Ohio school tells wrong parents kids are absent

Parents of students at Waggoner Road Middle School received an automated call around noon that their children were missing. The school's phone lines became overwhelmed with calls, and some frantic parents showed up at school.

Ohio school tells wrong parents kids are absent - Weird News - SunHerald.com

The Road Less Traveled ~ CoH

Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy The Road Less Traveled CoH.

Carnival of Homeschooling

This weeks CoH is up.

Book Review ~ History

America's Hidden History by Kenneth C. Davis - Learn about Fort Caroline built by the French in the 1560s. Phillip II of Spain sent Admiral Pedro Menendez to remove the French from Fort Caroline (Florida) in 1565. Find out more about Hannah Emerson Dustin (Haverhill, Massachusetts - March 1697), Thomas Morton (School of Atheism), John Endecott, King Philip aka Metacom, Mary Rowlandson, Anne Hutchinson, Eunice Williams and Mary Dyer.

Highly entertaining and educational as well as extremely readable.

$5,000,000 donated to university for homeshooler scholarship

It is believed to be the largest donation for homeschool scholarships ever.


Wednesday, LeTourneau University received a $5,000,000 gift to establish the scholarships.

Carnival of Homeschooling

Drop by Home School Dad to read The panorama of homeschooling CoH

Carnival of Homeschooling

Notes From a Homeschooling Mom is hosting this weeks CoH, Back 2 Home 2010.

Homeschoolers Count -- National Math Competition Bans Homeschoolers

Penny Nance, CEO for Concerned Women for America, said, "It appears that the objectionable behavior was committed mostly, if not wholly, by non-homeschool kids, yet the Math Counts board chose to punish homeschoolers.  Homeschoolers have excelled in the competition.  Is this another example of punishing those who excel so that others can feel good about themselves?  These students should not be punished for the misdeeds of a few cheaters.  Homeschoolers may still be permitted to compete as individuals, but the reality is that far fewer students will be able to participate if homeschool teams are banned from involvement."

You Are NOT a Homeschooler If You Send Your Child to Public or Private School

I am so tired of public or private school parents claiming to be homeschoolers.

All parents are "home school parents". Some choose to share that educational mission with others outside of the home as their children mature. When they do, those partners in the educational mission should look first to the parents, not to a bloated federal bureaucracy.

If you "share the educational mission" by sending your child off to pubic or private school you are not a homeschooler.

A homeschool parent chooses the curriculum for their children, chooses the textbooks, creates lesson plans, grades papers, gives test, organizes field trips, and MEETS all the legal requirements the state they live in has for homeschoolers.

If you merely help your child with homework and "supplement" what they learn in public or private school you are NOT a homeschooler and it is insulting to homeschoolers to imply you are. It also gives ANTI-homeschoolers ammunition to use against homeschoolers. After all if Keith Public School Parent is a homeschooler and sends his child off to PUBLIC SCHOOL why can't all homeschool parents send their kids to public school and just homeschool after school like  Keith Public School Parent? We then have to waste time explaining to these imbeciles that know nothing about homeschooling that  Keith Public School Parent isn't a homeschooler even though he is stupidly insisting on calling himself one, because his God says something about parents teaching their kids in the Bible.

And yes, to some extent all parents teach their children. We teach them how to do many things before they are school age and we hopefully continue to influence them throughout their lives regardless of the educational choices we make for them. And yes, no matter what educational choice we make for our children we as parents should be involved in their education.  But if you send your children to public or private school you are not a homeschooler.

Imagine teaching your kids at home

A lovely post from a teacher who recognizes the benefits of homeschooling.

The Great Flip-Flop

Nicholas Byron Hall while all too eager to criticize homeschooling in his post What are the disadvantages of homeschooling? can't seem to get around all the MANY advantages homeschooling offers.

While homeschooling may come with advantages, it's questionable as to whether it's worthwhile in the majority of cases.

This of course is nothing more then his uninformed opinion.

What's known as "opportunity cost" is a type of cost that occurs when someone could be using their time more beneficially. In other words, parents homeschooling their children are costing themselves an income. This income could be used in a variety of ways, including funding a private school education for the child. In many ways, it's rather suspect why parents choose homeschooling when they could work.  

There are more important things in life then money, apparently this Philosophy and Political Science major has yet to learn that. He also assumes that a private school would be available for the child to attend if the parents only had the money for tuition. In my area the only private schools are Catholic, not being Catholic I had no wish for my children to receive a Catholic education. In other areas private schools have long waiting list.

Parents are rarely qualified to teach their children; sorry, it's true. 

Nonetheless, some evidence suggests homeschooling provides a better education - with students learning at home scoring higher on standardized tests. In fact, some studies even report higher happiness in life amongst. This is arguably because the public school system fails students, but the private school system is not scoring above homeschooling either. This makes it appear that perhaps homeschooling is the best option.

Looks like he is trying to have it both ways first we aren't qualified to teach our own children, but he then fails to explain how us unqualified parents provide our children with a better education then either public or private schools.

He then goes on to blame homeschoolers for the problems in the public schools.

The problem is that people don't put the effort into their public school system. When the system fails them, they give up and take their children out of it. It's hard to blame them, but some would argue that citizens have an obligation to work together against corruption and irresponsible behavior.

For some reason these same do gooders that think homeschoolers should keep their children in public schools and waste their time and energy trying to fix them have no problem with parents sending their children to private schools. And for someone who was so concerned about the opportunity cost of homeschooling he fails to mention the "opportunity cost" to parents of spending their time trying to fix "public schools". We tried to fix our public schools and discovered there was no way to fix them for our children.  The decisions are made by our school board and not only do they serve long terms, we were only eligible to vote for one of the board members. The one board member who agreed with our position. Leaving our children in a mediocre academic environment helps no one. On the other hand giving our children the best education possible so they will be productive members of society helps everyone.

Hall also doesn't seem to realize that today many minorities and low income families choose to homeschool.

Lastly, some objections are made on the basis of religious ideology. Other arguments can be made with respect to morals, political values, etc. Parents are teaching children false things about science within the context of homeschooling, and parents have only one perspective.

First off parents are TWO separate people with their own unique views, secondly homeschoolers interact with more people then their parents. Hall also fails to realize that many homeschooling parents believe in evolution and teach it to their children.

Tiresomely Hall seems to believe all the old homeschool stereotypes.

Ex- PUBLIC SCHOOL educator gets 6 years for statutory rape - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com

Former part-time PUBLIC SCHOOL educator Sheral Smith, already in prison for statutory rape in Rankin County, will serve six years for committing the same crime in Hinds County involving a 14-year-old boy.

Ex-educator gets 6 years for statutory rape - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com

Carnival of Homeschooling: Remembering Summer

I am looking forward to reading The Remembering Summer edition of the CoH.

Another Imbecile

Do these self appointed experts ever bother to do anything resembling RESEARCH, apparently NOT. Parents and Homeschooling Disadvantages Article by justkat73 Edited & published by Laurie Patsalides

• Lack of free time.  And public school parents have loads of free time right? My friends whose children attend public school are always complaining about how their child's  HOMEWORK takes up all their time. Because homeschool students aren't loaded down with "busywork", and homeschoolers don't have the discipline problems and time wasters (changing classrooms etc.)  that public schools do homeschooling actually takes less time then public school.
• Cost - OK, this is a bona fide disadvantage, but it is the same disadvantage parents who send their children to private school face and you don't see busybodies writing about the disadvantages of private school do you?
• Lost time from work- Ah, one of those women who don't think being a homemaker is worthwhile. 
• Lack of peer interaction and resources - And this is where IF she had made the slightest attempt to research HOMESCHOOLING she would have discovered the plethora of resources and homeschool groups available.
• Need for continued education.- And this is a disadvantage how? Many jobs require you to continue your education. Learning new things should never be seen as a disadvantage.

The Oh So Self Rightous Intolerant Jerks

Not that these intolerant jerks will listen, but homeschoolers are a DIVERSE GROUP. Homeschoolers come from many different ethnic, cultural and social-economic backgrounds. And guess what you morons, we interact with each other in INCLUSIVE HOMESCHOOL GROUPS. But then what can you expect from a bunch of overpaid actors and actresses who haven't got a clue about life in the REAL WORLD.

Alasandra's Place: Book Review ~ Earth is Not Alone by John Knapp II

Alasandra's Place: Book Review ~ Earth is Not Alone by John Knapp II

Consent Of The Governed: Summer Get-Together Edition: Carnival Of Homeschooling

Consent Of The Governed: Summer Get-Together Edition: Carnival Of Homeschooling

The Cretins are posting again PARTII

A look at the negative effects of homeschooling by Teresa Aira who obviously thinks her training at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and her 20 years of experience as a former chef and  in the hospitality business make her an authority on homeschooling.

Many children lose the valuable socialization atmosphere that traditional schools provide.

Like the traditional public school Columbine?

No separation between parent and child. The bond that forms when homeschooling is invaluable; however, it does not provide for a break between the parent and child.

Does the dimwit really think we spend 24 hours a day 7 days a week with our kids?

Re-integration - Many states do not provide for a high school diploma for homeschooled children.

And this is a problem why? Parents can issue their OWN DIPLOMAS. And BTW you don't need a diploma to get into college. I homeschooled both of my children until they started college. My eldest is currently working on his masters in Computer Science  and my youngest is a college sophomore.


I sincerely hope Teresa Aira knows more about cooking then she does about homeschooling.

The Cretins are posting again

With it being summer I was hoping the cretins had taken a break until I read this A look at the negative effects of homeschooling by Grace Angel

There are many negative effects to the home schooling process. Many children struggle with social development issues because they are home schooled.

Obviously this is Ms Angel's OPINION and she has NOTHING to support it. And who is Ms. Angel, apparently a nobody who likes spouting ludicrous opinions,  there is no biographical information available for Ms. Angel on the Helium site.

It is also well documented that the home school environment does not allow for extracurricular activities.

Really!!!!! apparently Ms Angel is unaware that homeschoolers are part of recreational sports teams, join boy/girl Scouts, 4-H, Theater groups, attend Art History Classes at local museums, sing in choirs, take music lessons and are involved in a host of other extracurricular activities. I would love to see Ms Angel's so called documentation, I wonder if she can produce it?

Many students become bored with the educational process in home schooling. This is because they do not change environments enough to remain interested

This is apparently her OPINION again and is not backed up by any documentation. And of course public school students never get bored.

The intensity with which a student must study for their exams is very emotionally draining. Sometimes students will actually perform to a lower level than they're capable of because they must go through such a difficult exam process.

I haven't got a clue what she is talking about here, more proof that this cretin hasn't got a clue about anything related to homeschooling.

Tomorrow I'll take a look at A look at the negative effects of homeschooling by Teresa Aira

Things to see in Washington D.C.

Shadow House Gazebo and Bishops Garden

Washington National Cathedral

National Gallery of Art (Albrecht Durer)