traditional approach to learning—a teacher standing in front of children sitting behind desks—is not the most productive for hyperactive children who get bored easily. If your child is demoralized by his poor grades, receives detention for forgetting books, is looked down upon by teachers, or is bullied by classmates, he may be a candidate for home schooling."

The Conservative Litmus Test | Flathead Beacon

The Conservative Litmus Test | Flathead Beacon

"Moving along, No. 8 says: “Parents are not always responsible, which is why some regulations of home schooling is necessary, and child health programs like CHIP [the Children Health Insurance Program] are a good idea.”

I will have to sharpen my pencil for this “belief statement” because I have no idea how homeschooling and CHIP are related under the umbrella of responsible parenting. Surely, a parent who opts for homeschooling still may need help if their child breaks a fibula. Luckily, I can mark down a 3, or “neutral/undecided,” and I do."

Many parents ARE not always responsible. Countless generations have been institutionalized in public schooling and have been deliberately made irresponsible.

School days. Is it me or do these graduates all look burned out?