* We had a discussion about Sen. Ed Maloney’s home schooling bill, which would require that all home schooled students be registered with the state board of education. A subject matter only hearing was held yesterday. Sen. Maloney withdrew his bill to make changes based on the testimony. Hundreds of home schoolers showed up…
As a crowd of hundreds sang “God Bless America'’ and “Amazing Grace'’ outside the hearing room, the committee heard “subject matter'’ testimony, meaning there would be no vote on legislation.
Maloney, in testimony, expressed surprise at the outrage over the bill. “The majority of parents do an exemplary job'’ at homeschooling, he said. He said the concern is those who use their right to homeschool as merely an excuse to let their kids stay out of school.
In the crowd was Larry Wright of Harvard, Ill., who said his reasons for homeschooling his kids were both religious and philosophocal. “I want to raise them the way I think they should go,” he said. “I’m responsible for my kids, not the state.”
He said he understands the bill would require just registration, not restrictions, but that it’s still “intrusive and unnecessary.'’ “They’re trying to fix something that’s not broken,” he said.
While the bill was not up for a vote at the Senate Education Committee, members heard testimony from professional educators and home-school parents. One, James McDonald of Mapleton, pointed out Illinois is the home of perhaps the most accomplished home-schooler of all - Abraham Lincoln. McDonald said the government was not breathing down young Abe’s neck, asking, “Did you register?”
Bill Reynolds, a truant officer in Monroe and Randolph Counties, says too often parents hide behind the words “home school” when really their families are engaged in “no school.”
Janet Hasselbring, of Braidwood, home schools her three children, and arrived early Tuesday morning to voice her opposition.
“The government does not need to put more controls in place,” said Hasselbring, who was among a throng of protesters waiting to enter the Capital. “This bill will add expenditures — to register this many home-schoolers in the state — in an already failing budget.
Michael McCreery, executive director of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, said that most parents who came out on Tuesday were the “cream of the crop,” and that he’s more worried about the ones who didn’t show up.
“We can point to programs. We can point to home schooling. We can point to those areas that are available to them. We can assist. We cannot assist without knowledge of their existence,” McCreery said.
“The great majority of parents do an exemplary job of educating their children,” Maloney said. “Some even offered standardized test results as proof that their children do better but ironically would not want test results to be mandatory.”
Maloney said he was not concerned about parents who were doing well but he wanted to find a way to identify parents who were not committed to educating their children at home.
Even though parents are not required to register their home-schooled children, they may choose to do so with their local school boards.
Illinois parents also are required, under current law, to teach the same core requirements, such as language arts, math and science, that students of corresponding age in public schools are taught.
If it is just registration as the sponsor says then how does it help this?
Bill Reynolds, a truant officer in Monroe and Randolph Counties, says too often parents hide behind the words “home school” when really their families are engaged in “no school.”
and
Maloney said he was not concerned about parents who were doing well but he wanted to find a way to identify parents who were not committed to educating their children at home.
It seems to me that these comments kind of toss the ‘registration only’ concept out the window.
Anyone even know how many kids are “home schooled” in Illinois? And is that part of the problem, that we don’t really know?
I sense Bill Reynolds has a point, “too often parents hide behind the words ‘home school’ when really their families are engaged in ‘no school.’”
I’m all for personal freedom, until the rest of us have to pay the cost for persons who end up not being productive in our society. I know some home schoolers do a great job and some public schools do a rotten job, but this sounds like reasonable state regulation to me.
You know, I bet we could eliminate all those Title X health care funds if people were more responsible about their sexual health choices. When the rest of us have to foot the bill for someone else’s bad choices, perhaps we should regulate that too.
I think they should strike the requirement that instruction in home schooling has to be in English. First of all, it’s not enforceable and secondly, it’s unwise. If I’m trying to teach my child Spanish or French, immersion is gonna work a whole lot better than anything else.
I always assumed that if kids weren’t enrolled in public schools, they had to notify the local school district, whether it was home-schooling or private school. That requirement doesn’t seem out of line to me.
My neighbors home school their kids, and I’m sure they’re doing a great job. Their oldest is 12 and he’s the neighborhood entrepreneur, cutting grass and shoveling snow, and participating in the youth sports.
They’ve been asking me about the public high school, so I’m guessing they’re thinking the high school curriculum might be a bridge too far for them. Looking at my kids high school classes and their homework, I know I’d be in way over my head.
Do some home-school their kids through the high school years as well? How do you handle the math, science and foreign language at home?
I still don’t get why “reasonable people” can’t agree with registration. Illinois is one of few states that doesn’t have registration. If it allows for easier enforcement of truancy laws for those people who don’t care about their children then how can any reasonable person complain about this?
And talk about digging up Lincoln. Give me a break. Didn’t he go to a one room school house too. Perhaps we should promote that model.
- thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:03 am:
Perhaps home schoolers should be required to attend a one-time training class put on by their local school district to inform the parents of the state requirements. That would serve as an informal registration and education of the parent as I suspect so do not know the curriculum requirements. It’s a one-time, minimally invasive requirement for the parent and provides some show that the state cares that the education is being done correctly. We require certified teachers so why not some form of this in this case? We should also be looking to other states since we’re apparently at the bottom of barrel.
These people are nuts. It’s a bill to register their children saying their homeschooling them. They are making a way bigger deal out of this. Illinois should actually have more regulations on home schooling and their complaining about a simple registration.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:06 am:
I have never been a fan of home schooling. In the schools, teachers must be certified, yet we allow no certified teachers to Home School their kids.
Without standardized testing, how can we ensure the child is keeping up? What happens if we identify a student that is behind?
I know the arguments in favor of home school, but in the end, I don’t believe they get as good an education (and socialization) as they would in school.
We do a lot of training, mentoring, educational programs and internship hosting here and our students come from all walks of like. I would have to say that the home schooled kids have been the least able to work with others to complete a common task and by far the most socially awkward.
So I say the more regulation on this archaic style of education (or lack thereof) the better.
If you want the gub’mint to keep their filthy paws of your child’s development, don’t come running to the taxpayers when they have trouble assimilating into the real world and need social services to get by.
“Nobody is a libertarian when their house is on fire.”
Well how about if they don’t register or want to register, then they are unable to utilize the education income tax credit. If the state is helping them subsidize the cost, the state can ask a little something in return.
John Bambenek, there is a constitutional right to privacy w/r to what you do sex wise, but not w/r to ensuring your kids go to school. The state has a legitimate interest. This is long settled.
And I agree with Frustrated GOP re the silliness of playing the Lincoln card. Lincoln didn’t have Secret Service protection either and we know how that worked out.
Even more silly, at least one home school advocate played the Hitler card yesterday, sending an eblast saying that Hitler was also anti-home school.
- Highland, IL - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:42 am:
If this was Wisconsin they’d have called out the National Guard….
“Nobody is a libertarian when their house is on fire.”
I love that! Best quote of the week. AMEN.
I think the registration is with the regional or the State. I think we can assume with the lack of resources in thestateit will take 2 years it will be on-line and they never will haveto talk to anyone. They won;t even have to touch the immoral, unholy, evil, socialist, union riddled public schools. So really, me thinks they protest too much.
I really think they are trying to fix something that really isn’t broken and registration is just the “foot in the door” to additional regulation and monitoring. I think we can all agree that there are some parents who might be abusing the system but this seems to be a case of the state making all pay for the sins of a few.
I am waiting to hear how registration of who is home schooled helps with any of the issues that have with homeschooling.
Not curriculum guidance, just registration as proposed helps with this issues you have.
Is Springfield knowing if Timmy is home schooled going to help with socialization or achievement or anything else?
If the argument is there is a state interest in knowing where/how Timmy is getting educated, then why take the requirement for private school to report who is attending out of the bill? The sponsor has said he plans to do that.
What does registration alone provide besides a count of who is home schooled and where? Besides another cost for the state board of ed?
You going to charge parents criminally who don’t register their kids as home schoolers?
If you want to regulate home schoolers actively and/or end home schooling than go ahead and do it. Don’t dance around it.
There’s no state requirement for “socialization” that I’m aware of. That shouldn’t even be raised as an issue if the only goal is registration.
The home-schooled kids I know seem plenty well-adjusted, as long as they STAY OUT OF MY YARD.
And there were plenty of maladjusted, anti-social kids in my high school. I called them “friends,” and we generally met in the woods across the street to burn a couple before going to after-school detention, lol.
This bill is nothing but legislative home invasion. The state has no authority to supervise me as a parent, nor as the primary educator of my children.
Let Sen. Maloney worry about homeschoolers “falling through the cracks” AFTER he’s fixed the chasms that nearly half of CPC students fall into.
The mere idea that the same public school machinery that continues to fail so many of its charges should now be directed against the best-educated kids in Illinois is risible, offensive, and intolerable.
It is carried out and supported by people who don’t give a damn about my kids, only their ability to increase of the power of government.
- videographer - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
When are all these people with video cameras going to learn how to hold them still?
PS - I agree with Paul and am a former teacher. The politicians have taken all initiative and creativity out of teaching.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:38 pm:
- When are all these people with video cameras going to learn how to hold them still? -
Well, most people with video cameras learn how to use them at home rather than from an experienced teacher…
I’m just kidding, I don’t see what the big deal with registering is, but I’ve seen success and failure with home schooling, just like public and private schooling.
legislative home invasion? the state has no right to supervise you as a parent? Actually you’re wrong. If the state suspects you are abusing your children, the state can and will deal with that.
As for CPS and it’s lack of success–it is, by and large, trying to educate the children of folks who are socially maladjusted, poor, and uninterested in academics. The children of families who give a hoot go to Whitney Young, Lane, and Urban Prep and actually do OK.
There are people who use home schooling as an excuse not to send their kids to school. For example, I dealt with a woman a few years ago who claimed to be “home schooling” her teenaged son while also working toward getting her own GED. BTW, I’ve never noticed so many grammatical and spelling/typing errors in comments as in these! What to make of that?
It is truly sad that all the people against homeschoolers do not understand that it is our right and freedom to school our children. THIS IS WHY WE LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! WE DO NOT NEED “BIG BROTHER” LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS. THIS IS NOT HOW OUR FOUNDING FATHERS OF THIS AWESOME NATION WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE. HOW SAD TO ALL OF YOU WHO DO NOT SEE THIS AS A RIGHT FOR US ALL.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
AND DON’T TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO CAPS LOCK EITHER!
again, why weren’t these kids at home in school?
If they are not registered, how do they keep up with where the kids are supposed to be re. their education?
me thinks they doth protest too much that even registration - ie - people KNOWING they are home schooling is so offensive to them. I hate that sen. maloney felt it necessary to back off - hope that he goes forward. Seems like they are a little too sensitive about no one knowing what the heck they are doing re. educating their kids. No group should be so intimidating that attempts to regulate them are shot down immediately without thoughtful debate.
It is quite possible, more effective even, if you post using proper upper and lower case letters. I am not being snide. It is hard to read all capital letters.
I for one am a supporter of home schooling. My older brother and sister both home schooled, 1 for religious reasons, the other for educational reasons. For those mentioning socialization issues, it is truly a NON issue. Most home school parents forms groups that meet regularly for activities. There are a plethora of after school activities (Cub Scouts, Brownies, YMCA, Church groups) as well as school athletics which are open to home schoolers. Better than the bullies on the playground, if you ask me. In the case of my nieces and nephews, all tested far beyond their grade level once they did enter public school, which all did during different times in their school careers.
I think the good senator should spend some time getting to know the homeschool community before attempting to introduce this bill again. It seems he spent some time talking to the public school educators who gave him their viewpoint. It’s not hard to find them really. The internet is a wonderful place. Homeschoolers see this stuff, popping up like mushrooms after a rain, with much suspicion. They have seen it before. Some of the legislation that has occured in other states (previous posters mentioned Indiana) has resulted in disastrous problems for homeschoolers. They know this, they read about it (there’s that internet, again), they will fight against it.
There will be some folk who hide behind home schooling as a way to just let the kids run wild. Won’t they become obvious if they are, indeed, running wild?
One earlier suggestion was to have parents come in for a training on what they need to do for homeschooling. Parents have chosen to teach their children at home because they believe they can do a better job. Why should they take the suggestions from the very people they are avoiding? Public school attendance numbers in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Illinois children. Test scores indicate there are MAJOR problems with many schools. Why focus on the few thousands who home school when there is so much room for improvement in the public schools? Get your own house in order. Provide school vouchers, open more magnet and charter schools. There is so much work to be done in our public schools, a tiny community of homeschoolers should not be such a major focus right now, IMO.
For all of you who wonder why these children were not home at school. Do children in public schools take days off for holidays and such??? I know for a fact when public children are out of school, for instance, all the snow days, my children are at home being schooled. So we may not follow the same schedule, and also a lot of homeschoolers are schooled all through the summer as well.
- thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:49 pm:
Well if registration/regulation is bad for home schoolers, it must be bad for public schoolers as well. Why is this police state telling me who can teach my child and what they need to be taught? Let’s remove all regulation and go with the anarchistic approach to education!
This may be a hypothetical, but I’m curious. I know some home-school students participate and compete in IHSA sports such as football, track, etc. Presumably they must register somewhere to have access to the team’s practice and training facilities. How does that work?
Because if there is no registration, and my kid grows up to be a super athlete, why can’t I join him up with the best football program in my area this fall, then switch over to the local school with the better baseball team this spring?
I’m all for homeschooling and agree with others, who have essentially said God bless these parents for taking on such an important and difficult job. What surprises me is the inherent mistrust of everything about the government. Government is us, remember? Of the people, by the people, etc.
And schools are the epitomy of “local control,” so I don’t understand this fear of our neighbors.
== again, why weren’t these kids at home in school? ==
As someone who has brought his kids down to Springfield (and taken them out of public school to do so) for gifted education day, which led to my daughter getting us invited to Rod’s office once. I would argue that every school kid in Illinois should have to spend a day in the captiol when they are in session.
You can learn a lot more about state government than when some social studies teacher drones on for a hour..
–It would not be anarchistic if each parent would take responsibility for their children and their freedoms, not just go along with the government.–
Yoda, bite me you can.
You might think you hit a triple, cousin, but the folks before you who built this society and government actually put you on third base.
You rely on that “government” a whole lot.
Most of us take responsibility for our kids and community very seriously. And always have.
Free public schools are part of the great and progressive Yankee New England tradition — you know, the folks from Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Gettysburg, little no-responsibility, selfish dustups like that.
The fact that you find American society wanting and can’t deal with it is your right. I don’t understand it, but I’ll raise hell so that you have the right to roll you own way.
But you can stick the self-serving, ungracious nastiness about those who are trying to make it work.
I commented in the budget section about online programs for homeschoolers. Lots of them purchase curriculum and their children view classrooms online, sometimes in realtime. In high school, there is more hands on stuff, lab experiments and the like. Hard to do with homeschooling. Some parents pool resources and hire a tutor who will come in and teach a small group of children in the home. Many parents transition their children into schools, public and private, when they get to that point. Simple reality.
The amazing variety involved in homeschooling can defy description in a few paragraphs. My sister homeschooled her children while she and her husband were dairy farmers, so learning nutrition, biology, math and sex ed all happened in the barn! Portions of feed/additives became math discussions about fractions. What types of feed and why became biology. Even tho bulls were not on the farm sex ed was discussed because the kides wanted to know about it - natural.
My sister in law was quite different. More structered. Purchased curriculum from Christian home school outlets. Hired tutors w/other parents. Other homeschoolers I know created a cooperative where different parents with different talents took on special roles in team teaching.
== so learning nutrition, biology, math and sex ed all happened in the barn!==
For me, it was all that and more, and I wasn’t home schooled.
- 3 beers to Springfield - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 5:20 pm:
I know two familes who did just this. Their kids were habitual troublemakers. The parents got tired of getting called in to school, so they declared the kids were being home schooled by absentee parents. One 10-year-old spent his day playing video games and stealing things from the neighbors’ yards.
Scroll down to the part where it says it would be assumed if someone didn’t let a truant officer in, they are guilty — seems very unamerican to me
Partial hearing transcript from Senate Education Hearing
3:25
Sen. David Leuchtefeld questions former truant officer Bill Reynolds
DL: We will, presently, go out and with these kids you maybe know are not being schooled, and I’m sure that happens, you say you can’t do anything as soon as they say they’re homeschooling. Now with, now explain to me how it would change if they were just registered. You still wouldn’t be able to do anything. Am I right about that? Would things change?
BR: Well, I’m not sure. Mr. Woodruff (HSLDA attorney) has given me enough case law that indicates that in Illinois, I can in some cases.
DL: But you could even now, am I right?
BR: And I believe that’s true, Senator. I believe that’s true.
DL: Yeah, my question is, “How does registering change that?” I agree there are some abuses but I’m concerned about how things would be different for you because if you see these kids on the street day after day after day, you probably can do something even if they say they’re home schoolers. How would it change if they’re registered?
BR: It would give me access to the ones that I don’t see on the street that I don’t get a police report on, that I don’t get a phone call from their neighbor indicating that they’re not going to school. At least I’ll have a wider range of…
DL: And then you would go to their home and check on them?
BR: I would go to the home and offer my help.
DL: But you don’t know they need help because you said you’ve not seen them. No one’s reported them.
BR: Well if they register then I think I have the obligation to see if I can help them.
DL: So are you going to go into any…any person who registers, will you be going then into the home? To go by and say, “Can I help?”
BR: Yes, sir.
DL: Even the people who are doing the really good job? Because you don’t know ahead of time which one…
BR: That’s exactly right. And I’ll know very quickly as I knock on the door…the ones who are doing a great job won’t let me go. They want me to come in. The ones that say, “We don’t want you around…” well, we might need to take some other action.
DL: I guess I don’t see…maybe someone else here could say to me how this changes things. Other than the fact that they’re registered.
BR: It would give me the names and the opportunity.
I can’t help but notice the difference between this group of peaceful home-schoolers and the demanding shouts of the public school educators when they made their respective appearances at the Capitol.
This proves you can make your point without being offensive. After seeing this I must say, I am proud to have been a home-schooler.
And from this side of things, I must say how refreshing it is to have a group treat their government with respect and demonstrate love of country. I was starting to think it had been lost.
3 Beers. I would assume that you did your civic duty and reported the absentee parents. If not you failed them. If anyone suspected that the children were being neglected they should have taken action and there is plenty of law on the books that would have remedied the situation.
When having them pulled from school the school knew exactly where they were. A registration law would have changed nothing.
One of the most compelling things that came out of the testimony was the fact that states with heavy regulations (including registration) test no better than states (like Illinois) with registration requirements. Across the board, homeschoolers average in the 87th percentile. I believe public school students are closer to the 50th percentile.
Perhaps we should put an end to Chicago gang gun violence by requiring people to register their guns. Oops…we already do that — it isn’t working.
Sen. Maloney’s bill is a government “solution” in search of a problem that doesn’t exist.
The government already approves the curriculum, regulates and supposedly knows the whereabouts of the public school children — yet, as the SouthtownStar points out — half of them aren’t meeting expectations in reading and math.
The problem isn’t with the homeschoolers. Government registration doesn’t make a difference. It’s proven not to help.
And, forgive me for not wanting government anywhere near my kids’ education. They’ve shown what they can do with education. It isn’t pretty.
- been there done that - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:04 pm:
I get the feeling from alot of the negative comments, there is a vast misunderstanting about homeschooling. To clear some of these disolutions I will try shed light. I am the mother of 1 totally schooled child and 1 that had started there. First the homeschooled are not the sociopaths and problematic children that obamarama states because it is my oldest now out of school that is the problem he speaks of your great school system wasnt worried about him being left behind they just stuffed him in a class of downsyndrom kids and shoved him into high school with him asking to be held back,a fifth grade reading level, and a certificate of attendance. Wow thats some legitimate interest!!!! Oh and so much for them making sure they keep up with the other children LOL as oneman asked. Also the thing with the govement is whos gonna pay for it dont you get taxed enough just one more thing they can tax us ALL for. Yes the tax credit 1 it pedial, very very few take it and we pay school taxes just like YOU!!!!!!!!! So as for child 1 He’s got mental issues due to the children and some teacher herrassment and cant keep a job! My other child is a wonderful loving eager learner that the school tested at a 3 grade higher level and refused to move her up. So there you have it about the issues. They cant even tend properly to the children they have now. They always beggin with lets just have you register then it will be regulate. Then it will go to the other private schools. Devide and conquer.If people are so interested in this why dont you talk to some homeschooler or do some reserch be for you go bashing a homeschooler and get the facts straight befor you go making false accusation’s. I could go on for ever with the different things but I won’t. We don’t make your taxes higher and we dont live on public aid. We live peaceful and prosperous lives. Next time your at a cheritable event ask the people were they go to school you might be surprised at the answer! HOMESCHOOLED !!!!!!!!!!!!!
- been there done that - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:17 pm:
Oh and as for taking them out of school yesterday. My child is learning about our presidents and government. She got to watch and learn how the house’s docket works, saw a proposal for a memorial to a soldier killed in Iraq. My child was amazed and learned more about our government that day then any.
- been there done that - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 2:42 am:
Hey and 3 Beers you sound like the school system if you saw those children left unattended why didnt you pick up the phone and call the athorities? Or maybe like many instead of observing and reserching you just jumped to conclutions or did nothing just like the school system did. Also take a look at the loads of homework coming home if they have to do so much at home shouldnt you have to be certified too after all your helping teach then when you help them with their homework.
Those not involved in the fight to preserve homeschooling freedoms may not understand the issue well enough yet.
Registration to a homeschooler is like suggesting a literacy test to a black voter. Sure, on the surface, a literacy test for anyone appears a reasonable thing. But only someone completely ignorant of our country’s abuse of literacy tests and the like in the struggle for civil rights would ever suggest such a thing.
The established prior abuse by those in power precludes anyone trusting even the most basic literacy test for voting as being beyond nefarious purpose.
So it is with home schoolers and state intervention.
In the mid-80s, a Regional BOE official in Chicago encouraged home schoolers to register. He then took each of them to court.
The NEA is on record as stating that home education “cannot” provide a comprehensive education.
The Truant Officer at the hearing yesterday stated he would come into each home schooler’s home–including those without any complaint against them–and that his standard of whether or not there was a problem would be how willing we were to let him in. Has he never heard of the Fourth Amendment?
According to data released by the ACT, the national average in 2009 was 21.1 on the test. Home schoolers, according to the ACT, averaged 22.5.
Levisen, the 61 year old court case that established home schools as private schools in IL says we must provide education in good faith, it must be adequate instruction, it must be in the same branches of ed offered by the public schools and educational advantages must be commensurate with the public schools. If not, we can taken to court and the burden is on the family, not the prosecution, to show we’ve met the standard.
IL does not need any more regulation. More on my blog for those interested.
I highly recommend reading John Taylor Gatto, the most honored public school teacher in NYC and NY State history who resigned in disgust from public teaching after getting yet another NY state teacher of the year award. He wrote Weapons of Mass Instruction and has written other books on the history of public education and its purpose. His thesis is that home schooling is superior to public education, which in his eyes teaches obedience and memorization and doesn’t allow kids to reach their real potential as free, critical thinkers. He points to home schooled folks like George Washington, Thomas Edison, Lincoln, the founder of the Human Genome Project, etc. He is a highly in demand speaker amongst home schooling crowd and private school crowds. Sitting in desks 8 hours a day forty hours a week is bad for kids minds, and spirit Gatto says. When you add bullying, and negative peer pressures and influences, it’s downright toxic according to Gatto to force kids to endure what HE refers to as little more than a youth detention facility/prison. Anyways that is just his opinion but he is a brilliant author and worth reading and raises very valid points.
- give me liberty - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 5:21 pm:
Someone asked “shouldn’t these kids be in school” - the answer: they were! You have to think outside the box, or as Einstein said, you can’t use the same thinking that got you into the trouble, to get out of trouble…
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:30 am:
If it is just registration as the sponsor says then how does it help this?
It seems to me that these comments kind of toss the ‘registration only’ concept out the window.
- just sayin' - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:35 am:
Anyone even know how many kids are “home schooled” in Illinois? And is that part of the problem, that we don’t really know?
I sense Bill Reynolds has a point, “too often parents hide behind the words ‘home school’ when really their families are engaged in ‘no school.’”
I’m all for personal freedom, until the rest of us have to pay the cost for persons who end up not being productive in our society. I know some home schoolers do a great job and some public schools do a rotten job, but this sounds like reasonable state regulation to me.
- John Bambenek - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:38 am:
just sayin-
You know, I bet we could eliminate all those Title X health care funds if people were more responsible about their sexual health choices. When the rest of us have to foot the bill for someone else’s bad choices, perhaps we should regulate that too.
/snark
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:42 am:
I think they should strike the requirement that instruction in home schooling has to be in English. First of all, it’s not enforceable and secondly, it’s unwise. If I’m trying to teach my child Spanish or French, immersion is gonna work a whole lot better than anything else.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:47 am:
I always assumed that if kids weren’t enrolled in public schools, they had to notify the local school district, whether it was home-schooling or private school. That requirement doesn’t seem out of line to me.
My neighbors home school their kids, and I’m sure they’re doing a great job. Their oldest is 12 and he’s the neighborhood entrepreneur, cutting grass and shoveling snow, and participating in the youth sports.
They’ve been asking me about the public high school, so I’m guessing they’re thinking the high school curriculum might be a bridge too far for them. Looking at my kids high school classes and their homework, I know I’d be in way over my head.
Do some home-school their kids through the high school years as well? How do you handle the math, science and foreign language at home?
- Anon - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:48 am:
Shouldn’t these kids have been in school?
- frustrated GOP - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:52 am:
I still don’t get why “reasonable people” can’t agree with registration. Illinois is one of few states that doesn’t have registration. If it allows for easier enforcement of truancy laws for those people who don’t care about their children then how can any reasonable person complain about this?
And talk about digging up Lincoln. Give me a break. Didn’t he go to a one room school house too. Perhaps we should promote that model.
- thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:03 am:
Perhaps home schoolers should be required to attend a one-time training class put on by their local school district to inform the parents of the state requirements. That would serve as an informal registration and education of the parent as I suspect so do not know the curriculum requirements. It’s a one-time, minimally invasive requirement for the parent and provides some show that the state cares that the education is being done correctly. We require certified teachers so why not some form of this in this case? We should also be looking to other states since we’re apparently at the bottom of barrel.
- Ahoy - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:04 am:
These people are nuts. It’s a bill to register their children saying their homeschooling them. They are making a way bigger deal out of this. Illinois should actually have more regulations on home schooling and their complaining about a simple registration.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:06 am:
I have never been a fan of home schooling. In the schools, teachers must be certified, yet we allow no certified teachers to Home School their kids.
Without standardized testing, how can we ensure the child is keeping up? What happens if we identify a student that is behind?
I know the arguments in favor of home school, but in the end, I don’t believe they get as good an education (and socialization) as they would in school.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:11 am:
==Without standardized testing, how can we ensure the child is keeping up? What happens if we identify a student that is behind? ==
Well if the public schools are any indication in this state than not much.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:12 am:
Without standardized testing, how can we ensure the child is keeping up? What happens if we identify a student that is behind?
I ask the same questions about the public school system….
- Obamarama - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:15 am:
We do a lot of training, mentoring, educational programs and internship hosting here and our students come from all walks of like. I would have to say that the home schooled kids have been the least able to work with others to complete a common task and by far the most socially awkward.
So I say the more regulation on this archaic style of education (or lack thereof) the better.
If you want the gub’mint to keep their filthy paws of your child’s development, don’t come running to the taxpayers when they have trouble assimilating into the real world and need social services to get by.
“Nobody is a libertarian when their house is on fire.”
- Anon - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:31 am:
Well how about if they don’t register or want to register, then they are unable to utilize the education income tax credit. If the state is helping them subsidize the cost, the state can ask a little something in return.
- just sayin' - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:38 am:
John Bambenek, there is a constitutional right to privacy w/r to what you do sex wise, but not w/r to ensuring your kids go to school. The state has a legitimate interest. This is long settled.
And I agree with Frustrated GOP re the silliness of playing the Lincoln card. Lincoln didn’t have Secret Service protection either and we know how that worked out.
Even more silly, at least one home school advocate played the Hitler card yesterday, sending an eblast saying that Hitler was also anti-home school.
- Highland, IL - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:42 am:
If this was Wisconsin they’d have called out the National Guard….
- frustrated GOP - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:46 am:
“Nobody is a libertarian when their house is on fire.”
I love that! Best quote of the week. AMEN.
I think the registration is with the regional or the State. I think we can assume with the lack of resources in thestateit will take 2 years it will be on-line and they never will haveto talk to anyone. They won;t even have to touch the immoral, unholy, evil, socialist, union riddled public schools. So really, me thinks they protest too much.
- Fed-Up - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:47 am:
I really think they are trying to fix something that really isn’t broken and registration is just the “foot in the door” to additional regulation and monitoring. I think we can all agree that there are some parents who might be abusing the system but this seems to be a case of the state making all pay for the sins of a few.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 11:47 am:
I am waiting to hear how registration of who is home schooled helps with any of the issues that have with homeschooling.
Not curriculum guidance, just registration as proposed helps with this issues you have.
Is Springfield knowing if Timmy is home schooled going to help with socialization or achievement or anything else?
If the argument is there is a state interest in knowing where/how Timmy is getting educated, then why take the requirement for private school to report who is attending out of the bill? The sponsor has said he plans to do that.
What does registration alone provide besides a count of who is home schooled and where? Besides another cost for the state board of ed?
You going to charge parents criminally who don’t register their kids as home schoolers?
If you want to regulate home schoolers actively and/or end home schooling than go ahead and do it. Don’t dance around it.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:01 pm:
There’s no state requirement for “socialization” that I’m aware of. That shouldn’t even be raised as an issue if the only goal is registration.
The home-schooled kids I know seem plenty well-adjusted, as long as they STAY OUT OF MY YARD.
And there were plenty of maladjusted, anti-social kids in my high school. I called them “friends,” and we generally met in the woods across the street to burn a couple before going to after-school detention, lol.
- Paul, Just This Guy, You Know? - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:06 pm:
Hundreds? Capitol security estimated 4,000.
This bill is nothing but legislative home invasion. The state has no authority to supervise me as a parent, nor as the primary educator of my children.
Let Sen. Maloney worry about homeschoolers “falling through the cracks” AFTER he’s fixed the chasms that nearly half of CPC students fall into.
The mere idea that the same public school machinery that continues to fail so many of its charges should now be directed against the best-educated kids in Illinois is risible, offensive, and intolerable.
It is carried out and supported by people who don’t give a damn about my kids, only their ability to increase of the power of government.
- videographer - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
When are all these people with video cameras going to learn how to hold them still?
PS - I agree with Paul and am a former teacher. The politicians have taken all initiative and creativity out of teaching.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:38 pm:
- When are all these people with video cameras going to learn how to hold them still? -
Well, most people with video cameras learn how to use them at home rather than from an experienced teacher…
I’m just kidding, I don’t see what the big deal with registering is, but I’ve seen success and failure with home schooling, just like public and private schooling.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 12:58 pm:
legislative home invasion? the state has no right to supervise you as a parent? Actually you’re wrong. If the state suspects you are abusing your children, the state can and will deal with that.
As for CPS and it’s lack of success–it is, by and large, trying to educate the children of folks who are socially maladjusted, poor, and uninterested in academics. The children of families who give a hoot go to Whitney Young, Lane, and Urban Prep and actually do OK.
- John Bambenek - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 1:27 pm:
cermak_rd-
There is a difference between “probably cause” and universal suspicion.
- girlawyer - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 1:44 pm:
There are people who use home schooling as an excuse not to send their kids to school. For example, I dealt with a woman a few years ago who claimed to be “home schooling” her teenaged son while also working toward getting her own GED. BTW, I’ve never noticed so many grammatical and spelling/typing errors in comments as in these! What to make of that?
- Yoder - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 2:53 pm:
It is truly sad that all the people against homeschoolers do not understand that it is our right and freedom to school our children. THIS IS WHY WE LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! WE DO NOT NEED “BIG BROTHER” LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS. THIS IS NOT HOW OUR FOUNDING FATHERS OF THIS AWESOME NATION WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE. HOW SAD TO ALL OF YOU WHO DO NOT SEE THIS AS A RIGHT FOR US ALL.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
AND DON’T TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO CAPS LOCK EITHER!
- dupage progressive - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:22 pm:
again, why weren’t these kids at home in school?
If they are not registered, how do they keep up with where the kids are supposed to be re. their education?
me thinks they doth protest too much that even registration - ie - people KNOWING they are home schooling is so offensive to them. I hate that sen. maloney felt it necessary to back off - hope that he goes forward. Seems like they are a little too sensitive about no one knowing what the heck they are doing re. educating their kids. No group should be so intimidating that attempts to regulate them are shot down immediately without thoughtful debate.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:23 pm:
Yoder,
It is quite possible, more effective even, if you post using proper upper and lower case letters. I am not being snide. It is hard to read all capital letters.
I for one am a supporter of home schooling. My older brother and sister both home schooled, 1 for religious reasons, the other for educational reasons. For those mentioning socialization issues, it is truly a NON issue. Most home school parents forms groups that meet regularly for activities. There are a plethora of after school activities (Cub Scouts, Brownies, YMCA, Church groups) as well as school athletics which are open to home schoolers. Better than the bullies on the playground, if you ask me. In the case of my nieces and nephews, all tested far beyond their grade level once they did enter public school, which all did during different times in their school careers.
I think the good senator should spend some time getting to know the homeschool community before attempting to introduce this bill again. It seems he spent some time talking to the public school educators who gave him their viewpoint. It’s not hard to find them really. The internet is a wonderful place. Homeschoolers see this stuff, popping up like mushrooms after a rain, with much suspicion. They have seen it before. Some of the legislation that has occured in other states (previous posters mentioned Indiana) has resulted in disastrous problems for homeschoolers. They know this, they read about it (there’s that internet, again), they will fight against it.
There will be some folk who hide behind home schooling as a way to just let the kids run wild. Won’t they become obvious if they are, indeed, running wild?
One earlier suggestion was to have parents come in for a training on what they need to do for homeschooling. Parents have chosen to teach their children at home because they believe they can do a better job. Why should they take the suggestions from the very people they are avoiding? Public school attendance numbers in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Illinois children. Test scores indicate there are MAJOR problems with many schools. Why focus on the few thousands who home school when there is so much room for improvement in the public schools? Get your own house in order. Provide school vouchers, open more magnet and charter schools. There is so much work to be done in our public schools, a tiny community of homeschoolers should not be such a major focus right now, IMO.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:40 pm:
DD, I have nothing against home schooling, and you seem to be in the know, how many folks home school in high school?
How do they handle the math, science and foreign language requirements? Are there networks set up?
- Yoder - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:46 pm:
For all of you who wonder why these children were not home at school. Do children in public schools take days off for holidays and such??? I know for a fact when public children are out of school, for instance, all the snow days, my children are at home being schooled. So we may not follow the same schedule, and also a lot of homeschoolers are schooled all through the summer as well.
- thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:49 pm:
Well if registration/regulation is bad for home schoolers, it must be bad for public schoolers as well. Why is this police state telling me who can teach my child and what they need to be taught? Let’s remove all regulation and go with the anarchistic approach to education!
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:52 pm:
This may be a hypothetical, but I’m curious. I know some home-school students participate and compete in IHSA sports such as football, track, etc. Presumably they must register somewhere to have access to the team’s practice and training facilities. How does that work?
Because if there is no registration, and my kid grows up to be a super athlete, why can’t I join him up with the best football program in my area this fall, then switch over to the local school with the better baseball team this spring?
I’m all for homeschooling and agree with others, who have essentially said God bless these parents for taking on such an important and difficult job. What surprises me is the inherent mistrust of everything about the government. Government is us, remember? Of the people, by the people, etc.
And schools are the epitomy of “local control,” so I don’t understand this fear of our neighbors.
- Yoder - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:53 pm:
It would not be anarchistic if each parent would take responsibility for their children and their freedoms, not just go along with the government.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 3:56 pm:
== again, why weren’t these kids at home in school? ==
As someone who has brought his kids down to Springfield (and taken them out of public school to do so) for gifted education day, which led to my daughter getting us invited to Rod’s office once. I would argue that every school kid in Illinois should have to spend a day in the captiol when they are in session.
You can learn a lot more about state government than when some social studies teacher drones on for a hour..
- Bill - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 4:12 pm:
Ed really stepped in it this time. LOL
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 4:50 pm:
–It would not be anarchistic if each parent would take responsibility for their children and their freedoms, not just go along with the government.–
Yoda, bite me you can.
You might think you hit a triple, cousin, but the folks before you who built this society and government actually put you on third base.
You rely on that “government” a whole lot.
Most of us take responsibility for our kids and community very seriously. And always have.
Free public schools are part of the great and progressive Yankee New England tradition — you know, the folks from Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Gettysburg, little no-responsibility, selfish dustups like that.
The fact that you find American society wanting and can’t deal with it is your right. I don’t understand it, but I’ll raise hell so that you have the right to roll you own way.
But you can stick the self-serving, ungracious nastiness about those who are trying to make it work.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 4:53 pm:
Word,
I commented in the budget section about online programs for homeschoolers. Lots of them purchase curriculum and their children view classrooms online, sometimes in realtime. In high school, there is more hands on stuff, lab experiments and the like. Hard to do with homeschooling. Some parents pool resources and hire a tutor who will come in and teach a small group of children in the home. Many parents transition their children into schools, public and private, when they get to that point. Simple reality.
The amazing variety involved in homeschooling can defy description in a few paragraphs. My sister homeschooled her children while she and her husband were dairy farmers, so learning nutrition, biology, math and sex ed all happened in the barn! Portions of feed/additives became math discussions about fractions. What types of feed and why became biology. Even tho bulls were not on the farm sex ed was discussed because the kides wanted to know about it - natural.
My sister in law was quite different. More structered. Purchased curriculum from Christian home school outlets. Hired tutors w/other parents. Other homeschoolers I know created a cooperative where different parents with different talents took on special roles in team teaching.
That’s just a smattering of possibilities.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 4:58 pm:
== so learning nutrition, biology, math and sex ed all happened in the barn!==
For me, it was all that and more, and I wasn’t home schooled.
- 3 beers to Springfield - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 5:20 pm:
I know two familes who did just this. Their kids were habitual troublemakers. The parents got tired of getting called in to school, so they declared the kids were being home schooled by absentee parents. One 10-year-old spent his day playing video games and stealing things from the neighbors’ yards.
- Kara - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 6:14 pm:
Scroll down to the part where it says it would be assumed if someone didn’t let a truant officer in, they are guilty — seems very unamerican to me
Partial hearing transcript from Senate Education Hearing
3:25
Sen. David Leuchtefeld questions former truant officer Bill Reynolds
DL: We will, presently, go out and with these kids you maybe know are not being schooled, and I’m sure that happens, you say you can’t do anything as soon as they say they’re homeschooling. Now with, now explain to me how it would change if they were just registered. You still wouldn’t be able to do anything. Am I right about that? Would things change?
BR: Well, I’m not sure. Mr. Woodruff (HSLDA attorney) has given me enough case law that indicates that in Illinois, I can in some cases.
DL: But you could even now, am I right?
BR: And I believe that’s true, Senator. I believe that’s true.
DL: Yeah, my question is, “How does registering change that?” I agree there are some abuses but I’m concerned about how things would be different for you because if you see these kids on the street day after day after day, you probably can do something even if they say they’re home schoolers. How would it change if they’re registered?
BR: It would give me access to the ones that I don’t see on the street that I don’t get a police report on, that I don’t get a phone call from their neighbor indicating that they’re not going to school. At least I’ll have a wider range of…
DL: And then you would go to their home and check on them?
BR: I would go to the home and offer my help.
DL: But you don’t know they need help because you said you’ve not seen them. No one’s reported them.
BR: Well if they register then I think I have the obligation to see if I can help them.
DL: So are you going to go into any…any person who registers, will you be going then into the home? To go by and say, “Can I help?”
BR: Yes, sir.
DL: Even the people who are doing the really good job? Because you don’t know ahead of time which one…
BR: That’s exactly right. And I’ll know very quickly as I knock on the door…the ones who are doing a great job won’t let me go. They want me to come in. The ones that say, “We don’t want you around…” well, we might need to take some other action.
DL: I guess I don’t see…maybe someone else here could say to me how this changes things. Other than the fact that they’re registered.
BR: It would give me the names and the opportunity.
DL: I see.
- Say WHAT? - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 6:25 pm:
I can’t help but notice the difference between this group of peaceful home-schoolers and the demanding shouts of the public school educators when they made their respective appearances at the Capitol.
This proves you can make your point without being offensive. After seeing this I must say, I am proud to have been a home-schooler.
And from this side of things, I must say how refreshing it is to have a group treat their government with respect and demonstrate love of country. I was starting to think it had been lost.
- Greg - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 8:30 pm:
Great. The govt. is going to come knock on these people’s doors, “to help.” How East Germany of them.
- A Father - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 9:01 pm:
3 Beers. I would assume that you did your civic duty and reported the absentee parents. If not you failed them. If anyone suspected that the children were being neglected they should have taken action and there is plenty of law on the books that would have remedied the situation.
When having them pulled from school the school knew exactly where they were. A registration law would have changed nothing.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 9:08 pm:
–Great. The govt. is going to come knock on these people’s doors, “to help.” How East Germany of them.–
Mister, do not have any understanding at to what a totalitarian regime is?
Do you have no respect or appreciation for this country or those who made it?
You compare the United States of 2011 to East Germany? How dare you.
- Curt Mercadante - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 9:38 pm:
One of the most compelling things that came out of the testimony was the fact that states with heavy regulations (including registration) test no better than states (like Illinois) with registration requirements. Across the board, homeschoolers average in the 87th percentile. I believe public school students are closer to the 50th percentile.
Perhaps we should put an end to Chicago gang gun violence by requiring people to register their guns. Oops…we already do that — it isn’t working.
Sen. Maloney’s bill is a government “solution” in search of a problem that doesn’t exist.
The government already approves the curriculum, regulates and supposedly knows the whereabouts of the public school children — yet, as the SouthtownStar points out — half of them aren’t meeting expectations in reading and math.
The problem isn’t with the homeschoolers. Government registration doesn’t make a difference. It’s proven not to help.
And, forgive me for not wanting government anywhere near my kids’ education. They’ve shown what they can do with education. It isn’t pretty.
- been there done that - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:04 pm:
I get the feeling from alot of the negative comments, there is a vast misunderstanting about homeschooling. To clear some of these disolutions I will try shed light. I am the mother of 1 totally schooled child and 1 that had started there. First the homeschooled are not the sociopaths and problematic children that obamarama states because it is my oldest now out of school that is the problem he speaks of your great school system wasnt worried about him being left behind they just stuffed him in a class of downsyndrom kids and shoved him into high school with him asking to be held back,a fifth grade reading level, and a certificate of attendance. Wow thats some legitimate interest!!!! Oh and so much for them making sure they keep up with the other children LOL as oneman asked. Also the thing with the govement is whos gonna pay for it dont you get taxed enough just one more thing they can tax us ALL for. Yes the tax credit 1 it pedial, very very few take it and we pay school taxes just like YOU!!!!!!!!! So as for child 1 He’s got mental issues due to the children and some teacher herrassment and cant keep a job! My other child is a wonderful loving eager learner that the school tested at a 3 grade higher level and refused to move her up. So there you have it about the issues. They cant even tend properly to the children they have now. They always beggin with lets just have you register then it will be regulate. Then it will go to the other private schools. Devide and conquer.If people are so interested in this why dont you talk to some homeschooler or do some reserch be for you go bashing a homeschooler and get the facts straight befor you go making false accusation’s. I could go on for ever with the different things but I won’t. We don’t make your taxes higher and we dont live on public aid. We live peaceful and prosperous lives. Next time your at a cheritable event ask the people were they go to school you might be surprised at the answer! HOMESCHOOLED !!!!!!!!!!!!!
- been there done that - Wednesday, Feb 16, 11 @ 10:17 pm:
Oh and as for taking them out of school yesterday. My child is learning about our presidents and government. She got to watch and learn how the house’s docket works, saw a proposal for a memorial to a soldier killed in Iraq. My child was amazed and learned more about our government that day then any.
- been there done that - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 2:42 am:
Hey and 3 Beers you sound like the school system if you saw those children left unattended why didnt you pick up the phone and call the athorities? Or maybe like many instead of observing and reserching you just jumped to conclutions or did nothing just like the school system did. Also take a look at the loads of homework coming home if they have to do so much at home shouldnt you have to be certified too after all your helping teach then when you help them with their homework.
- Holly - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 7:21 am:
Those not involved in the fight to preserve homeschooling freedoms may not understand the issue well enough yet.
Registration to a homeschooler is like suggesting a literacy test to a black voter. Sure, on the surface, a literacy test for anyone appears a reasonable thing. But only someone completely ignorant of our country’s abuse of literacy tests and the like in the struggle for civil rights would ever suggest such a thing.
The established prior abuse by those in power precludes anyone trusting even the most basic literacy test for voting as being beyond nefarious purpose.
So it is with home schoolers and state intervention.
In the mid-80s, a Regional BOE official in Chicago encouraged home schoolers to register. He then took each of them to court.
The NEA is on record as stating that home education “cannot” provide a comprehensive education.
The Truant Officer at the hearing yesterday stated he would come into each home schooler’s home–including those without any complaint against them–and that his standard of whether or not there was a problem would be how willing we were to let him in. Has he never heard of the Fourth Amendment?
According to data released by the ACT, the national average in 2009 was 21.1 on the test. Home schoolers, according to the ACT, averaged 22.5.
Levisen, the 61 year old court case that established home schools as private schools in IL says we must provide education in good faith, it must be adequate instruction, it must be in the same branches of ed offered by the public schools and educational advantages must be commensurate with the public schools. If not, we can taken to court and the burden is on the family, not the prosecution, to show we’ve met the standard.
IL does not need any more regulation. More on my blog for those interested.
- Independent Minded - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 8:52 am:
I highly recommend reading John Taylor Gatto, the most honored public school teacher in NYC and NY State history who resigned in disgust from public teaching after getting yet another NY state teacher of the year award. He wrote Weapons of Mass Instruction and has written other books on the history of public education and its purpose. His thesis is that home schooling is superior to public education, which in his eyes teaches obedience and memorization and doesn’t allow kids to reach their real potential as free, critical thinkers. He points to home schooled folks like George Washington, Thomas Edison, Lincoln, the founder of the Human Genome Project, etc. He is a highly in demand speaker amongst home schooling crowd and private school crowds. Sitting in desks 8 hours a day forty hours a week is bad for kids minds, and spirit Gatto says. When you add bullying, and negative peer pressures and influences, it’s downright toxic according to Gatto to force kids to endure what HE refers to as little more than a youth detention facility/prison. Anyways that is just his opinion but he is a brilliant author and worth reading and raises very valid points.
- give me liberty - Thursday, Feb 17, 11 @ 5:21 pm:
Someone asked “shouldn’t these kids be in school” - the answer: they were! You have to think outside the box, or as Einstein said, you can’t use the same thinking that got you into the trouble, to get out of trouble…