A Blount High School freshman was taken to a hospital after being stabbed in the face with a knife during an on-campus fight with a classmate, authorities said.
The 17-year-old victim in the Thursday morning stabbing later was released from the University of South Alabama Medical Center. School officials said teachers subdued the attacker, a freshman who was arrested by police.
Is this what the critics of homeschooling mean by socialization?
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
This is a terrible tragedy
Eighth-grader Lawrence King was shot Tuesday during a class at E.O. Green Junior High, police said.
Police have not alleged a motive for the shooting, but said there appeared to have been "bad blood" between the teens. Police said a handgun was used in the attack, which occurred with more than 20 other students in the room.
Thankfully none of the other public school students were hurt.
Police have not alleged a motive for the shooting, but said there appeared to have been "bad blood" between the teens. Police said a handgun was used in the attack, which occurred with more than 20 other students in the room.
Thankfully none of the other public school students were hurt.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Carnival of Homeschooling
The Voice of Experience is hosting the Cabin Fever edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling.
Can your child's teacher read?
John Corcoran graduated from college and taught high school for 17 years without being able to read, write or spell.
Corcoran's life of secrecy started at a young age. He said his teachers moved him up from grade to grade. Often placed in what he calls the "dumb row," the images of his tribulations in the classroom are still vividly clear.
Read the rest here.
Corcoran's life of secrecy started at a young age. He said his teachers moved him up from grade to grade. Often placed in what he calls the "dumb row," the images of his tribulations in the classroom are still vividly clear.
Read the rest here.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Darwin Day
Our homeschool celebrates Darwin Day and studies the theory of evolution. Here are some links and book recomendations to help you with your Darwin Day celebration.
Celebrations
DarwinSBU.Org
Darwin Day Celebration Activities
Lesson Plans
Teachers' Domain
Discovery Education
Charles Darwin
About Darwin
Charles Darwin Naturalist
BBC
Books
Books by Charles Darwin
Gutenberg Project
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins, read my book review here.
Celebrations
DarwinSBU.Org
Darwin Day Celebration Activities
Lesson Plans
Teachers' Domain
Discovery Education
Charles Darwin
About Darwin
Charles Darwin Naturalist
BBC
Books
Books by Charles Darwin
Gutenberg Project
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins, read my book review here.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Member of the Jena 6 back in trouble
A defendant in the Louisiana "Jena Six" case was arrested on suspicion of slamming a student's head into a bench at his new school in Texas, police said.
Bryant R. Purvis, 19, was arrested on a charge of assault causing bodily injury Wednesday after an altercation at Hebron High School. It began because Purvis believed a student had flattened his tires, Sgt. John Singleton said.
Seems like this kid has anger management issues he needs help with.
Bryant R. Purvis, 19, was arrested on a charge of assault causing bodily injury Wednesday after an altercation at Hebron High School. It began because Purvis believed a student had flattened his tires, Sgt. John Singleton said.
Seems like this kid has anger management issues he needs help with.
Useful info for those of us with college students
Balancing Student Privacy and School Safety: A Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for Colleges and Universities you can get the guide here.
Another Push Out
A newly arrived Kilgore mother is picketing Kilgore Independent School District after being told her son must remove his two earring studs before attending the school.
Sherrie McGinty said she was informed by Kilgore Intermediate School personnel Thursday that her 10-year-old son, Alexander "Little Berry" McGinty, would need to remove his earrings to attend classes. She and her son moved to Kilgore from Washington a few weeks ago and are living in a hotel while trying to find a place to live, she said.
"We are not living in 1940 anymore," McGinty said, adding that her son's school in Washington did not have a problem with his earrings.
She said she went to the school district's administration building to ask why her son could not have his earrings. She said the superintendent accused her of being argumentative and asked her to leave. She signed some paperwork to homeschool her son and left, returning shortly after with a picket sign.
She probably has a case for discrimination too; as girls are allowed to wear earrings. You can read the rest here.
Sherrie McGinty said she was informed by Kilgore Intermediate School personnel Thursday that her 10-year-old son, Alexander "Little Berry" McGinty, would need to remove his earrings to attend classes. She and her son moved to Kilgore from Washington a few weeks ago and are living in a hotel while trying to find a place to live, she said.
"We are not living in 1940 anymore," McGinty said, adding that her son's school in Washington did not have a problem with his earrings.
She said she went to the school district's administration building to ask why her son could not have his earrings. She said the superintendent accused her of being argumentative and asked her to leave. She signed some paperwork to homeschool her son and left, returning shortly after with a picket sign.
She probably has a case for discrimination too; as girls are allowed to wear earrings. You can read the rest here.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Carnival of Homeschooling - Acrostic Edition
Beverly's Homeschooling Blog is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling - Acrostic Edition.
Another reason for the Bitter Homeschooler to be Bitter
Well the Bitter Homeschooler has something else to be bitter about. Not only does she have to contend with idiots implying that homeschooling is somehow wrong/bad parenting/against the law ect., other bloggers have stolen her wish list. Read her post I'd Rather be Hated Than Used at Diary of a Mad Editor.
Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine wrote The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List. The list probably struck a chord with every homeschooler on the planet. It's been circulated in blogland over and over again, it even got mentioned in Fark, which should have been good news for Deborah Markus and Secular Homeschooling Magazine. But it wasn't, Why? because another blogger had posted the wish list and was getting credit for it. When she asked him politely to not post the whole article and provide a link to her site this was his response.
What nerve.
Secular homeschooling can feel very lonely sometimes. Deborah Markus was kind enough to start a magazine for secular homeschoolers. She took a lot of flake from religious homeschoolers, many of whom copied the wish list without giving her credit. She has this to say about that.
But the offender in this instance was another secular homeschooling family.
Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine wrote The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List. The list probably struck a chord with every homeschooler on the planet. It's been circulated in blogland over and over again, it even got mentioned in Fark, which should have been good news for Deborah Markus and Secular Homeschooling Magazine. But it wasn't, Why? because another blogger had posted the wish list and was getting credit for it. When she asked him politely to not post the whole article and provide a link to her site this was his response.
They hadn't agreed, and weren't going to agree, to my request to trim and link because -- well, had I noticed how many comments had been posted to the bitter wish list's posting? Hundreds. Those were hundreds of people who were staying on their site to talk about what they'd read. (Hundreds of people who should have been at Secular Homeschooling Magazine reading the list)
If they trimmed and linked to mine, that would be all those people leaving their site and going to mine. And they really didn't want that.
What nerve.
Secular homeschooling can feel very lonely sometimes. Deborah Markus was kind enough to start a magazine for secular homeschoolers. She took a lot of flake from religious homeschoolers, many of whom copied the wish list without giving her credit. She has this to say about that.
I sort of expect, or at least can't really be shocked by, the religious bloggers who don't mention my magazine, or mention it but say things like "I don't endorse or support SECULAR Homeschooling Magazine." As I mentioned in my previous posting, I've started to notice that for some people, secular doesn't mean non-religious, it means anti-. It's the "s" word, and they don't like it.
But the offender in this instance was another secular homeschooling family.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Public School Student Kills Family
A 15-year-old boy fatally shot his parents and two younger brothers as they slept, then spent more than 12 hours with friends before returning home and calling 911 to report that his father was dead, police said Sunday
The tall, gangly sophomore at Dulaney High School in neighboring Timonium was denied bail; a bail review hearing was scheduled Monday. He was being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center in a special section for juveniles.
The tall, gangly sophomore at Dulaney High School in neighboring Timonium was denied bail; a bail review hearing was scheduled Monday. He was being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center in a special section for juveniles.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Who Watches the Watchers
A spokesman for the state agency (FL) that oversees the welfare of children was arrested Friday on charges that he solicited minors, at least one of whom may have been in state custody, to create pornography, authorities said.
Al Zimmerman of the state Department of Children & Families has been fired, agency officials said. The 40-year-old was charged with eight counts of using a child in a sexual performance and faces up to 120 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Read the rest in The Sun Herald.
Al Zimmerman of the state Department of Children & Families has been fired, agency officials said. The 40-year-old was charged with eight counts of using a child in a sexual performance and faces up to 120 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Read the rest in The Sun Herald.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thoughts on the Independents Article on Homeschooling
First why do they always showcase Fundamentalist Christian Homeschooling Families and their Bible Studies? There are plenty of secular homeschoolers who do not start the day with Bible Studies. It would be nice IF articles on homeschoolers showcased the wide diversity amongst homeschooling families instead of making it sound like only Fundamentalist Christians Homeschool.
For some reason the reporter felt in necessary to mention anti-homeschooling Rob Reich's criticisms of homeschoolers.
Answer there is no average homeschool. Each homeschooler is FREE to tailor their methods to suit their child's individual learning style. Some methods homeschoolers chose to use; the Charlotte Mason Method, Classical Education, Eclectic Homeschooling, Enki Education Method, Montessori Homeschooling, Unit Studies, and the Waldorf Method. That's the beauty of homeschooling being able to use what works best for your child. There is absolutely no reason homeschoolers should have to use the same methods as failing public schools and submit to regulations and testing just so educators like Reich can have the data they want. Public Schools which are regulated regularly fail the students they are suppose to be educating even though they provide the Reichs of this world with plenty of data.
At least the reporter did mention why homeschooling is so popular today.
And Lane at least mentioned that all homeschoolers are not Fundamentalist Christians.
Unfortunately he didn't choose to elaborate on what a wonderfully diverse bunch homeschoolers really are. In fact ANTHONY LANE seems to be completely unaware that there are atheist, liberal and Democrat homeschoolers. He apparently buys into the malarkey spread by Michael Apple that the majority of homeschooling is done by Christians wishing to brainwash their children.
Lane then finds it necessary to bring up the Murray tragedy.
We all know about Columbine, we have all read about children who have killed themselves after being bullied in public schools, but nobody blames public schooling for these tragedies. Why when tragedy befalls a homechooling family does the media rush to blame it on homeschooling?
Kerry Kantor sums up nicely why regulation of homeschool families is unnecessary.
For some reason the reporter felt in necessary to mention anti-homeschooling Rob Reich's criticisms of homeschoolers.
For the few independent researchers looking at homeschooling, Reich points out, there's simply no good data. Most discussion centers around what Reich calls the "glorified anecdote." Kids have won national spelling competitions and aced the SATs based on what they learned at the kitchen table. Some take these examples and conclude homeschooling must work.
But, Reich asks, "What's the average homeschool? The answer is, "We have no idea.'"
Answer there is no average homeschool. Each homeschooler is FREE to tailor their methods to suit their child's individual learning style. Some methods homeschoolers chose to use; the Charlotte Mason Method, Classical Education, Eclectic Homeschooling, Enki Education Method, Montessori Homeschooling, Unit Studies, and the Waldorf Method. That's the beauty of homeschooling being able to use what works best for your child. There is absolutely no reason homeschoolers should have to use the same methods as failing public schools and submit to regulations and testing just so educators like Reich can have the data they want. Public Schools which are regulated regularly fail the students they are suppose to be educating even though they provide the Reichs of this world with plenty of data.
At least the reporter did mention why homeschooling is so popular today.
It wasn't until the 1960s and '70s that John Holt and other educators started making a case that schools failed many children. Holt's notion that kids learn best when allowed to pursue their own interests lies at the heart of the modern "unschooling" movement.
And Lane at least mentioned that all homeschoolers are not Fundamentalist Christians.
Yet it's not fair to say all homeschool families believe the same things or are motivated by a religious worldview. In a 1999 federal survey, religious reasons were the second most common explanation given for homeschooling, at around 38 percent; 49 percent responded they believed they could do a better job at home.
Unfortunately he didn't choose to elaborate on what a wonderfully diverse bunch homeschoolers really are. In fact ANTHONY LANE seems to be completely unaware that there are atheist, liberal and Democrat homeschoolers. He apparently buys into the malarkey spread by Michael Apple that the majority of homeschooling is done by Christians wishing to brainwash their children.
Lane then finds it necessary to bring up the Murray tragedy.
Several homeschooling families intersected Dec. 9 when Matthew Murray ended his murderous rampage at New Life Church. Having killed two people at a missionary school in Arvada, the 24-year-old shot his way across the New Life parking lot as Sunday services let out, killing Rachel and Stephanie Works, teenage sisters who were homeschooled. Their father was also injured. Judy Purcell, administrator of the High Country Home Educators enrichment program that meets at New Life, was shot in the shoulder as she and her family prepared to leave that day.
Murray, who raged in multiple Web postings against his homeschooled upbringing in a strict Christian family, killed himself after he was shot by a New Life security guard.
We all know about Columbine, we have all read about children who have killed themselves after being bullied in public schools, but nobody blames public schooling for these tragedies. Why when tragedy befalls a homechooling family does the media rush to blame it on homeschooling?
Kerry Kantor sums up nicely why regulation of homeschool families is unnecessary.
Kerry Kantor, with the Colorado Academy of Independent Learners, says regulations are unnecessary to ensure most homeschooled kids get a good education.
"Parents really do have their best interests at heart," she says.
Public School Teacher makes terroristic threats
A teacher who was upset because she didn't get her preferred classroom assignment left more than a dozen scribbled threats at her elementary school and a suspicious device in a student's desk, authorities said.
Susan Romanyszyn, 45, was charged Thursday with 17 counts of making terroristic threats in connection with the incidents at Longstreth Elementary School in Warminster in October.
Read the rest in The Sun Herald.
Do we really want our children taught by people like this?
Susan Romanyszyn, 45, was charged Thursday with 17 counts of making terroristic threats in connection with the incidents at Longstreth Elementary School in Warminster in October.
Read the rest in The Sun Herald.
Do we really want our children taught by people like this?
Just how different is a homeschool education?
Dana over at Principled Discovery ask Just how different is a homeschool education?
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