27 October 2008

Homeschooling in 2012?

What will the laws in YOUR state look like four years from now? From Spunky Homeschool:

"Something that might affect homeschoolers in a future administration would be the passage of national testing and standards. In the past, homeschoolers have successfully fought and won exemption from such requirements, but with every new administration comes new uncertainties.

Who the next president appoints as the the Secretary for the Department of Education will tell us quite a bit about their priorties and the adminstration's education agenda. Both Obama and McCain currently oppose national standards. That doesn't mean that we're safe from national standards, the pressure on the next president to accept national standards is mounting. "

You know, I was really hoping to be a purist and vote third party. But the more I hear on the homeschool blogs about Obama's being an NEA favourite for a reason, the more I think it's time to bite the bullet and vote McCain. Because McCain is just a little less unpalatable than Obama. Really the clincher for me was some arguments Terry had been putting forth for months combined with Spunky's recent posted "response" from the Obama campaign about where he stands on homeschooling:

"Q. Do you support home schooling?

A. Barack Obama respects the decisions reached by some parents to home school their children, provided those parents are conforming to the laws and regulations set forward by their states governing home-based instruction."

Holy crap, Batman! You've gotta be kidding. The parent's "right" to homeschool is determined by the state, and he'd be OK with states like Vermont and Massachusetts continuing to stomp on PARENTAL RIGHTS to educate their children as they see fit?? Or it's OK with him that parents in New York have to submit stuff to the state QUARTERLY and provide lists of all curriculum materials used? AND an annual "norm-based" assessment? That's just nuts, considering the number of public high school graduates who can't read well.

Side rant: You know who determines the "norms," don't you? Well, it isn't me or my children... I've seen how they scan for children to be models in these tests and it's flat-out racist. To imagine, they wouldn't let MY kid help form one of these testing standards JUST because I was white and had been to college and/or my children aren't signed up for handouts. As if that has anything WHATSOEVER AT ALL to do with whether my child or yours reads at grade level. Racist. Classist. STUPID.

Really, when you handpick students to be just what you want them to be, you're going to get just the result you want. I mean, why don't you just fill in the bubbles yourself with a number 2 pencil if you're gonna be that picky? I haven't decided if this "national norming" is an insult to me because I'm white and *happen* by the absolute grace of God Almighty to do well financially, or if it's an insult to the other races out there on God's green Earth that their races are singled out for special "helps" on these idiotic tests. And last I checked 'round my house, all children aren't neurotypical. Here I have Woodjie getting LOTS of help from the state and do you know how often he speaks? I haven't heard a word from him yet today, and usually we might hear ONE before "nigh nigh" at bedtime. Mayyybe if he's feeling chatty, we might get two "done"s after dinner. HE is supposed to do well on a stinkin' "nationally normed" test? The pigs. Would I have to justify that "Woodjie doesn't talk and therefore can't read aloud well enough to master state standards of proficiency," quarter after quarter with them if I lived there??? OK, another day. But a thought in my head that isn't quite formed yet. When I think it out all the way, I'll let you know.

In any event, do you see one party more than another as being more homeschool-friendly in this election? Um, and not just the Presidential election, either. There are, like, ya know, so TOTALLY more people to vote for than just the president. Realllly. FYI. :]

7 comments:

  1. I have a list of judges printed out and ready to take with me to the polls.

    I have also researched the other people I need to vote on and how that could affect our rights. Well what few we have left.

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  2. Reasons just keeping adding up for not voting for Obama nor voting third party.

    Maybe I should make a NEW top ten!

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  3. As a side note: we do National tests. Last one Ditz was sooo bored she played with the phonics rules for her spelling test & flunked right out. Who knows what she did to her math because we hadn't covered 1/2 of it as we use a different curric & Ditz was off with the pixies after 10 minutes. The most interesting part of the day for her was actually going to school! I then got a charming little lette from our govt offering Ditz remedial tutoring!!!! lol. I *know* that kid reads at a college level so why should she be bothered with their piddling little tests that bore her out of her brain. All testing shows is that you know how to do tests. Big whoopee. Can you apply that knowledge in a meaningful way to live life? That's true education! Off me soapbox now.

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  4. I share your concerns. I love how Governor Palin framed the autism question last week at her speech in Pennsylvania. Whenever a state assigns money to the special needs child (rather than the public school), then federal dollars need to follow the child to where ever the PARENTS decide is the most appropriate setting, even if it is a private school. Senator Obama does not favor school choice.

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  5. Tammy, I think it's an issue of TRUSTING the parent. I could point you case after case of school mismanagement... but somehow, when schools mismanage funds or abuse kids, well... that's just an isolated incident and have you ever seen a school district disbanded entirely b/c of it? No? Wonder why...

    Anyway, if money followed the kid, no doubt some moms might do chelation or God-knows-what. I'm actually OK with that. Most parents do what they think is going to work for their child and who am I to say that 30 years from now I won't be proven wrong on something a parent is doing with his kid?? YK, it's YOUR kid.

    I do see the argument that you could pool money and get more value in a "bigger" system, but unfortunately I find the public school system is more a hostage thing than anything. Want "free" speech? School. Want "anything?" School.

    And I pay my taxes same as the next guy. I'd like at least ONE other choice for cryin' out loud. I'd also like to be left alone by state authorities if I choose to opt out.

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  6. I am all for homeschool, I wish I had homeschooled my Son. Thank you for you comment on my Blog last night on him bringing his dog. Well if you notice it is not there anymore, he went bullistic, and wrote a lot of bad things about me and Brinkley, and after I read them he told me to delete anything about him on my blog so you will see my blog is altered and Sunday's blog is gone, he hacked in and deleted it (wouldn't give me the opportunity to take it off) Sorry to air my dirty laundry to you but I cant write it on my blog anymore.
    Hugs to you and your family
    Polly

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  7. Hah. State or national norms are supposed to determine anything???

    I live in TX and went to public school there (graduated '07). I had to take the TAKS test. Let's just say I finished the history section in less than 30 minutes, missed two questions, and then had to sit for two hours doing NOTHING because 1) we couldn't leave until everyone was finished 2) we weren't allowed to have a book with us. This was in HIGH SCHOOL, no less...and I hadn't had any US history since 8th grade (I was a junior when I took the test).

    The way you talk about homeschool restrictions in certain states, it sounds more stringent than *public school* requirements!

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Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

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