Not Homeschooling

This isn't homeschooling.

A truely liberated mind would champion homeschooling

My response to Writings of a Liberated Mind's post Homeschooling is NOT the answer

She says

the children being homeschooled are limited to their parent's ability to relay information and the previous schooling of the parents. In a school setting, children are provided with perspectives and knowledge from a very wide pool of minds.

This is not true. Homeschoolers have a wide array of resources at their disposal. Not only can the parents relay information to their children but they can take advantage of distance learning courses, co-ops where parents share their knowledge of particular subjects, also many homeschoolers are enrolled in classes just for homeschoolers offered through local museums and often older homeschoolers are enrolled in college classes for dual credit. Homeschoolers are unlimited in their ability to seek knowledge in a wide variety of places. Also many homeschoolers are able to travel and experience different cultures with their families due to the flexibility homeschooling offers.

She says

Socially, homeschool does not expose children to peer pressure. Peer pressure can be a good thing and it can be a negative thing. Regardless, children need to learn how to handle peer pressure situations and how to interact with their peers (especially the ones that are different from themselves).

Not so, homeschoolers interact with the people in their community. We join civic associations, recreational sports leagues, community theater groups , Scouts, 4-H and many other groups. Many older homeschoolers often hold part time jobs in the community or work as volunteers. Not only do our children have many chances to interact with their peers they have the chance to learn from their elders.

She says

bias of the parents (whether for or against religion) will color the type and method of education. Even atheist children need to learn how to talk with and interact with religious people.

Public schools are full of bias, books contain the biases of their authors, bias is a part of life and not a reason to deny parents the right to homeschool their children. Also the face of homeschooling is changing, many of us belong to inclusive homeschool groups and associate with families vastly different then our own.

She says

Finally, I find the motive of parents who show a desire to homeschool their children to be selfish. They want to have 100% control of what is let into their child's brain.

This is a very cruel way to stereotype loving parents. The majority of parents choose to homeschool because they believe it is in the best interest of their children. Most families make sacrifices in order to homeschool. I don't know any parent who wants to have 100% control of what is let into their child's brain. This is akin to someone saying that parents who show a desire to send their children to public school are selfish because they want to educate their children at taxpayer expense and have no desire to stay home with them. We all know this is false and would be offended if someone said it. We should be equally offended when someone puts down homeschool parents and labels them as selfish.

Homeschooling is a valid educational choice and a truly liberated mind would embrace homeschooling and the freedom it offers.

Carnival of Homeschooling: Spring 2009 edition

Homeschool Buzz is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling, the pictures of spring alone are worth the visit.

Why Homeschoolers should not support Venessa Mills

The News Observer states School case raises ire. But why is it raising ire amongst Venessa Mills and her supporters? HSLDA is usually among the first to scream our homeschooling freedoms are being encroached on, but they don't seem in the least concerned about the judges ruling.

The Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association has a policy against accepting home-school cases that are part of divorce or custody battles. Spokesman Ian Slatter said judges have ordered homeschooled students into public schools before, but the group does not track such cases.

"Unfortunately, divorces are fairly common," Slatter said. "These sorts of questions are put before judges on a regular basis."

Maybe because it isn't a HOMESHOOL ISSUE and will in no way impact other homeschoolers.

Then we have Homeschool Injustice bleating that it's not in the children's best interest to spend an equal amount of time with their father in her post Why 50/50 Is Not In The Best Interests of Children . The post completely ignores the realities of modern day life, where often both parents work and both the Mother and Father only spend evenings and weekends with their children. She also seems oblivious to the fact that as a single mother Venessa Mills will need to work outside the home to support herself. And if we want to talk about whats in the best interest of the children

Recent research reveals a negative impact of divorce on children's welfare as a consequence of the reduction in monetary and time contributions by the non-custodian parent. When the custody arrangement is sole custody, the variables that link the absent parent to the child are visitations and child support transfers.

Apparently contrary to what Ms. Williams believes joint custody has been proven to be in the best interest of the children.

Under the circumstances, only a heartless, ignorant, or prejudiced individual would fail to understand Venessa Mills' demands, or fail to see that they were solely motivated by her desire to protect her children.

Venessa Mills didn't put her children first when she choose to divorce her husband and destroy their family so why should we automatically assume that she is putting them first now. And if she truly believes that shared custody isn't in the children's best interest she could always let Thomas Mills have full custody.

(The judge's intent from the beginning was to force these parents back together and out of his courtroom, acting like a liberal-biased marriage counselor instead of being a judge.)

I seen to recall the Bible saying

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. -King James Bible Matthew 19:6

So I would have thought that a judge who tried to prevent a divorce would receive kudos from professed Christians instead of their ire for trying to do what was best for the children and keep the parents together if at all possible.

Ms. Williams' post Constitutional Injustice is even more ludicrous.

he prejudicially chooses to restrict the mother's financial support to a level intended to limit her ability to practice her religion

I am not even sure what Ms. Williams means by that. How much money does Venessa Mills need to practice her religion? Who is suppose to finance her religious beliefs?

I have no doubt that Mr. Mills infidelity hurt Venessa Mills a great deal and I feel sorry that she had to deal with that pain. But she had choices. She could have forgiven her husband and worked to save the marriage. Instead she chose to divorce him while naively believing that nothing in her life or her children's lives would change other then her marital status.

Why homeschoolers should not support Venessa Mills?

1. No one should be forced to homeschool. The children's father has indicated that he wants the kids to be in public school and that he believes it will be in the best interest of the children.
2. Venessa Mills' parents have concerns about the situation. Homeschoolers have insisted that we don't need further regulations as abuse can be spotted and reported by people other than teachers including friends, family, doctors and neighbors. Enough people have raised concerns about this ONE SITUATION that the judge is right to listen and take steps to prevent abuse.
3. The chief complaint about Mr. Mills is that he committed adultery. While this certainly makes him a BAD HUSBAND it doesn't automatically disqualify him as a FATHER.
4. Homeschoolers have worked hard to garner political clout, it shouldn't be squandered on a messy divorce case. Which is why HSLDA isn't involved.
5. Championing Venessa Mills in light of all the allegations and concerns raised by family members smacks of fanaticism not a well reasoned logical decision.

Lets save the rallying for something that matters

Williams is rallying homeschoolers from across the nation to fight back to defend their rights as Americans to educate their children.

Great a small minority of homeschoolers are determined to defend homeschoolers from the bogeyman and are making all homeschoolers look like idiots.

Venessa Mills is fighting a legal battle for the heart and soul of homeschooling in North Carolina.

Wow, I thought she was just divorcing her husband and trying to take him to the cleaners in the process. I mean most normal people realize that in order to be a housewife and stay at home Mom you need to be married. If you choose to divorce your husband then you are going to need to get a job and support yourself and that probably means your kids will have to go to public school. I certainly would not choose cult member, Venessa Mills as the poster child for homeschooling.

Robyn Williams, friend and homeschool mother of four was present at the proceeding. "I have never seen such injustice and such a direct attack against homeschooling," said Williams.

Attack on homeschooling, surely she is kidding. The judge never attacked homeschoolers. Homeschoolers in North Carolina are still free to homeschool their children. This case has nothing to do with homeschoolers in general. This is a divorce case pure and simple. If Venessa Mills had not sued her husband for divorce the judge would not be deciding what the best educational choice for the Mills children would be, the parents would be working it out between themselves. The Father wanted the kids in public school, due to various facts the judge decided that the Father's desire to have his children educated in the public schools should be granted.

If homeschoolers want to be taken seriously we need to carefully consider what we are rallying for. As Principled Discovery asked What if the NC judge’s ruling against homeschooling is the best possible?

And second is something of real concern to me. In abuse case after abuse case, our defense of homeschooling is that abuse is a social issue, not an educational one. That increased regulation will only put an unnecessary burden on homeschooling families while doing nothing to help children in abusive situations. That we live in our communities and that abuse can be spotted and reported by people other than teachers including friends, family, doctors and neighbors. Then a case comes to court in which the father has concerns about his children’s homeschooling. It goes a little beyond simply believing children are better off in public school, although that is really all the reason a parent needs to opt to place a child in public school. He backs this concern up with testimony from other people in the community about what his wife’s church is like. And we are going to not only jump on the judge for a bias against homeschooling but for a bias against religion as well? I’m not sure that it is wise to so reflexively defend homeschooling that we are willing to disregard the testimonies of people close to the situation who may be raising valid concerns not with homeschooling in general but with a particular situation. Maybe the decision is the best possible in the situation. Most of us don’t really know.

It seems to me that the checks and balances that homeschoolers have insisted are in place to protect children worked in this instance. To blindly insist that Venessa Mills must be allowed to homeschool in light of her husbands opposition and the concerns of her own family is WRONG and will harm legitimate homeschoolers and their right to homeschool.

This is homeschool advocacy at its worst

Patrice Lewis in her post Playing God with homeschoolers totally ignores the facts.

She maintains the children in the Mills case are being forced into public school against the parent's wishes. When in actual fact the FATHER, asked that his children be placed in public school.

Ms. Lewis is also ignoring the fact that Mrs. Mills' own parents think she belongs to a cult and is being brainwashed. They testified on their son in laws behalf.

And somehow it gets lost in the MEAN JUDGE will not make my soon to be ex-husband give me enough money to continue to be a Stay at Home Mom and homeschool my kids whining that Venessa Mills was the one that instigated the divorce that led to all this upheaval in her children's lives.

Do homeschoolers have anything to worry about from the judges decision? NO, this ruling will not effect you, HSLDA even agrees, this is NOT A HOMESHOOLING ISSUE.

Certified Public School Teachers Having Sex With Students

In the past 14 months, three Coast teachers have been arrested and charged with having sexual relationships with minors.

Read more in The Sun Herald.

Mississippi Gulf Coast: Our environment is still at risk from salt dome project

Mississippi Gulf Coast: Our environment is still at risk from salt dome project

Cult not homeschooling at root of decision

According to the News & Observer Judge: 'Cult' factored in ruling.

Contrary to what the Fundamentalist Christians are proclaiming this is not a threat to homeschooling or some horrible injustice against homeschoolers.

The judge even noted that he recognizes the benefits of home schooling. His concern is that after Venessa Mills joined the Sound Doctrine Church of Enumclaw in 2005 she became alienated from her husband and her parents. (Her own parents testified against her) and that she was attempting to alienate the children from their father and their maternal grandparents. I also think it's important to note that he didn't DEMAND they immediately be placed in public school. They will start public school in the fall.

"Based on all of the evidence, the court finds that Ms. Mills engaged in behavior that alienates the minor children from their maternal grandparents, their aunt, and most importantly their father," Mangum wrote.

I don't even think you could call this a religious issue as he was fair to both parents.

Among other provisions, the written order said the parents will have joint custody of the children -- who are 12, 11 and 10 -- and that both parents can "practice their own religion and expose children to same."

Sadly these parents didn't share the same religious views and apparently their religious views were so incompatible it led to divorce. Naturally both parents want to share their beliefs and world views with their children. The judge made it possible for both to do so, there is no injustice in that.

And while hsinjustice vilifies Thomas Mills it was Venessa Mills who filed for divorce.

Even HSLDA says this isn't a homeschooling issue.

Despite the outcry, Ian Slatter, a spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense Association, a Virginia-based group that backs home-school parents, say these kinds of custody cases are more common than people realize

"It's a tragedy of divorce, but we don't see any broad implications,"
Slatter said.

The outcry by some homeschoolers is uncalled for.

Hal Young, a member of the board of Johnston County Home Educators, a support group for home-school parents, said it is upsetting that a judge can so radically alter a family's lifestyle.

Let's get one thing straight the judge didn't alter this family's lifestyle Venessa Mills did when she filed for divorce.

HT: HERP&ES

Homeschooling Concerns Baseless

VJACK's post Atheist Homeschooling listed some of his concerns about homeschooling in general and atheist (really anyone who isn't part of the Fundamentalist Christian Homeschooling community) homeschoolers in particular. This is my response.

First I don't believe imparting your moral values is a "wrong reason" to homeschool. This is my response to VJACK's post Homeschooling is About Indoctrination. Public schools also indoctrinate children often with views that are different then, even hostile to their parents world view. Unfortunately no matter who is doing the teaching be it a public school teacher or a parent their biases will be part of the lesson. Parents have every right to impart their "moral values" to their children. And while I am pro-choice anti-choice parents have every right to teach their children their beliefs. I am very disturbed by VJACK's desire to indoctrinate children through the public school system with his beliefs in opposition to their parents beliefs.

I suppose the thing I would most worry about if I were an atheist parent considering homeschooling would be the issue of academic equivalency.

I have no doubt that my children received a superior education compared to what they would have received in the public schools. My eldest son started college at 16, he is in his fourth year of a computer science degree. He is also paying his own tuition with a scholarship and the money he earns at his part time job. He will graduate debt free. My youngest son is in his senior year of high school and is taking a course at the local community college for dual credit, he has an A in the class. Parents who choose to homeschool invest time and money in their children's education we are highly motivated to see that our children are well prepared for college and life. VJACK basis his concern on this

As someone who teaches college, I have found that the homeschooled children who end up there are often seriously unprepared to succeed.

I wonder how many of the public school students who end up in his classroom are also unprepared to succeed? I also wonder how many well prepared homeschooled students are in his classroom that he never realizes were homeschooled because they don't fit into his stereotypes of homeschooling?

According to Associated Content

A common homeschool myth is the one that assumes children who attend a homeschool will not be prepared for college. However, many college recruiters disagree with this myth, and in fact, some even prefer homeschooled students. Why? Many students who homeschool have advanced studying skills, such as the knowledge of various resources, as well as the ability to work well independently. Homeschoolers can also possess exceptional teamwork and social skills, which are very essential to many college courses. In addition to the above qualities, many homeschooled children begin taking college level courses before they are finished with their K-12 education, due to the flexibility of their schedules and the opportunity to advance at one's own pace.

The second concern involves the social development of the homeschooled child. In many respects, the social aspects of the school experience as as important as the academic ones. Christians who homeschool are probably going to have an easier time finding others homeschooling through their church than atheist parents can find through some alternative. How does the atheist parent attend to social development and prevent his or her child from being woefully unprepared to form positive peer relations?

The simple answer to this is you form your own homeschool groups or find inclusive and secular ones. There are also recreational sports teams/drama clubs/chess clubs etc. your children can join.

While I do not see this as a major barrier, I also wonder if it could be argued that an atheist parent who homeschools might be doing his or her children a disservice by depriving them of the opportunity to learn how to navigate the challenges of living as an atheist among a largely religious populace.

Funnily enough the opposite argument (it could be argued that a CHRISTIAN parent who homeschools might be doing his or her children a disservice by depriving them of the opportunity to learn how to navigate the challenges of living as an CHRISTIAN among a largely secular/materalistic populace) is often made in reference to religious homeschoolers who feel the public schools are a cesspool of secular humanism. Homeschoolers do not live in splendid isolation. We meet all sorts of people from various backgrounds merely by going about our daily lives. It's also ironic that VJACK assumes that his children will share his atheist beliefs, but then I suppose he intends to brainwash or indoctrinate them with his beliefs.

And before I start getting a lot of hostile comments for that bit of snark let me elaborate. All parents have the desire to pass their beliefs or values on to their offspring. We all believe our beliefs are the "right/correct" ones. But for some reason when Christians share their beliefs with their own children atheist often decry it as brainwashing/indoctrination. Ironically they are guilty of the same thing with their children but they don't consider it brainwashing or indoctrination because they are certain their beliefs are the only sane rational way to live. In a truly tolerant and diverse society both the Christians and the Atheist would respect each others beliefs and respect their right to pass their beliefs on to their own children.

Alasandra, The Cats & A Dog: Cats needing rescue in the Chicago Area

Alasandra, The Cats & A Dog: Cats needing rescue in the Chicago Area

Check Out The Blarney Edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling

The Blarney Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is hosted at The Homeschool Cafe.

Divorce at root of homeschool decision

I am baffled why Venessa Mills didn't think a judge would get involved over the couples dispute over the decision to send their children to public school or continue homeschooling when she is in the middle of a divorce.

This really doesn't seem to be much of a homeschooling issue although many homeschoolers are already up in arms about the judge ordering the kids back to public school.

Sadly the parents do not agree on what the best educational choice is for the children. The Father wants them to go to public school where they will learn about evolution. The Mother wants to homeschool them and teach them creationism. Someone had to decide which parent would win; and in cases of divorce it's usually a judge. If the couple were not divorcing then it would be up to the parents to reach a compromise, unfortunately when marriages dissolve judges wind up making many decisions regarding the children that are caught in the middle.

The Torment's of the Modest,Secluded Farm Life

Poor Doris Anne Beaulieu had strict parents who sent her to a PRIVATE SCHOOL, so now that she is all grown up she is writing books attacking homeschooling and parents who choose to homeschool their children.

If I had the time I would write a book chronicling the shitty experiences I had in the PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM and how I am emotionally damaged because of them. But I would never assume that my experiences were shared by every public school student in America or demonize parents who send their children to public schools.

I am sorry that Ms. Beaulieu didn't have the childhood she thinks would have most benefited her but to assume that her life experiences are the norm for homeschoolers is ludicrous especially as she wasn't even homeschooled and she seems to know very little about homeschooling.

Her biased and prejudiced opinions deserve to be ignored as the rantings of a embittered woman who wants to "punish" homeschoolers because she didn't have the childhood she wanted.

Go orange for the animals

This April, the ASPCA will kick-off Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month on April 7 when iconic buildings and landmarks across the country will support the ASPCA’s life-saving work as they light up in its signature color and “Go Orange for Animals.”

But before you contribute to your local SPCA be sure to check them out some SPCA's having been using their power to steal pets from their owners. Even though the animals are well cared for and loved. Read more about it at Jan's Funny Farm.

School Supplies

Life Nurturing Education is hosting this weeks Carnival of Homeschooling.

Alasandra's Place: Disappointed

Alasandra's Place: Disappointed

CoH Alert

The Nerd House edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.

Homeschooling does not equal Fundamentalist Christian

First I despise sites that won't let you comment unless you register like Word Press or I would have just commented on this idiotic post on Jewel's SPAM blog.

When homeschool children are taught by their parents about Darwin, they don’t usually get lectures about how his theory of natural selection is the foundation of modern biology. No, they are taught something much different.

NOT ALL HOMESCHOOLERS ARE FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANS AND MANY OF US BELIVE THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION IS CORRECT. I am sick of people like Jewel and Daniel Florien , who wrote the original post Teaching Homeschool Kids About Darwin, trying to lump all homeschoolers together.

Doug Phillips is the President of Vision Forum Ministries, a popular fundamentalist Christian organization that advocates patriarchy, creationism, and homeschooling. He has eight children and encourages couples to have as many as God gives them — he thinks birth control is a sin (see “quiverfull“).

Homeschoolers are a diverse group and we don't all believe the same things. In fact some of us not only believe in birth control we use it.

Why Carole Moore Choose Not to Homeschool

Why Carole Moore Choose Not to Homeschool

I remember one teenager in particular. After years of alternately being homeschooled and attending a very strict, small, church-based school, she moved to a public school — where she spiraled out of control. She drank. She took drugs. And she had sex. Her parents were appalled; that was not how they'd raised their daughter.

Some would blame the influence of the public school system. They'd say she made friends with bad kids. And they'd be right. But that wasn't the only reason she got into so much trouble. In my opinion, her problem went much deeper: she didn't know how to handle the sudden combination of freedom and exposure to a side of life she'd never personally confronted. Her parents had talked about these things. She'd heard about them in church. But talk alone isn't a substitute for reality, and the forbidden often looms sweet and tantalizing by virtue of its mystery.

Why I choose to homeschool.

I don't think you have to expose your child to "bad influences" in order for them to be law abiding teens and responsible adults. Part of good parenting is teaching your child to make good choices and allowing them to make choices appropriate for their age and reap the consequences of those choices.

Also the majority of homeschoolers are not nearly as sheltered as the author of this piece makes out. Many of us register our children to play on recreational sports leagues where they interact with public school students many of whom are from broken homes, do drugs, cuss and wear inappropriate clothing as well as behave in a sexually provocative manner. And hey not all homeschoolers are innocent little angels. Some parents choose to homeschool after their children have gotten in trouble, sometimes very serious trouble, in the public schools

Homeschooled children also hang out with the kids in their neighborhoods and very few of us have perfect neighbors.

I have always been baffled by those individuals who insist "homeschoolers don't live in the real world"; exactly what world do we live in? We live in the same communities as everyone else. We are involved in our neighborhoods and our children have the same temptations as other children do. And with the internet more then ever before we and our children can explore the wider world outside our neighborhoods.