Why California Kicks Ass!!!

[Shawnee123]

No Child Left Behind is another failed attempt. It was at least an attempt but the results are laughable. Next...

How about No President Left Behind?

[jinx]

Homeschooling is working well for us at the moment. I'd like to see financial incentives and community based facilities and equipment that would make home schooling possible for more people.

[Shawnee123]

We're seeing many more home-schooled students. I applaud parents who take that on, whatever their individual reasons may be, and would also like to see more resources and support for this educational alternative.

I don't think everyone is cut out to do home-schooling, but we need to recognize it is a viable option for many. Some of our home-schooled students are some of our best students.

Do home-schooled kids take those standardized tests as well, jinx?

[Elspode]

Originally Posted by jinx

Homeschooling is working well for us at the moment. I'd like to see financial incentives and community based facilities and equipment that would make home schooling possible for more people.

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by jinx

Homeschooling is working well for us at the moment. I'd like to see financial incentives and community based facilities and equipment that would make home schooling possible for more people.

Originally Posted by Elspode

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

Just in response to this small section; in the deep dark days before we all had schools (public or otherwise) everyone home schooled (as we all know). As communities grew, some parents got together and used what might be described as community facilities to educate their kids which then led to the parents electing perhaps one of the parents to teach all the kids which of course then led to the development of the public education system as we know it today. So what I'm saying is, if you're homeschooling, then you're doing it to stay away from community based facilities such as ultimately lead to schools historically.

I don't really care either way, but I just thought it would be interesting to point out an obvious fact.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Just in response to this small section; in the deep dark days before we all had schools (public or otherwise) everyone home schooled (as we all know). As communities grew, some parents got together and used what might be described as community facilities to educate their kids which then led to the parents electing perhaps one of the parents to teach all the kids which of course then led to the development of the public education system as we know it today.

Then, since college educated people were rare, they hired professional teachers, because they wanted their kids to be better educated than they, and most everyone in the town, were.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

I know it's crazy isn't it - yet at this point it's the women who want a home birth that are considered crazy. My dad and all his siblings were born at home... it wasn't that long ago. Now it costs $20K to have a baby and our infant mortality rates are in the toilet. Progress.

A local school district here spends almost $20K a year per pupil. I can do it for so much less...

[Elspode]

Yes, and those $20k figures are the *only* reason that anyone even bothers to make home birth illegal and why lobbyists are constantly working to get homeschooling outlawed.

None of the people who are against these things give one shit about the parents or children involved. They only care about the dollars. Trust me, if there was more money in letting people die than there was in people continuing to live, killing us all would be the chief pursuit of some corporation.

Sorry if this sounds jaded or bitter, but I've been around for awhile now, and I see this all getting worse and worse with every passing day.