Recent comments about the dropout rate and Bill White's position on homeschooling have been dramatically distorted for political purposes.
Bill White is on the record as a strong supporter of homeschooling, and as governor he will protect the rights of parents to make educational choices for their children.
Well first he wanted homeschoolers counted as dropouts. Then fearing he would lose the VOTES of homeschoolers and homeschool supporters he came out saying he is a strong supporter of homeschooling.
In recent months, a number of reports have exposed public schools that falsify records in order present a lower than actual dropout rate. In many cases, students who have dropped out are falsely declared transfers or homeschooled students. When a public school falsely declares a child who has dropped out as a homeschool student, it hurts the credibility of all parents who choose homeschooling.
Let me get this straight. The public schools are the ones falsifying data but Bill White blames homeschoolers and says it's their credibility that is at stake. Mr. White if you truly supported homeschooling you would place the blame where it belongs on the public schools that are falsifying data and would acknowledge that it is the public schools credibility that is hurt. After all the public schools are the ones who are
Bill White believes in accountability and results. If you care about a result, you measure and test it. Many homeschooled children in Texas are held to rigorous standards by their parents and teachers who share this belief.
The public schools are suppose to be accountable to the taxpayers who support them therefore they are measured and tested. Homeschool parents on the other hand (who do not receive tax money to support their homeschool endeavors) are not accountable to the state but it sure sounds as if Bill White wants homeschoolers TESTED, and that he wants homescoolers to be accountable to the state.
I can see why homeschooler in Texas are leery of Bill White. He certainly doesn't sound like a homeschool supporter to me.
Wish I could home school. Our budget requires my working, but... I really look up to the mom's who knock it out of the park when home schooling their kids. We've been lucky with teachers so far with great teachers... but you hear of all these teachers that are just there for a check... when these passionate mom's are hitting all these home runs! Can't they get inspiration out shaping little lives?
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