Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Not the worst reasons to homeschool

My response to Heather's post Worst reasons to homeschool.

I appreciate that she isn't trying to bash homeschooling but really why are we debating homeschooling? Do we debate public schooling? private schooling?

Heather does admit that there are good reasons to homeschool, she then goes on to state two reasons she considers the worst reasons to homeschool.

First teasing (aka bullying), according to Heather violence is the answer
When my own four-eyed and very sensitive second grade son came to me with playground woes, I told him the most politically incorrect thing you can tell a child. I said, "I can't make other kids respect you, and your teacher can't make other kids respect you; only you can." That's right, I said, "go for the nose!" Problem solved.
I can't believe a public school teacher is advocating violence, and I can't help wonder what school district she lives in because in my school district the "go for the nose"advice would get you expelled. The few parents I know who choose to homeschool because of bullying tried other options first. They talked with the teacher, the principal and the school board. When no help was forthcoming they removed the child from school for their physical safety. And if the teacher is "THE BULLY" (St. Lucie teacher has students vote on whether 5-year-old can stay in class) there is no way for the child to successfully deal with the bully.

I also think that one of the problems with the public schools is their refusal to take bullying seriously. All to often they excuse bullying as "just kids being kids" and the abuse is ignored by teachers as well as the victims fellow classmates. See 4 teens charged as adults in locker room sexual assault case. In the real world if someone is verbally threatening you or physically assaulting you, you can go to the police and get a restraining order to keep your attacker away from you. In school if you go to the teachers or principal you are labeled a tattletale, told to get over it and ignored until the situation gets so out of hand the police are involved.

The next reason she cites is religion. While I don't think religion should be ones main reason for homeschooling I do think wanting your children to learn your values is a valid reason for homeschooling. It's funny she cites religion as one of the worst reasons to homeschool when there are numerous religious private schools that no one finds fault with. Here on the coast where I live there are numerous Catholic Schools, and no one feels the need to question the parents right to send their children to these religious schools, so why should religion be consider one of the worst reasons to homeschool?

3 comments:

  1. Great post!!!

    I found you through the Carnival of Homeschooling. I have an entry in this week for the first time.

    I totally agree with your arguments. i am thankful my children have been homeschooled all the way from the beginning and did not have to put up with the bullying and being picked on that I did as a kid.

    I wonder what reasons she does think are good ones. She said she was going to do a post on that but I couldn't find it.

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  2. Alasandra an excellent rebuttal to qn incredibly absurd and insipid post. I appreciate your point that bullying is way down there on the list of why people home school.

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  3. Homeschooling AnnaTuesday, 14 July, 2009

    Well done Alasandra, I liked your post.

    Its funny, apparently the No.1 reason homeschooler's wish to homeschool is to pass on their faith/religion. Why shouldn't we want to pass on this to our children in the best way we think possible?

    Hey, Check our Google Map site of Homeschool families around the world Homeschooling site for homeschool families
    If you join, you can leave a link to your blog. If you like our site, please add to your list of links.

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