Thursday, December 16, 2010

HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.

I am sick and tired of people thinking Christians are the only families who homeschool.  People of many different beliefs also homeschool.

I have read any number of articles by those who choose to homeschool who believe that homeschooling is the only biblical option for educating children. While these people may make some valid arguments, I am not convicted by Scripture or by plain reason that we must avoid public schools.

PLEASE HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.

Tim Challies seems to believe all homeschoolers  are Christians who are easily offended, won't allow their children to participate in Halloween and won't let them participate in sports leagues.

I don't think homeschoolers are easily offended. I do think we get tired of being lumped together as if we are all identical. Homeschool families are just as diverse as public school families. There are Wiccan, Pagan, Atheist and Christian Homeschoolers. There are rich, middle class and poor homeschoolers. There are White, Black, Hispanic, Indian, and Native American homeschoolers. Also our reasons for homeschooling are as varied as we are.

My family did not pray about homeschooling and religion played no part in our decision. We choose to homeschool because we did not agree with mandatory school uniforms in public school. I see no reason children should have to dress like clones in order to get an education.

Unlike Challies I do not believe children should be sent to public school in order to witness to other children. I find it revolting that Challies seems to think his religious beliefs should be forced on others.

I did not choose to homeschool to avoid worldliness. My children continued to play with the same kids they played with when they attended public school, they continued to participate in recreational sports leagues and boy scouts. Homeschooling is an educational choice not a religious undertaking and I am sick and tired of people like Challies assuming that all homeschoolers are Christians and share the same ideology he does.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

The Common Room: When Family Members and Friends Seem Hostile to Homeschooling

The Common Room: When Family Members and Friends Seem Hostile to Homeschooling

The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson

(Non-Fiction) I highly recommend this book, it would make a wonderful gift for any History Buff in your family. Larson explores Chicago in the Gilded Age, beginning with Daniel Hudson Burnham's miraculous design for the Chicago World's Fair (properly known as the World's Columbian Exposition ) held in 1893. The book starts in 1890 with Chicago seeking to have the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. It covers the life of architect  Daniel Hudson Burnham as well as engineer George Ferris who came up with a way to out Eiffel, Eiffel. Olmsted the famous landscape architect figures prominently in the book as well as Buffalo Bill. On a darker note Patrick Eugene Joseph Prendergast's murder of the mayor of Chicago is covered as well as the life of serial killer H. H. Holmes (born Herman Webster Mudgett). The book ends with Millet's death on the Titanic in 1912 and Burnhams's death shortly thereafter.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Christmas Shopping @ CSN Stores

With over 200 online stores CSN Stores is the perfect place to do you Christmas shopping. They have everything; pet supplies, backpacks, china.  I wonder if Hubby would like a leather briefcase for Christmas. Youngest Son needs a new backpack to take to college so I am headed over to look at their large selection of backpacks.








I wonder if Youngest Son would like this one

Now to look for a leather briefcase for Hubby.

Teacher injured in student brawl - Education - SunHerald.com

A Moss Point PUBLIC High School teacher was injured Monday trying to break up a fight involving three students.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Book Review ~ Jesus, Interrupted by Bart D. Ehrman

Scholars have made significant progress in understanding the Bible over the past two hundred years and the results of their study are regularly and routinely taught both to graduate students in universities and to prospective pastors attending seminaries in preparation for the ministry. Yest such views of the Bible are virtually unknown among the population at large. As a result, not only are most Americans ignorant of the contents of the Bible, but they are also almost completely in the dark about what scholars have been saying about the Bible for the past two centuries.



A Historical Assault on Faith
Because of the influence the Bible has had on Western Civilization we should all use the historical-critical approach in order to understand it better. There are serious discrepancies in the Bible that can not be explained away, unless we acknowledge that each author of the Bible lived in his own time and place, had a set of cultural and religious assumptions that we do not necessarily share and has their own story to tell that doesn't always match the stories the other authors of the Bible choose to tell. The big question is why do pastors who have learned the historical-critical method seem to forget about it once they reach the pulpit. I know in my pastors case he was afraid the information might cause the congregation to question their faith.

A World of Contradictions
Ehrman shows the contradiction between when Mark said Jesus died (Friday morning) and when John said Jesus died (Thursday afternoon). And reasons that John changed a historical datum in order to make a theological point: Jesus is the sacrificial lamb.


Discrepancies in the Accounts of Jesus' Birth and Life
Ehrman goes on to show the discrepancies in the stories of Jesus' birth as well as in the family tree of Jesus. He also mentions the fact the Bible makes TWO contradictory claims the Mary was a VIRGIN and that Jesus was descended from David through JOSEPH. Other contradictions are discussed but the key points are; the discrepancies prove the Bible is not 100% correct, it is important to let each author speak for himself, and the discrepancies that involve historical narratives make it difficult to establish what really happened.



Ehrman discusses the various views that were popular at the time. Points out that the earliest followers of Jesus did NOT consider him divine and produces scholarly evidence to back up his claims. All in all I found this to be a very interesting book although some of the material covered was also discussed in his earlier books. I encourage anyone interested in theology to read this book.

fondling of a first-grade girl by a first-grade boy classmate causes legal problems for principal

New Hope assistant principal cleared - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Public School investigates coach whipping allegations

Public School investigates coach whipping allegations

Jason Hubbard Sr., whose son is on the basketball team, told The Clarion-Ledger newspaper that he saw Dorsey whip players with a weightlifting belt for not performing plays properly.


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

We Are Clark Kent Carnival of Homeschooling

Fly on over to Corn & Oil to read the We Are Clark Kent Carnival of Homeschooling

The Question To Ask About Art Robinson's Love of Racist Novels

Read the article in the Huffington Post.

In short the piece is about novels Art Robinson used in his homeschool curriculum, a curriculum he made available to the public, for a price.

Now I was expecting a classic such as Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. But discovered it was a book and author I had never heard of.

A PBS bio of G. A. Henty states that his books "are notable for their hearty imperialism, undisguised racism, and jingoistic patriotism," indicating that they they went out of print for a reason: such attitudes fell out of fashion decades ago.


I certainly wouldn't have chosen to use Henty's work, certainly not all 99 of them. But that is the beauty of homeschooling one doesn't have to use books one finds distasteful or poorly written. If we had read one of his works, it would have been used as an example of the popular assumptions held by the majority of the British people in Henty's own time. And that the British used these views to justify colonizing what they considered to be inferior races.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Divisive Issues & Homeschool Forums

Sixathome took offense when an inclusive homeschool group locked Lioness' problems with DHS on their forum, Sixathome outlined her complaint in her post Responsibility and a Home School Forum.

I want to offer these thoughts. A Homeschool Groups first responsibility is to the Group. Topics that become divisive can destroy a group. This was such a topic and Natalie acted responsibly when she locked the topic. This in no way prevents members from visiting Lioness' blog to offer support and sympathy, or sharing Lioness' story on their own blog.

Secondly as horrific as what Lioness' family is going through, it isn't really a homeschooling issue. Lioness herself said that she was reported for neglect. That is what DHS is investigating. Lioness would be facing the same nightmare even if her children attended public school.  

Thirdly this is a legal issue and is beyond the scope of PEAK's capabilities to help. Having our members sitting around wringing their hands helps no one. Natalie and others  pointed Lioness to resources that could help her. It is up to Lioness to make use of them.

Should Mississippi homeschoolers be worried? I think not. This issue is very complex and has little to do with homeschooling.