Alasandra's Homeschool Blog

Annoying

2012-01-29T18:45:00.000-08:00

I recently ran into a annoying snot of an anonymous commenter. Their views were sacrosanct and of course CORRECT while my opinion was insulting. The whole purpose of exchanging ideas is that each person gets to express their views and beliefs. You don't have to accept the other persons position BUT they have as much right to express their beliefs as you do. If you want to call evolution SILLY, that is your right. Do I think your position is WRONG, yes I do but I would never insist that you change your views to suit me. On the other hand I have every right to express my view that the Bible is a collection of myths and fairy tales especially on my own blog. If you don't like it the solution is simple, don't visit my blog and kindly refrain from sending me threatening emails insisting that I have to retract my views to please you.

Added

2012-01-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

to my reading list For the Cause of Liberty : A Thousand Years of Irelands Heroes.

History Is Elementary: A Christian Nation? Be Careful What You Preach

2012-01-26T03:55:00.000-08:00

History Is Elementary: A Christian Nation? Be Careful What You Preach

Word for the day

2012-01-26T03:43:00.001-08:00

Apatheism-a disinclination to care all that much about one's own religion, and an even stronger disinclination to care about other people's.

Awful

2012-01-25T14:53:00.000-08:00

Yep, it is just awful that anyone much less the President of the United States would want children to stay in school UNTIL THEY GRADUATE or turn 18. Makes one wonder what some Christians and HSLDA have against education.

Wintery Mix: The Carnival of Homeschooling

2012-01-24T17:01:00.001-08:00

Janice Campbell is hosting Wintery Mix: The Carnival of Homeschooling.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2012-01-19T02:36:00.000-08:00

Homeschool Online brings us The Organized Homeschool CoH.

Stop SOPA

2012-01-18T03:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a bill in Congress that will affect your rights on the web and will censor all web sites, blogs, etc. In a nutshell :

SOPA explicitly states that companies will be liable for everything their users post. Sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Wikipedia, or any sites that allow user generated content CANNOT exist under these laws. Immediately after this bill is passed, you will see the media mafia (MPIAA, RIAA, etc) replacing websites like Wikipedia with commercialized encyclopedia software. Mainstream media outlets will not cover this bill because they are the ones lobbying for it.

If you want to know more - Google created a doc to read and inform - SOPA for Dummies.

WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND STOP THIS BILL FROM PASSING!

To help you do this stop by Fight the Wall or American Censorship and find out how to connect with your Representative!

Hat Tip Cats of Wildcat Woods.

Tell Congress to Stop the Bill NOW.

Not all Homeschoolers are like this

2012-01-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

Another paranoid homeschooler is blathering about public schools brainwashing kids and how she will protect her kids from stuff like REAL SCIENCE. Why I Homeschool--Part Four: (I can brainwash my own kids, thankyouverymuch!). She of course is partly right by choosing what to teach and how to teach it you do have a tremendous amount of power when it comes to shaping a child's mind.

Apparently Lisa Luper's understanding of SCIENCE is woefully inadequate, but then what can you expect from someone who thinks evolution is silly. Why really learn about it from actual Science Textbooks, when you can dismiss it as silly and turn to an ancient book full of myths and legends (aka The Bible) for your Science instruction.

OK, I don't completely agree with the PC idea that being homosexual is OK I tend to view it as a Gender Identity Disorder. But the author of this nonsense completely ignores the fact that sometimes "a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. For example, a person might be born appearing to be female on the outside, but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside. Or a person may be born with genitals that seem to be in-between the usual male and female types—for example, a girl may be born with a noticeably large clitoris, or lacking a vaginal opening, or a boy may be born with a notably small penis, or with a scrotum that is divided so that it has formed more like labia. Or a person may be born with mosaic genetics, so that some of her cells have XX chromosomes and some of them have XY" You can read more about Intersex People here. But then this is SCIENCE so possibly Luper isn't ignoring it so much as she is ignorant of the condition.

Global Warming is a fact not a fantasy someone cooked up to give Luper heartburn, so is the fact the world is becoming overpopulated. How we deal with Global Warming and Overpopulation will determine if our species survives and what kind of standard of living our species will enjoy. So far the deniers seem to be doing a pretty good job of insuring that we will continue on our hedonistic way polluting the earth and spitting out babies until all the fossil fuels are depleted and droughts and food shortages are common. But PLEASE don't try to explain the Science behind Global Warming to them if it doesn't fit into their Biblical World View they don't want to hear it.

Not all homeschoolers are ANTI-SCIENCE and many of us disagree with her viewpoints.

The American Jury

2012-01-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

The Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago has lesson plans on the history of juries as well as on JURY NULLIFICATION.

DEFINITIONS - Jury Nullification

"Jury nullification occurs when guilt is established but the jury decides to acquit on its own sense of fairness, propriety, prejudice, or any other sentiment or concern." Randall Kennedy, Race, Crime, and the Law (1997)

"Jury nullification… may take on a variety of meanings or shades of meaning."

"True" or stringent nullification "occurs when the jury recognizes that a defendant's act is proscribed by the law but acquits because it does not believe the act should be proscribed. The behavior, in other words, is not criminal in the eyes of the jury."

"Intermediate" nullification occurs when "although the act proved is properly classified as criminal, it is within a class of acts that do not deserve the punishment prescribed for them."

"Weak" or "ad hoc" nullification "reflects the jury's view that although the act proved is criminal and falls in a class of acts that may well deserve the prescribed punishment, such punishment is inappropriate in the case at hand."

Book Series Recomendation

2012-01-13T16:40:00.001-08:00

The Dresden files by Jim Butcher.

Carnival of Homeschooling the Gemstone Edition

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Gemstone Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. Below you will find not only the wonderful submissions for this carnival but gemstones commonly used for birthstones and the history behind them.

Home Spun Juggling delivers Home Spun comic strip #694

Homeschool Bytes offers Haiku: Poetry my boys loved and my daughter hated.

A rare bright-green garnet.

Garnets are the birthstone for January.

Garnets provide a strong help to balance your energy system, stimulate your desires and uplift your attitude. Draws happiness, power, possessions, and peace to you. Aids in patience, persistence, sexuality, and purification. Sharpens self-perception. Increases creative energy and sexual appetite. Enhances bodily strength, endurance, and vigor. Protection against thieves. Helps to align the emotional body to the spiritual body. Sleeping with it will help you remember your dreams.

Red Garnets Firstly as it is the color of menstrual blood, it is a stone of fertility. As a gift it is a symbol of happiness andloyalty. It is thought to be a antidote to plague and fever. Women were known to wear it around their waist to help with the menstrual cycle. If it is obtained unlawfully it will bear a curse upon its wearer until it is returned to its lawful owner. Persephone is the Goddess associated with Garnets.

Introducing the World gives Ten Reasons We Are Loving Using Ambleside Online.

Aasha @ Homeschool World presents Is Homeschooling Right For you?: 10 Tips before you Start to Homeschool

Amethyst and magic have been connected for at least 2,000 years. The Greeks believed it to be an amulet against inebriation. It is one of the few stones specifically recommended for men to use for attracting women. Amethyst is the birthstone for February:

"The February-born shall find
Sincerity, and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they the Amethyst will wear."

Amethyst can be used to increase psychic awareness, to sharpen the 'sixth sense'. Because of this, many people keep a crystal with their I-Ching, tarot, or Rune tools. It is considered a very spiritual stone.

Sue @ A Life Full of Days gives examples of how she used the community wherever they lived in her post Out and About.

The Birthstone for March is Aquamarine.

Aquamarine is a traditional protective and lucky stone for fishermen. In addition, it has been carved into cups and goblets because of the belief that it aids digestion and reduces body fluids. Aquamarine is associated with Mermaids (Sea Goddesses).

5 Tips to Help Plan Your Homeschool Winter from 7 Sisters

Kelly @ The Homeschool Co-op presents High Needs, Attachment Parenting & Homeschooling: How it Works for One Momma


The Hope Diamond

The legendary curse of the Hope Diamond is said to begin with a theft. Several centuries ago, a man named Tavernier made a trip to India. While there, he stole a large blue diamond from the forehead (or eye) of a statue of the Hindu goddess Sita. For this transgression, according to the legend, Tavernier was torn apart by wild dogs on a trip to Russia (after he had sold the diamond to King Louis XIV). This was the first horrible death attributed to the curse.

In 1673, King Louis XIV decided to re-cut the diamond to enhance its brilliance (the previous cut had been to enhance size and not brilliance). The newly cut gem was 67 1/8 carats. Louis XIV officially named it the "Blue Diamond of the Crown" and would often wear the diamond on a long ribbon around his neck. The Hope Diamond was eventually inherited by Louis XVI, according to the legend, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were beheaded during the French Revolution because of the blue diamond's curse.

During the French Revolution, the crown jewels (including the blue diamond) were taken from the royal couple after they attempted to flee France in 1791. The jewels were placed in the Garde-Meuble but were not well guarded. From September 12 to September 16, 1791, the Garde-Meuble was repeatedly robbed, without notice from officials until September 17. Though most of the crown jewels were soon recovered, the blue diamond was not.

There is some evidence that the blue diamond resurfaced in London by 1813 and was owned by a jeweler Daniel Eliason by 1823. No one is sure that the blue diamond in London was the same one stolen from the Garde-Meuble because the one in London was of a different cut. Yet, most people feel the rarity and perfectness of the French blue diamond and the blue diamond that appeared in London makes it likely that someone re-cut the French blue diamond in the hopes of hiding its origin. The blue diamond that surfaced in London was estimated at 44 carats.

There is some evidence that shows King George IV of England bought the blue diamond from Daniel Eliason and upon King George's death, the diamond was sold to pay off debts. By 1939, possibly earlier, the blue diamond was in the possession of Henry Philip Hope, from whom the Hope diamond has taken its name.

The Hope family is said to have been tainted with the diamond's curse. According to the legend, the once-rich Hopes went bankrupt because of the Hope diamond.

Simon Frankel, an American jeweler, bought the Hope diamond in 1901 and brought the diamond to the United States. The diamond changed hands several times during the next several years, ending with Pierre Cartier. Pierre Cartier believed he had found a buyer in the rich Evalyn Walsh McLean. Evalyn first saw the Hope diamond in 1910 while visiting Paris with her husband. Since Mrs. McLean had previously told Pierre Cartier that objects usually considered bad luck turned into good luck for her, Cartier made sure to emphasize the Hope diamond's negative history. Yet, since Mrs. McLean did not like the diamond in its current mounting, she didn't buy it.
A few months later, Pierre Cartier arrived in the U.S. and asked Mrs. McLean to keep the Hope diamond for the weekend. Having reset the Hope diamond into a new mounting, Carter hoped she would grow attached to it over the weekend. He was right and Evalyn McLean bought the Hope diamond.

Evalyn McLean wore the diamond all the time. According to one story, it took a lot of persuading by Mrs. McLean's doctor to get heto take off the necklace even for a goiter operation. Though Evalyn McLean wore the Hope diamond as a good luck charm, others saw the curse strike her too. McLean's first born son, Vinson, died in a car crash when he was only nine. McLean suffered another major loss when her daughter committed suicide at age 25. In addition to all this, Evalyn McLean's husband was declared insane and confined to a mental institution until his death in 1941.Though Evalyn McLean had wanted her jewelry to go to her grandchildren when they were older, her jewelry was put on sale in 1949, two years after her death, in order to settle debts from her estate.

When the Hope diamond went on sale in 1949, it was bought by Harry Winston, a New York jeweler. Winston donated the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 to be the focal point of a newly established gem collection.

Diamonds are said to Bring fierceness, strength and fortitude. Strengthens friendships and protects from evil, disease and plagues. If set in gold it drives away night monsters... When stolen attracts negative vibrations. Diamonds require cleaning often.

Six sided luckiest square brings balance and harmony triangular disharmony and friction.

Diamonds are the birthstone for April.

No Fighting No Biting! describes their experience sending Will to Catholic School in the post Will's first week.

Read about Transmogrified Education posted by Learning @ Home


Hooker Emerald Brooch

Emerald is considered a birthstone for the month of May.

"Who first beholds the light of day,
In spring's sweet flowery month of May,
And wears an Emerald all her life,
Shall be a loved, and happy wife."

"If you wish to bring a love into your life, buy an emerald and charge it with your magical need through your visualization, perhaps while placing it near a green candle. After this ritual, wear or carry the emerald somewhere near your heart. Do this in such a way that it cannot be seen by others, so when you meet a future love, you'll know it wasn't the visible jewel that attracted him or her." The Greeks associated this stone with the Goddess Venus. It has come to represent, for many people, the security of love. Emerald, like almost all of the green stones, is also advantageous for business/money ventures.

SONset Academy offers a post on motivating your students in the post God Answers Prayer: An Idea for Motivating Your Kids.

Charles Chua C K @ All About Living with Life presents P.L.E.A.S.E. Spend Time with Your Child

June's birthstone is Pearls.

Pearls were once believed to be unlucky; in medieval times they were thoughtto be 'solidified tears'.

Pamela Jorrick presents Teacher Vs. Facilitator posted at Blah, Blah, Blog.

Linda Dobson from PARENT AT THE HELM presents What Do Homeschooled Adults Have to Say?

The birthstone for July is the Ruby.

Rubies aid regeneration of the physical/spiritual heart.Enhances circulation. Vitalizes blood and entirebody/mind system. Strengthens immunity. Activates sluggishor dormant conditions on physical/spiritual levels. Refineslower passions. Courage, integrity, selfless service, joy,spiritual devotion, power, leadership. Helps banish sense oflimitation.

MrsMamaHen.com submitted Mid-Year Refreshing, nice to know that I am not the only homeschool Mom who preferred my own customized sheets to to the slick pre-made planners being marketed to homeschoolers.

Peridot is the birthstone for August.

Completely aligns all thesubtle bodies. This helps one receive information from thehigher self more easily. Good stone for channeling.Visionary stone - it helps connect us to our destinies andto an understanding of the purpose of existence. Keeps themind free from envious thoughts and jealousies. A goodstone for people who cannot relate to realities beyond thephysical world. Aids in manifesting physical work intomaterial abundance. A healing stone working with the heartand solar plexus chakras.

Misty presents Haiku: Poetry my boys loved and my daughter hated posted at Homeschool Bytes, saying, "Learning how to write Haiku is a simple from of poetry even my 5-year-old could figure out. Plus, it's a fun break from our usual writing lessons."

Sapphire has been associated with divinefavor. The Buddhists believed that the sapphire favoreddevotion and spiritual enlightenment. It is the birthstonefor the month of September:

"A maiden born when autumn leaves
Are rustling in September's breeze.
A Sapphire on her brow should bind;
'Twill cure diseases of the mind. (5)

The ancient Greeks linked sapphire withApollo, and wore it as an aid to prophecy when consultingoracles. For this reason, it is considered an aid fordeveloping the "third eye". It was also considered to be ableto guard its owner from being captured. It is worn andutilized in rituals to strengthen the ability to tap and sendforth power.

Laura Grace Weldon presents School ADD Isn?t Homeschool ADD posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "Our son's ADD seemed to be a side-effect of school. Gradually we learned how to homeschool in a way that worked for him."

LEGEND and LORE: Opal is a birthstone for October.

"October's child is born for woe,
And life's vicissitudes must know;
But lay an Opal on her breast,
And hope will lull those foes to rest."

Opals have traditionally been considered "lucky" stones...but only for those born in the month of October. It has been considered bad luck to wear them if you were born in any other month.

Opals are considered to be able to confer the gift of invisibility on its wearer. To accomplish this, Cunningham says "The gem was wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and carried for this purpose." He also says, "Opals are also worn to bring out inner beauty.

A beauty spell: Place a round mirror on the altar or behind it so that you can see your face within it while kneeling. Place two green candles on either side of the mirror. Light the candles. Empower an opal with your need for beauty -- while holding the stone, gaze into your reflection. With the scalpel of your visualization, mold and form your face (and your body) to the form youdesire. Then, carry or wear the opal and dedicate yourself to improving your appearance."

Annette presents Back to Homeschooling posted at A Net in Time, saying, "Being more organized is helpful.


Man made Mystic Fire Topaz

The birthstone for November is Topaz

TOPAZ: If you want to conquer your fears, wear a topaz. A stone of trust, strength, and protection. It relieves depression, anger, fear, tension headaches, and insomnia. Bestows inner vision and helps light up the correct direction to pursue. Increases personal abilities. Stimulates the intellect for writers, scientists, and artists. It aids abstract thinking and creativity. Topaz is also believed to prevent colds and tuberculosis as it strengthens the breath.

Home School V Public School ask What Are the Goals for Your Home School Children ?

Turquoise history dates back over 6000 years. Archeological and literary references to the gemstone predate the Christian era by five millennia. It has been unearthed in tombs from ancient Egypt...specifically the 4 bracelets of Queen Zar, found on her mummified arm. These date back to the second ruler of Egypt's First Dynasty, approximately 5500 BC!

Aristotle and Pliny both refer to turquoise. Marco Polo even wrote about it. Turquoise has always been considered a stone of life. It also has a long standing history of more than 1000 years with Native Americans who have used it extensively for protection and healing. The stone was also used in religion, art, trade, treaty negotiations and, of course, treasured jewelry.

LEGEND and LORE: This stone has long been used for protectionagainst traumatic injuries. It was thought that the stonewould shatter, thus warning the wearer of imminent physicaldanger. It was also used to decorate the bridles of horses,to protect them against broken bones from falls. Among theNative Americans of the Southwestern United States, Turquoiseis believed to be a connector of Earth and Sky. It is one ofthe four "elemental" gemstones of the Pueblos; (the othersare coral, jet and abalone shell). This is considered to beone of the Birthstones for December:

"If cold December gives you birth,
The month of snow, and ice, and mirth,
Place on your hand a Turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate're you do.

Turquoise is thought to increase Wisdom."An old ritual utilized Turquoise to gain wealth. Performthis rite a few days after the New Moon when the crescent isfirst visible in the sky. Avoid looking at the Moon until theproper time. Hold a Turquoise in your hand. Visualize yourmagical need -- money -- manifesting in your life. Moveoutside and look at the Moon. Then directly shift your gazeto the Turquoise. The magic has begun. Carry the stone withyou until the money arrives."

Iran

For at least 2,000 years, the region once known as Persia has remained an important source of turquoise which was named by Iranians initially "pirouzeh" meaning "victory" and later after Arab invasion "firouzeh".In Iranian architecture, the blue turquoise was used to cover the domes of the Iranian palaces because its intense blue color was also a symbol of heaven on earth.

Bethany presents Marco Polo Study: Persia-Modern Iran posted at Little Homeschool Blessings.

Danica from Adventures at the Kitchen Table presents Counting Coins, Lesson 2 - Graphing Coins

I hope you enjoyed the Genstone Edition, the next Carnival will be held at Time 4 Learning.net.

Blog Carnvial is partially broken. It is accepting submissions, but not forwarding them. It would be easier if you just submitted your post directly via email. Go here for the instructions on sending in a submission.

As always, entries to the Carnival of Homeschooling are due Monday evening at 6:00 PM Pacific Standard Time.

My thanks to all of you who submitted a post and thank you for taking the time to read the Gemstone Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. ~Alasandra

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

2012-01-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you who do not already know Christopher Paolini was homeschooled.

Inheritance is the last book in the Inheritance Cycle. I found it a tad boring and the ending was incredibly sad. Except for Katrina and Roran being in love sucked as you were forced to leave the one you loved behind. I hope there is another book where the lovers are reunited. I would also like to know more about Angela.

The book was pretty predictable. Eragon and his allies battle King Galbatorix when it seems they can't possibly win Eragon finds another ally. Even with the help of the new powerful ally and Murtagh Eragon was losing but then he stumbles upon the idea of making Galbatorix feel the pain he has caused. Eragon wins but many sacrifices are required and many lives are lost.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2012-01-03T02:46:00.000-08:00

The Cates have been running the CoH for 6 years, today they are hosting the Carnival of Homeschool: Week 314 - The 6th Anniversary. Do go over for a look. Also I will be hosting next week, click here to find out how you can submit a post for the upcoming Gemstone Edition.

Submissions Please

2012-01-03T02:38:00.001-08:00

I'll be hosting the upcoming Carnival of Homeschooling and would greatly appreciate it if my readers would submit a post, click here to learn how. Remember to email the post to CarnivalOfHomeschooling@gmail.com.

Here are some icons to use if you would like.
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Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-12-28T16:13:00.001-08:00

Corn & Oil is hosting this weeks CoH.

Saturnalia & The Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-12-22T04:13:00.000-08:00

It's almost time for the Winter Solstice, here are some nifty ideas on how to celebrate with your family.

This weeks Carnival of Homeschooling is up.

Greg Laden has some useful info on How to not get caught plagiarizing.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-12-07T16:16:00.001-08:00

The Carnival of Homeschooling is up.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-12-01T11:10:00.001-08:00

This weeks CoH is being hosted by Nerd Family Blog.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-11-22T10:11:00.001-08:00

The Carnival of Homeschooling is up.

John McCarthy

2011-11-18T11:43:00.001-08:00

John McCarthy, the inventor of the programming language Lisp and a pioneer in “artificial intelligence” technology.

COH #307 Tweeting The Carnival

2011-11-15T18:46:00.001-08:00

Check out Home School Dad he is Tweeting the CoH.

Book Review ~ Trixie & Jinx by Dean Koontz

2011-11-11T08:20:00.001-08:00

A delightful children's book. I highly recommend it and love it's message "a friend is more precious than pirate gold".

Carnival of Homeschooling & News

2011-11-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

The CoH is up. In other news the verdict is in, MISSISSIPPI REJECTED THE PERSONHOOD AMENDMENT!!!!! I want to thank my fellow homeschoolers in Mississippi who helped to get out the word to Vote NO on 26.

Carnival of Homeschooling – Saintly Edition

2011-11-01T09:29:00.001-07:00

The CoH is being hosted by Homeschool Buzz this week.

Carnival of Homeschooling ~ Rollerskating in a Buffalo Herd Edition

2011-10-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Rollerskating in a Buffalo Herd Edition of the CoH is up at Dwey's Treehouse.

I Certainly Don't Support Bachmann, I Think She Is Crazy

2011-10-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

The title of the article, Evangelical Iowa homeschoolers could be important to Bachmann campaign, gave me hope that finally the media was catching on that not all homschoolers are Christians and that not all homeschoolers support Republican Candidates. Alas it was just another piece touting how homeschoolers support so and so.

No one group can speak for all homeschoolers no more then any group can claim to speak for all public school parents.

I certainly don't support Bachmann, I think she is loony.

Required Reading

2011-10-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

I believe that The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood should be required reading. A chilling account of how a religious group takes over America and creates a theocracy, where the government controls everything concerning reproduction. Women are divided into groups and are forced to dress in certain colors to donate what group they are in. Wives wear blue (only first marriages are recognized), Cooks and Household Help (composed of unmarried older women too old for child bearing) wear green. And Handmaids (all second marriages and non-marital liaisons were declared adulterous the women's children were taken from them and they were arrested and forced to become Handmaids) wear red. Econo Wives wear striped dresses of all 3 colors. Handmaids are given to men in positions of power who do not have children and are forced to bear these men's children. (Under the new laws Men are not infertile if a woman doesn't get pregnant she is entirely to blame). Anyone breaking the new harsh laws can be killed and hung on the wall or sent to the colonies where they are forced to clean up toxic waste. And under the new laws reading is forbidden for women.

Josiah Cantrall American Non Thinker

2011-10-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

Mr Cantrall wrote Repeal Obamacare - but Keep Socialized Education? for American Thinker, apparently he put little thought into it.

Horace Mann (1796-1859)

Horace Mann, often called the Father of the Common School, began his career as a lawyer and legislator. When he was elected to act as Secretary of the newly-created Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837, he used his position to enact major educational reform. He spearheaded the Common School Movement, ensuring that every child could receive a basic education funded by local taxes. His influence soon spread beyond Massachusetts as more states took up the idea of universal schooling.

Mann's commitment to the Common School sprang from his belief that political stability and social harmony depended on education: a basic level of literacy and the inculcation of common public ideals.

Apparently Mr. Cantrall is unaware that before Horace Mann's idea of universal schooling took hold much of the population was illiterate. Or perhaps he just doesn't care.

According to Mr. Cantrall

However, as we all know, "free education" isn't free, but subsidized through tax levies on all citizens -- even those with no school-age children and those who have chosen to educate their children privately. Herein lies the genius of the left: by dictating the funding of government-run education and health care programs, millions of families are left with few alternatives outside the government's control. Although the right to enroll their children in private schools remains, this "right," for all practical purposes, often cannot be exercised due to income limitations. The reality is that many middle- and lower-income families cannot afford to pay taxes towards our public schools while also sending their own children to schools of their choice. The same holds true for health insurance policies -- thus, freedom of choice is suddenly available only to the elite and wealthy.

On the contrary public schools ensure that ALL children will receive an education, not just the children of the elite and wealthy that can afford to educate their children. School taxes are a mere pittance of the taxes you pay in most areas and a well educated community provides benefits to all in the community. Those who wish are still free to send their children to private schools or to homeschool them. And in many states homeschool restrictions are very lax and do not provide any undue hardship for parents wishing to homeschool. Without public schools many children would not receive even a basic education as their families would not have the resources to provide an education for them. To the detriment of not only the children, but the communities in which they live.

Just like public education aims to ensure that every child can read and write The Affordable Care Act seeks to ensure that each American has access to affordable health care.

You can read The Affordable Care Act here.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-10-18T08:36:00.001-07:00

This week you will find the CoH at SmallWorld.

Crown of Thorns by Stephane Groueff

2011-10-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Biography of Boris III of Bulgaria. Very interesting college level reading.King Boris III, helped save the Bulgarian Jews from Hitler and tried to keep Bulgaria out of WWII as much as possible.

Recommend

2011-10-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Calling myself a homeschooling mother doesn't make me one By Rose Godfrey/For the Appeal-Democrat

The Chicago Tribune has been calling Lydia Price a homeschooling mother. Apparently, for the Tribune, restricting the definition of homeschooling mother to someone who actually educates her children is as nit picky as expecting me to pass all those pesky Harvard classes before saying I've earned that Ivy League degree.

Was this really written by a homeschooler?

2011-10-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Homeschooling is Bad Because sounds as if it was written by one of the children of a stereotypical Fundamentalist Homeschooler and I feel for her/him I really do, if they actually exist. But just because this was their experience with being homeschooled doesn't mean it is everyone's. Honestly this hatchet job on homeschooling sounds as if it were made up.

Because you might have to spend the ten years after being homeschooled for 18 years recovering and trying to find out all of the things that were hidden from you. All of the things you were not allowed to know- about history, science, the world... I'm not kidding- this is MY experience. Not pushing it off on anyone else.

We choose to homeschool our children because we wanted to provide a better academic education for them then was available at the local public schoools and because we wanted them to be free to dress as individuals not forced to look like clones in mandatory public school uniforms. We certainly didn't want to hide anything from them.

And if you are doing a kick-ass job teaching your kids everything and MORE then why would you be afraid of someone checking in to make sure it's all okay. I mean, for the sake of the kids that aren't in a right situation, other homeschool families should be advocating for it.

I did a kick ass job educating my boys, they are both doing very well in college. That said I did not want some bureaucrat telling me what I had to teach and when I had to teach it. I am sure the bureaucrat would have found some reason my eldest son couldn't start college at 16.

We don't learn how to get along by sequestering ourselves away and hiding. We don't learn how to be more open-minded. We don't learn to accept.

None of the homeschoolers I know sequester themselves. We are out in our communities often doing volunteer work and lending a helping hand. We belonged to a INCLUSIVE homeschool group, PEAK Homeschool Network, when I was actively homeschooling.

Now I have to question WHY a site that sells homeschool curriculum would publish such nonsense. Did they do so in order to attract traffic to their site? I certainly wouldn't buy from them if that is the case.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-10-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

The CoH is up at Raising Real Men.

Book Review ~ Neighbors by Jan T. Gross

2011-10-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

A chilling account of how the Poles of Jedwabne killed their Jewish neighbors during the German occupation. Mainly out of greed, but also due to long held superstitions spread by Catholic Priest that the blood of Christian Children were used in Jewish rituals during Passover.

Carnival Of Homeschooling – Hosted by Home Grown Mommy

2011-10-05T05:04:00.001-07:00

Home Grown Mommy is hosting this weeks CoH.

NOT a Republican Foot Soldier

2011-10-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

I really expected better from Reuters, then this hatchet job portraying stereotypical homeschoolers.

Homeschoolers are a diverse group just like public school parents are. Some of us are even DEMOCRATS or Independents. By no means are we all Republican Foot Soldiers. In fact my husband is running for office as a Democrat.

Another myth is that homeschoolers are all Christians or that we all teach Creationism. Nothing could be further from the truth . There are Pagan, Atheist, Agnostic, Jewish, and Buddhist Homeschoolers just to name a few, and many homeschoolers believe and teach EVOLUTION.

And contrary to how the Reuters article portrays us their are many PRO-CHOICE homeschoolers that are supportive of both boys and girls being given mandatory vaccinations to prevent the spread of HPV, a sexually transmitted disease.

Consent Of The Governed: Carnival of Homeschooling - 300th Edition!!!

2011-09-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

Consent Of The Governed: Carnival of Homeschooling - 300th Edition!!!

Homeschool Bytes presents

2011-09-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Welcome to the Harvest Edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.

Homeschooling best for children according to the Brazen Careerist

2011-09-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have no choice. Because while I was waiting for the kids to go back to school, I was reading. And, of course, now my homeschool site makes me a magnet for research about school. And the evidence is overwhelming that schools are not meeting the educational needs of children

Unstructured play is more important than everything else for young kids.

Test scores are not important.

The homeschool trend is huge among educated parents.

Passion-based learning is an impossible goal with 30 kids and one teacher.

Almost all serious talk of school reform is about redefining what school is.

I challenge you to read these links and tell me you don’t think homeschool would be better for your kids. And this is why I tell myself that I have to make homeschooling work.

Read the full article here.

Notes From A Homeschooling Mom

2011-09-16T09:06:00.001-07:00

is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling.

15 Key Facts About Homeschooled Kids in College

2011-09-14T02:53:00.001-07:00

Read the article here.

Homeschooling Gets An A+

2011-09-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

A new study from Concordia University and Mount Allison University has found that homeschooling -- as long as it's structured or follows a curriculum -- can provide kids with an academic edge.

Structured homeschooling gets an A+

Let's Do Lunch ~ CoH

2011-09-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Common Room: Homeschool Carnival, The Let's Do Lunch Edition

Famous Homeschoolers

2011-09-05T18:42:00.001-07:00

Christopher Paolini talks at Bath Children's Festival

Republican presidential hopefuls quietly turning homeschool policy into a real issue?

2011-09-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

Found a great................

2011-09-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

homeschool blog. Must read Rebel Homeschool : Why Secular Homeschooling?

Check Out

2011-09-01T17:54:00.001-07:00

The Homeschool Diversity Blog Hop

Are Students of Protestant Christian Schools/Homeschools Receiving Inferior Educations?

2011-08-31T03:35:00.000-07:00

This report seems to indicate they are.

"In many cases, the difference in outcomes between Catholic and Protestant Christian schools is striking," the study states. "Catholic schools provide superior academic outcomes, an experience that translates into graduates' enrollment in more prestigious colleges and universities, more advanced degrees and higher household income.

Additionally, graduates of Protestant Christian schools attend less competitive colleges than both their Catholic and non-religious private school peers."

No Fighting, No Biting!: Carnival of Homeschooling- Logistics of a Homeschooling Family

2011-08-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

No Fighting, No Biting!: Carnival of Homeschooling- Logistics of a Homeschooling Family

Lego Education: Free LEGO Smart Kit to Teachers & Homeschool Families

2011-08-17T11:37:00.001-07:00

more details here.

Teen Reading Suggestion

2011-08-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - Interesting tale with lots of info about Egyptian mythology. Sadie and Carter Kane watch their father unleash ancient Egyptian Gods. In an attempt to rescue their Father they set off on a world wide adventure, while getting to know each other and learning to perform magic.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-08-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

The Summer Isn't Over Yet edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is now up.

What's the problem?

2011-08-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

I have long maintained that football and other sports programs have no place in our public schools. Recreational Sports Leagues that all kids in the community would be eligible to play on would be a much better way to fund football and other programs. Leaving our public schools to concentrate on academics.

Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award

2011-08-04T13:52:00.001-07:00

Explore unsung heroes in history and win $10,000! Visit the Lowell Milken Center to find out more.

Homeschoolers NOT for Ron Paul

2011-08-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

According to Business Wire

The 2012 Ron Paul Presidential Campaign today announced the national “Homeschoolers for Ron Paul” coalition to energize voters who value educational choice.

I value educational choice and I homeschooled my boys until they started college but I AM NOT FOR RON PAUL, and I deeply resent his campaign trying to make it sound as if all homescoolers are.

Carnival of Homeschooling: The Hand-Crafted Education

2011-08-02T09:50:00.001-07:00

Home Spun Juggling is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling: The Hand-Crafted Education

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-07-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

Mrs Mama Hen is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling.

Ex-teacher will serve 7 years for sex with student - Local - SunHerald.com

2011-07-26T04:03:00.000-07:00

Ex-teacher will serve 7 years for sex with student - Local - SunHerald.com

Classical Homeschooling Carnival #17

2011-07-25T09:50:00.001-07:00

Classical Homeschooling Carnival #17 is hosted at Baby Steps.

The Carnival of Homeschooling Simplified

2011-07-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

A Life Supreme is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-06-29T04:28:00.001-07:00

The Technical Difficulties Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is up.

Giveaway

2011-06-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

Visit My 2 Cents for a chance to win The Well Planned Day Planner.

what the night knows by Dean Koontz

2011-06-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Calvino's are a charming modern homeschooling family who band together to defeat evil. Kuddos to Dean Koontz on his portrayal of a modern day homeschooling family, thankfully you won't find any stereotypes here.

This is just stupid

2011-06-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

Monroe County court records show that the parents of a West Amory Elementary second-grader who was unusually disciplined were awarded a $75,000 settlement from the school district.

The settlement was finalized in Monroe County Chancery Court last week.

Johnny and Regina Frederick of Wren had filed a notice of intent to sue and seek $500,000 from Amory School District and school principal Leigh Todd.

Todd allegedly made the boy stick out his tongue March 7 as punishment for sticking out his tongue and telling a teacher to shut up. Todd was fired in April.

It is outrageous that $75,000 will be taken FROM TAXPAYERS, because a second grader was made to stick out his tongue.

Cheating in the Public Schools

2011-06-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

Moss Point schools are no longer fully accredited because of testing violations that include cheating. The Clarion-Ledger reports the district is on probation, and if problems are not corrected by early September, the commission's options would then include voting to withdraw its accreditation.

Moss Point Superintendent Kim Staley says a corrective action plan was sent to the commission and the district is awaiting official notice on a final decision.

And I thought those STUPID mandatory public school uniforms were suppose to fix everything (snark).

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-06-01T02:57:00.000-07:00

Check out the Memorial Day Edition @ Why Homeschool.

Mock Trial Champions are Homeschoolers

2011-05-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

From the New York State Bar Association

A team of home-schooled students from Schenectady County won the statewide mock trial championship this week, defeating the Bronx High School of Science team.

And from the Philadelphia Homeschool Examiner
The verdict is in. The homeschoolers have the best mock trial team in Burlington County!

Congratulations!!

2011-05-15T17:01:00.001-07:00

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-05-10T08:53:00.001-07:00

The CoH is up.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-05-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

Homeschool Dad is hosting this weeks CoH, The Film Edition.

My all time favorite movies are The Lord of The Rings trilogy: The Fellowship of The Ring, The Two Towers & Return of The King

500-year-old book surfaces in Utah

2011-04-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

I love books, so I find it exciting that someone had a book handed down for generations.
500-year-old book surfaces in Utah - Nation Wire - SunHerald.com

Blog Against Theocracy 2011

2011-04-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

I just found out about this (April 22-24) Welcome to Blog Against Theocracy 2011. I hope to find the time to do a blog post against theocracy for it. I have two "issues" to choose from an Easter Egg Drop using the Jackson County helicopter. I wonder if any of those stupid tea baggers will protest the gas being used to drop eggs from a helicopter?

Easter eggs -- 20,000 of them -- will fall from the sky today at War Memorial Stadium in Pascagoula, courtesy of the city and Oasis Gulf Coast Church.

A helicopter from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department will hover over the football field as it releases a colorful shower of the plastic eggs, which will be filled with candy and prize coupons

And Louisiana School Board Considers Adding Creationism to Science Class.

We should just teach the world is flat and here be dragons and be done with it. Seems like school boards in the South are determined to drag us back to the dark ages.

Count me in the #AgainstTheocracy, maybe we can stop the lunacy.

NYC officials defend decision to cuff 1st grader

2011-04-21T04:01:00.000-07:00

Who knew decorating Easter Eggs could land you in cuffs if you attend public school and get upset.
NYC officials defend decision to cuff 1st grader - Nation Wire - SunHerald.com

Not a Homeschooling Issue

2011-04-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

When parents divorce courts are often involved in deciding things about the children, sadly this is such a case, NH Court Upholds Order to Send Homeschooled Girl to Public School. But unless you are planning to divorce your spouse this case does not and will not affect your homeschooling freedoms.

The justices also noted that homeschooling “has become a widely used alternative to more traditional public or private schools as the vehicle for education children” in recent years.

“Courts have neither the mandate nor the expertise to determine from among these options which generally provides the most suitable education,” they said.

Homeschooling advocates praised the New Hampshire Supreme Court for adopting language that does not set a negative precedent for other homeschoolers and for recognizing that homeschooling is a viable education option in lieu of public and private schooling.

H$LDA should butt out

“While this case has religious overtones, it is not about religion. While it involves home schooling, it is not about the merits of home versus public schooling. This case is only about resolving a dispute between two parents, with equal constitutional parenting rights and joint decision-making responsibility, who have been unable to agree how to best educate daughter.”

Carnival of Homeschooling

2011-04-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Small World @ Home is hosting this weeks CoH.

Public School Mom has run in with the law over immunizations

2011-04-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

Why does the media insist on attaching Home School to a story that isn't even about homeschooling or homeschoolers. It should at least read Former Home School Mom as the problem arose when the Mother enrolled her daughter IN PUBLIC SCHOOL!!!!

Fishing

2011-04-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

New American recaps how Judge Joe Dale Walker goes fishing for homeschoolers.

Natalie explains why many homeschoolers do not support HSLDA

2011-04-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Ramblings, Rants & Remedies: Why I do not support HSLDA

Chancery Court Judge Joe Dale Walker on a homeschool witch hunt

2011-04-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

For more information read Natalie's Ramblings, Rants & Remedies: Updated: District 13 judge demands info on all homeschoolers:

For those of you interested these are the qualifications for Chancery Court Judge;

CIRCUIT AND CHANCERY COURT JUDGE

Qualifications: A practicing attorney for five years, at least 26 years of age, and five years a citizen of the state. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §154.

Fee: $100 made payable to the State Board of Election Commissioners, delivered to the Secretary of State's Office

Carnival Of Homeschooling - The Homeschool Journey Edition

2011-03-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Carnival Of Homeschooling - The Homeschool Journey Edition @ Consent of the Governed.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England

2011-03-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

As a child, Elizabeth was given a very impressive education. It had become popular amongst the nobility to educate daughters as well as sons and Elizabeth excelled at her studies. She was taught by famous scholars such as William Grindal and Roger Asham, and from an early age it was clear that she was remarkably gifted. She had an especial flare for languages, and by adulthood, she could reputedly speak five languages fluently.

Elizabeth was crowned Queen on Sunday 15th January 1559. In the months that followed, the new Queen re-established the Protestant Church in England and restored the debased coinage. Perhaps to appease Catholics or to appease those who did not believe a woman could become head of the church, Elizabeth became Supreme Governor of the Church of England, rather than Supreme Head as her father had been. She did not like religious extremism and did not want to persecute any of her people for their religious beliefs. However, the tenacious political nature of the Catholic/Protestant split meant that her government had to take a harsher line towards Catholics than she wanted.

Elizabeth was dedicated to her country in a way few monarchs had been or have been since. Elizabeth had the mind of a political genius and nurtured her country through careful leadership and by choosing capable men to assist her, such as Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham. When she ascended the throne in 1558, England was an impoverished country torn apart by religious squabbles. When she died at Richmond Palace on the 24th March 1603, England was one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.

Grace O'Malley (Granuaile)

2011-03-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Grace O'Malley (also called Granuaile) was a famous pirate, seafarer, trader and chieftain in Ireland in the 1500's. She was born in 1530 in County Mayo, Ireland and was the daughter of sea captain Owen O'Malley.

Grace took up piracy by taking on Turkish and Spanish pirate ships and even the English fleets. She grew her estate to include a fleet of ships as well as several islands and castles on the west coast of Ireland.

In her later years, Grace developed her reputation as a fearless leader through her efforts in battle along side her followers. Legend has it that Grace gave birth to one of her sons while out to sea. The very next day following the birth of the baby, the ship was attacked by Turkish pirates. Though exhausted from giving birth Grace grabbed a gun, went on deck and proceeded to rally her men against the Turks, forcing their retreat.

Grace took up piracy by taking on Turkish and Spanish pirate ships and even the English fleets. She grew her estate to include a fleet of ships as well as several islands and castles on the west coast of Ireland.

In her later years, Grace developed her reputation as a fearless leader through her efforts in battle along side her followers. Legend has it that Grace gave birth to one of her sons while out to sea. The very next day following the birth of the baby, the ship was attacked by Turkish pirates. Though exhausted from giving birth Grace grabbed a gun, went on deck and proceeded to rally her men against the Turks, forcing their retreat.

Read more about Grace O'Malley here.

What does Alan Ford have against homeschoolers?

2011-03-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Alan Ford's objections to homeschoolers being allowed to play on public school teams is laughable. First there is the whiny "but all public school students don't get to play because of cuts, so it's unfair a homeschooled student might get a spot". And he seems to be laboring under the misapprehension that a homeschooled student who lacked athletic ability would get a spot over an athletically gifted public school student. Get real the Coach will pick the best athlete for the team.

For some reason Ford seems to think homeschoolers will be a discipline problem for the Coach. But this is utter nonsense. The Coach will see the homeschooled student every day at practice. The other team members will also have a chance to see the homeschooled student every day and form that all important "bond" Ford is so worried about. And if the Coach is truly interested in how the homeschooled student is doing away from the public school grounds he can always talk to the student and his/her parents. There is also the fact that homeschooled students are generally better behave then their public school peers.

Dr. Shyers further discovered that the home-schooled children had consistently fewer behavioral problems. The study indicated that home-schooled children behave better because they tend to imitate their parents while conventionally-schooled children model themselves after their peers. Shyers states, "The results seem to show that a child's social development depends more on adult contact and less on contact with other children as previously thought."⁸

Ford ask

Homeschooled or not, they’re still teenagers. What’s to stop one of these players from texting friends on the team at the public school and urging them come meet them for a hamburger at a local fastfood places, in defiance of school rules?

Why would the public school student have his cell phone on at school? What would stop a public school student on the team from doing the same thing?

Ford brings up grades and attendance but that is such a non-issue, homeschoolers attend school for a certain number of hours each school day, they also do school work. I wonder if Ford realizes that colleges court homeschoolers because they are generally better prepared academically then their public school counterparts.

This year (2000) Stanford University accepted 26% of the 35 homeschoolers who applied--nearly double its overall acceptance rate. Twenty-three of this fall's 572 freshmen at Wheaton College in Illinois were homeschooled, and their SAT scores average 58 points higher than those of the overall class.

Most colleges take a close look at standardized-test scores when weighing homeschool applications and find that homeschoolers outperform their school-educated peers. This year homeschoolers scored an average of 1,100 on the SAT--a full 81 points above the national average--and 22.8 on the ACT, compared with the national average of 21.

Time Education: Home Schoolers: From Home to Harvard

Fords bogus concerns are nothing more then ignorance on his part about homeschooling. But then as I have maintained athletics should not be part of our public schools. Far to much of our tax money that is allocated for eductaion finds it's way into the public schools athletic department, especially the football programs, instead of purchasing new textbooks for students or paying teachers salaries.

Get athletics out of our public schools and concentrate on educating all the children. Those parents who wish their children to play sports can enroll them in recreational sports.

Sallie Eola Reneau

2011-03-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sallie Eola Reneau was born on August 1, 1836 in Somerville, Tennessee, and had the first womens' public university named after her.

Sallie Eola Reneau was a crusader for state-supported higher education for women in the South and the founder of Reneau Female Academy, which was later named Mississippi College for Women at Columbus, Mississippi. Reneau hall, at this college, is named in her honor. Sallie was a remarkable woman and, when the yellow fever epidemic broke out in West Tennessee, she went and volunteered her services as a nurse. She caught yellow fever while in Germantown, Tennessee. A telegram was sent to her father in Washington, D.C., and he boarded the train to come to her bedside. In Pittsburg, a telegram was waiting for his train to tell him Sallie had died.

On August 10, 2009, university president Dr. Claudia Limbert announced that a new name for the college, Reneau University, would be presented to the state college board and state legislature for approval.

Eudora Welty 1909-2001

2011-03-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Eudora Alice Welty was born in Jackson, Mississippi, on April 13, 1909. Welty attended Mississippi State College for Women from 1925 to 1927, finishing a bachelor of arts degree in 1929 at the University of Wisconsin.

Her first published story, "Death of a Traveling Salesman," appeared in 1936, after which Welty's stories were accepted by top publications such as Atlantic and Southern Review. During her early writing career, Welty's work was often narrowly defined as regionalist or feminist. Still, she was admired by other writers, and her first collection of short stories, A Curtain of Green, left critics eagerly anticipating Welty's future work. Over the next thirty years, Welty had over fifteen books published, including short fiction, novels, and nonfiction.

Welty's work has been recognized with prestigious awards such as a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1942; the O. Henry Award in 1942, 1943, and 1968; the National Institute of Arts and Letters literary grant in 1944 and Gold Medal for fiction in 1972; and a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for The Optimist's Daughter.

Former surgeon general calls for sex ed in Miss.

2011-03-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom

"I've said forever, if you can't control your reproduction, you can't control your life," she told the crowd.

Former surgeon general calls for sex ed in Miss. - Health & Fitness - SunHerald.com

Ralph Nader calls for ending athletic scholarships

2011-03-25T04:55:00.000-07:00

Not only should they end athletic scholarships they should get athletics out of our schools and spend our tax money on educating the children. Surprisingly one person in soundoff agrees with me.

GregNBiloxi

The effort needs to go deeper. Remove competitive sports from the high schools. Let the sports fans sponsor private sport clubs. Remove the most costly program from the public schools and allow tax money to pay for education.

Ralph Nader calls for ending athletic scholarships - Baseball - SunHerald.com

Isabella of Castile and Aragon, Isabella the Catholic, Isabel la Catolica

2011-03-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Queen Isabella I ruled Castile and Aragon jointly with her husband, Ferdinand (Ferdinand II of Aragon, Ferdinand V of Castile).

In 1480, Isabella and Ferdinand instituted the Inquisition in Spain, one of many changes to the role of the church instituted by the monarchs. The Inquisition was aimed mostly at Jews and Muslims who had overtly converted to Christianity but were thought to be practicing their faiths secretly -- known respectively as morranos and moriscos -- as well as at heretics who rejected Roman Catholic orthodoxy, including alumbras who practiced a kind of mysticism or spiritualism.

Isabella and Ferdinand proceeded with their plans to unify all of Spain by continuing a long-standing but stalled effort to expel the Moors (Muslims) who held parts of Spain. In 1492, the Muslim Kingdom of Granada fell to Isabella and Ferdinand, thus completing the Reconquista. That same year, all Jews in Spain who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled by royal edict.Also in 1492, Isabella was convinced by Christopher Columbus to sponsor his voyage of discovery. The lasting effects of this were many: by the traditions of the time, when Columbus discovered lands in the New World, they were given to Castile. Isabella took a special interest in the Native Americans of the new lands; when some were brought back to Spain as slaves she insisted they be returned and freed, and her will expressed her wish that the "Indians" be treated with justice and fairness.

Isabella was also a patron of scholars and artists, establishing educational institutions and building a large collection of art works. She learned Latin as an adult, was widely read, and educated not only her sons but her daughters. One of these daughters, Catherine of Aragon, is known in history as the first wife of Henry VIII of England and mother of Mary I of England.

No Ham at Homeschool Convention

2011-03-24T05:04:00.000-07:00

Ham's latest attacks got him uninvited to a Homeschool Convention.

The organization rescinded invitations for Ham to speak at homeschooling conventions next weekend in Cincinnati and in June in Philadelphia. It said in a statement:

"The Board believes that Ken’s public criticism of the convention itself and other speakers at our convention require him to surrender the spiritual privilege of addressing our homeschool audience. -

One of the core values of our convention is that we believe that good people can disagree and still be good people. We believe that Christians do not need to personally question the integrity, the intelligence, or the salvation of other Christians when debating Biblical issues. Ken has obviously felt led to publicly attack our conventions and a number of our speakers. We believe that what Ken has said and done is unChristian and sinful. A number of attendees are demanding explanations from our board and we must respond to them"

Ham's response

Ham shot back that the convention organization has hosted speakers that question literal interpretations of the Bible and write for BioLogos, a Web site that promotes Christian acceptance of scientific conclusions such as evolution. (In the past year, BioLogos writers have repeatedly sparred with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler, who maintains that the Bible trumps the consensus of scientists. And BioLogos’ publicizing of a comment by prominent evangelical biblical scholar Bruce Waltke, showing an openness to evolution, cost Waltke his job as a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary)

Louisa May Alcott 1832-1888

2011-03-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Louisa May Alcott, was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832. In 1840 the family moved to Concord where prominent American author and close friend of the Alcott's, Ralph Waldo Emerson, helped the family to set up residence. Louisa enjoyed the county atmosphere of Concord and found her time divided between acting out plays with her sisters which she had written, and nature walks with Henry David Thoreau. In 1843 the Alcott family took part in an experimental communal village known as the Fruitlands.

In 1852 Louisa's first poem, "Sunlight" was published in Peterson's magazine under the pseudonym, Flora Fairfield. Although modest payment was received, Louisa was beginning a career that would bring her great fame and end her financial worries.

Three years later, in 1855, her first book, Flower Fables was published.

She headed for Washington, DC. in 1862 to serve as a Civil War Nurse. Her stay in Washington prompted Louisa to write Hospital Sketches which was published in 1863 followed by Moods in 1864. At this point Louisa's publisher, Thomas Niles, told her that he wanted "a girls story" from her. Having spent her life with three of the most interesting girls, Louisa wrote furiously for two and a half months and produced Little Women based on her own experiences growing up as a young women with three other sisters. The novel, published September 30, 1868, was an instant success and sold more than 2,000 copies immediately.

Anne Sullivan (1866-1936)

2011-03-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Anne Sullivan Macy was an American educator, best known for her work as HelenKeller's teacher. Born in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, on April 14, 1866, she was named Joanna Mansfield Sullivan, but was always called Anne or Annie.

Christa McAuliffe

2011-03-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Christa McAuliffe (first teacher in space) was a civilian mission specialist aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle, and died with the rest of the seven member crew when Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986.

Mississippi Literature

2011-03-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ford County by John Grisham - A collection of short stories. Would be great for an American or Mississippi Literature Class. Truthful portrayals of small town Mississippi life.

Maloney contines his crusade against homeschoolers

2011-03-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

Maybe someone should inform Maloney that "those homeschool people" he snidely refers to can vote.

Mary Pickford (1893-1979)

2011-03-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Mary Pickford was one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[1] Known as "America's Sweetheart," "Little Mary" and "The girl with the curls," she was one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood and a significant figure in the development of film acting.

Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986)

2011-03-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Georgia O’Keeffe and her paintings remain an icon of American modernism to this day.

Sandra Day O'Connor (1930-)

2011-03-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981.

Queen Lili'uokalani (1838–1917) Hawai`i's last ruling monarch

2011-03-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

By age 15, Lili`u was already an accomplished musician and composer who could write music and is reported to be the only native Hawaiian composer who could.

Miss. homeschoolers can face test before transfer - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com

2011-03-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

I don't have a problem with homeschoolers being tested before entering public school but I do wonder if they test ABOVE grade level if they will be promoted to the grade they test at are forced to stay in the grade for their age group.

Miss. homeschoolers can face test before transfer - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com