Homeschooling Opponents

[ebenz47037]

I am a member of several homeschooling e-mail loops and one newsgroup, misc.education.home-school.christian (mehsc). Lately, on mehsc, we've had a few homeschooling opponents. One in particular is a "professional educator," in Australia. He claims that he's not against homeschooling in general, just against bad homeschooling. Then, he proceeds to describe good homeschooling, or at least his idea of it. He wants there to be educational requirements for all homeschoolers. He thinks that curriculum should be dictated by the board of education.

This man's idea of debating the issue of homeschooling is that we sit and read what he writes and if we disagree, we're "rabid fundamentalists who want to censor his thoughts and words." I got the guy to come to TOL for a short while. But, when he realized that homeschooling and schools, in general, are different in the US than they are in Australia, he left. I've tried to get him to come back, but he says that TOL's nothing but a bunch of fundamentalists and he has no interest in coming back. So, I decided that I'm going to ask his permission to copy and paste some of his articles here to get some input from anyone who may be interested.

I will keep you all up to date on what he may or may not say about this.

 

[docrob57]

There will be more and more opposition to homeschooling in this country as it continues to grow more popular and successful. Hoemschooling represents one of the greatest threats to the left that it has ever encountered. Educated kids being raised outside the propaganda loop.

 

[ebenz47037]

There will be more and more opposition to homeschooling in this country as it continues to grow more popular and successful. Hoemschooling represents one of the greatest threats to the left that it has ever encountered. Educated kids being raised outside the propaganda loop.

This man is from Australia. The last time I got him to come to TOL, he said that homeschooling and the school system were different in the US and Australia. He hasn't been here since. I'm sending you a PM, docrob.

 

[kmoney]

What standards are homeschoolers held to?

 

[sentientsynth]

There will be more and more opposition to homeschooling in this country as it continues to grow more popular and successful. Hoemschooling represents one of the greatest threats to the left that it has ever encountered. Educated kids being raised outside the propaganda loop.

exac-a-tic-a-ly

This is a war over the minds of our children.



SS

 

[docrob57]

What standards are homeschoolers held to?

The same standardized tests, etc. everyone else is, and they tend to crush the opposition!!

 

[kmoney]

The same standardized tests, etc. everyone else is, and they tend to crush the opposition!!

I have no doubt they do. I would expect it.

Do you mean standardized tests to pass each grade? Is that how it works? Or did you mean something else?

 

[docrob57]

I have no doubt they do. I would expect it.

Do you mean standardized tests to pass each grade? Is that how it works? Or did you mean something else?

no, the same schedule of standardized tests everyone has. I think after 4th grade, 8th grade, etc. Grades have to be reported to the state.

 

[kmoney]

no, the same schedule of standardized tests everyone has. I think after 4th grade, 8th grade, etc. Grades have to be reported to the state.

oh ok. well how do you determine if a child is qualified to go to the next grade?

 

[docrob57]

oh ok. well how do you determine if a child is qualified to go to the next grade?

Well you do testing as part of the curriculum. There are lots of different curriculum options. We use A Beka, which is a very popular one for Christian homeschoolers, but there are lots of them. They usually give guidance as to testing,etc.

 

[kmoney]

Well you do testing as part of the curriculum. There are lots of different curriculum options. We use A Beka, which is a very popular one for Christian homeschoolers, but there are lots of them. They usually give guidance as to testing,etc.

ok thanks, :thumb: I'm just trying to understand how homeschooling works. I obviously wasn't homeschooled so I don't completely understand how students are evaluated to know when they have passed each grade etc.

So there are different cirriculums...Does anyone have to approve the cirriculum before it can be used by students?

 

[Christine]

no, the same schedule of standardized tests everyone has. I think after 4th grade, 8th grade, etc. Grades have to be reported to the state.

Just thought I would add that not every state requires standardized testing after those grades. Some states don't require testing at all.

 

[docrob57]

ok thanks, :thumb: I'm just trying to understand how homeschooling works. I obviously wasn't homeschooled so I don't completely understand how students are evaluated to know when they have passed each grade etc.

So there are different cirriculums...Does anyone have to approve the cirriculum before it can be used by students?

In LA I don't think so. You have to advise the state what you are doing, but I don't think they have to approve it.

 

[docrob57]

Just thought I would add that not every state requires standardized testing after those grades. Some states don't require testing at all.

That's good, though I think it is good to get some practice with standardized testing. We are just starting with homeschooling. So I am no expert.

 

[ebenz47037]

ok thanks, :thumb: I'm just trying to understand how homeschooling works. I obviously wasn't homeschooled so I don't completely understand how students are evaluated to know when they have passed each grade etc.

So there are different cirriculums...Does anyone have to approve the cirriculum before it can be used by students?

You can go to hslda.org to check out the laws for each state. IMHO, Indiana has the best laws in the lower 48. :angel: All I have to do, according to the state is to keep attendance in case I'm asked.

 

[kmoney]

In LA I don't think so. You have to advise the state what you are doing, but I don't think they have to approve it.

:think: I'm surprised parents have that much freedom...

 

[docrob57]

:think: I'm surprised parents have that much freedom...

They won't for long. What we in the Christian homeschooling community will have to decide is what we are going to do once all of the freedoms begin to be taken away.

 

[noguru]

The same standardized tests, etc. everyone else is, and they tend to crush the opposition!!

Do you have any figures that support this claim? I'm not questioning your honesty, I am just wondering what criteria you use to determine that home schooling is more effective. On the surface, I would have to agree that home schooling is more effective. It has already been shown that the smaller the class the more effective the teacher seems to be. And since most homeschooling is characterized by a better ratio of educators to students, it only makes sense that it is more effective.

 

[Granite]

It seems to me opposition to homeschooling is not as fierce as it was some years ago. Outright hostility is dying down because education at home isn't quite as unusual as it used to be.

 

[B1 Lancer]

Some people can't homeschool even if they wanted, too, like single moms or dads.