Schools across the country are closed to stop the spread of COVID-19. As a result, school-age children are transitioning from the traditional classroom to something more akin to homeschooling for the rest of the school year (and, potentially, beyond). Parents are suddenly trusted with the new responsibility of being the sole source of their children’s education, and specialists are concerned about what this may mean for children's’ education - particularly children in evangelical families, whose parents might be reticent to teach science or history and more likely to teach the Bible.
Do Parents Know Best?
Parents choose to homeschool their children for a variety of reasons. Some may choose homeschooling for the flexibility it gives the student to pursue high-level athletics, others may simply not be satisfied with the educational standards of their local public schools. But most (upwards of 90%) choose to do so because they want to give their children a conservative, Christian education, and remove them from mainstream, often secular, culture. Most notable are "Quiverfull" families, who homeschool their children and teach biblical patriarchy in the classroom at home.
When parents homeschool their kids, they often have free reign to teach the lessons that they see fit. In homeschooling, there are rules and guidelines about what you can teach - but rarely are they enforced. Only about a dozen states have regulations on the level of education needed by parents to homeschool their children. In some states you don’t even have to register your child as being homeschooled - you can simply keep them at home.
Experts worry this opens the door for potential issues. Can parents be trusted to provide a comprehensive history or science education if their religious view conflicts with the facts?
A new article by Harvard Professor Elizabeth Bartholet titled “The Risks of Homeschooling” says no. She calls for a ban on homeschooling because of the “threat it poses to children and society.” Bartholet believes that religious families - “extreme religious idealogues” - cannot be trusted to properly educate their children, and that their own personal religious views will bias their teachings.
Due to the quarantine, many parents are with their children 24 hours a day, and are finishing out their education for the school year. And with often lax regulations, that means they can choose any lesson plans they want - even ones with extreme or inaccurate views.
Homeschoolers Respond
There was a quick push back from many in the homeschooling community to the article above. They argue that children fundamentally belong to parents, not the state. “Unlike teachers and school administrators, parents are the most permanent adults in a child’s life,” said Katy Faust, founder of Them Before Us, a children’s rights organization. “The permanent nature of the parent-child relationship means parents are the adults most invested in children’s long-term success. That’s why parents, not the government, are the primary educators of their children.”
She argues the whole system is backwards, and that schools should have to make an argument to parents that they should opt-in to public education, rather than homeschooling parents having to opt-out. “That out of touch elites fail to grasp these simple, self-evident truths should make us even more weary to trust them with control over our children’s education."
And homeschooling has long been a cause championed by Christian leadership, who often view public schools with a skeptical eye at best. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, says that public schools were designed as a “socializing agent” with an “ideological component as well.”
As he said on a recent broadcast, progressives view the “indomitable strength of the natural family” as their “greatest obstacle.” Progressives “have seen the public schools as the great ally and you'll understand why they've been so successful in reshaping the public schools into incubators for this kind of ideological experiment."
Who Do Children Belong To?
With homeschooling the new norm in many parts of the country, and no news yet on when our national quarantine might lift, the questions will likely continue about the effectiveness of homeschooling, and whether children belong exclusively to parents or society at large.
Yet as religious fundamentalists maintain their sizable political influence, it seems unlikely that those laws will be examined any time soon. And some fear that religious families who didn't previously homeschool may start now, and simply refuse to put their children back into the public school system once the quarantine lifts.
What do you think? Do we all have a responsibility to mold good citizens with democratic values for the greater good, or does this unequivocally fall under the purview of the parents?
56 comments
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John D. Partin
Fine, what "evidence" have you used to "prove that a mindless universe came up with its own laws and interconnection of them for its operation" and how, precisely, have you tested that, in order for it to fit your definition of "science"? How have you read the "mind" of the mindless universe to know that that is what it does and how did it overcome the obvious contradiction of a mindless universe thinking all of this up for itself?!! As I wrote to you in another post, believers in Mormonism, "virgin births", and other spiritual beliefs are "nuclear physicists and eminent men and women of science", compared to those, such as yourself, who fall for such obvious nonsense as your pseudoscience because they, at least, believe in something coming from something, instead of something coming from nothing, as you do! Yes, it is naive for you to believe in such a universe as you believe in, all to avoid admitting to a Mind behind the universe and the responsibilities that that puts on you!! Education hasn't, evidently, allowed you to move forward, if that is truly the best that you can come up with!! The evidence that God exists and created and maintains the universe is the afore-mentioned obvious fact that something doesn't come from nothing. Your not admitting or even seeing that that proves you wrong, because it would shake up your whole little world and inconvenience you, and its not doing so are two entirely different and polar opposite things!! If you were actually a free thinker and able to think for yourself, you could come up with something better and far more logical and reasonable than a "mindless universe running itself". Since that isn't what you have done, you disqualify yourself from being a true freethinker. You have already been proven wrong by logic, reason, and true science!!
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Hazel
The fundamentalist Christians insist that the public schools are brainwashing kids when they teach them science but don't teach creationism along with it. In public schools, you're not supposed to be teaching religion. The first amendment to the US Constitution forbids respecting an establishment of religion. Science is based on facts, religion is not.
Religion is based on faith, you can neither prove it or disprove it. it wouldn't surprise me at all if the people who are so against the public schools teaching science would be only too happy to keep pushing their religion to their home-schooled kids without teaching science that is based in fact.
I freely admit that I'm not a Christian. I will also state here and now that I wouldn't want ANY religion being taught in public schools, including my own.
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Richard Lee Cornell
Home schooling is great until that child wants to go to college. Then they find that they must complete with other children on their level. Knowing what is between the pages of the Bible does not make it in college.
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Rev. Lara
Kids belong to themselves but it is the parents who are charged with the stewardship and nurturing of them until they are ready to stand in their own right in front of the Source of Light and Love. If a parent has done their job right, the now-adult child can freely express their Soul-self without hindrance on this Earthly plane of existence. Any warping of the child's emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health committed by authorities, at the end of the day, is left to the responsibility of the parent who must deal with that and pick up the pieces, sometimes even long after the child is physically an adult. No authority will hold itself accountable or take responsibility, even if the child will subsequently never be able to ever after live a sound life. The authorities will crumple a child into unrecognizability and toss them away as so much refuse after the damage is done - and hold the PARENT accountable for the financial, emotional and physical support of that child, as the authorities blithely turn their backs of the utter destruction of that entire family that the authorities have wrought.
Most parents who homeschool have tried MANY times to seek a resolution and rectification of the issues that have led them to withdraw their children from public school in the first place, only to be ignored or even retaliated against, and after wasting much time and resources, have no other recourse except to homeschool for the sake of their child's well-being. While a great many parents choose to homeschool for religious reasons, there are a large and growing-larger number of parents who homeschool because their local public school's bullying issues have become intolerable and administration refuses to do anything to safeguard their child.
Another large and growing-larger number of parents choose to homeschool because their disabled child is not being given a "Free and Appropriate Public Education" in the "Least Restrictive Environment". Basically this means that the school district is being obstinate about providing the supportive resources that they certainly do have, to see to a disabled child's basic well-being and education during school hours. Unless, of course, the parent has the money to hire a good lawyer and sue the school, at which point, the school usually capitulates and does their job, or agrees to send the child to a school that is willing to appropriately educate that child, at the district's expense.
The relationship between family and school is made an adversarial one, by the deliberate actions of the school. Is it any wonder that increasing numbers of parents decide to just 'nope' on out of there and provide their children with a more supportive and appropriate education, even if it means doing so themselves?
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Tabz
I am already homeschooling one of my five due to his disabilities. When the State tried to force me to put him regular school last year, he scored higher than any of his classmates on their standard tests and they were considering bumping him up a grade. If it weren't for his physical disabilities that our small school district was not equipped to handle, he would have been. As it is I brought him back home within a single semester. Now all five are homeschooled because of this pandemic, and if it weren't for their extracurricular activities I might consider making the switch permanent. I have seen such a change in them. Nobody is angry all the time, they are getting enough sleep, plenty of time outside, we are able to actually have time to TALK with our children beyond the short dinner table conversations.
We are a blended religion family. I am an eclectic witch, my husband is Heathen, we have 2 Christian daughters, an atheist daughter, an agnostic son, my father follows the Cherokee way, and my youngest son makes no claim one way or the other. So for us this has never been an issue of "brainwashing" but more an issue of keeping our family together. Because to us, family is everything. As long as you have each other, everything will be OK. We do not need the state to tell us how to raise our children. They are doing just fine. One is leaving soon on a full ride scholarship, and another is on track for her dream of being a Harvard doctor.
The state's position that most parents cannot raise their own children is what has gotten us into this mess in the first place. Public school should be an option, NOT a mandate.
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Patricia Ann Wileman
I know a number of homeschooled kids. They seem to be much will better balanced and educated than the average classroom kids. One that impresses me greatly he will be doing his internship as a doctor starting this coming year. The homeschooling is not just knowing the Bible. It’s basics reading, writing and arithmetic. yes they do science and if they think they don’t I’m sorry someone is not educated is telling the real story. They also go on field trips with history education. I’m not saying every child should be homeschooled but I sure believe in the private schools in Arizona does have a number of those. And you have a choice to go to public school or a private school. The great thing is if you don’t behave you’re not allowed to go there you have to behave. They have rules in the private schools. Think about it now California made a new law. In a public school a kid can hit the teacher and be expelled. Why would you want to be a teacher in California just because it pays a little better than maybe Arizona but it’s not safe for the kids or the teachers.
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Bill
If you train up a child in knowing right from wrong according to what the Bible teaches in Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5, Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 28 and the book of Genesis, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the book of Acts and Romans I would not call that brain washing. I would call that how to train your child up in knowing who he is, where he came from and where he is going to spend eternity.
In Paul’s letter to the Roman’s he writes... Romans 3:3-4 King James Version (KJV) 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Here we look at what Jesus said about his word... John 8:31-32 King James Version (KJV) 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
If you train up a child in the ways of the Lord he shall not depart from it. But prayer first then reading and studying the Bible go hand and hand. in teaching your children in the ways of God.
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Lionheart
I went to your first scripture Exodus, but 21 by mistake and read how God says slaves can be punished as long as they don’t die in the first two days after being punished by their master. That told me all I need to know about your loving god. He condones slavery, and stoning. What type of sadistic mythical deity is he? I definitely wouldn’t teach my children in the ways if your god.
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Howard Pippin
Apparently Lionheart, you're locked into the Old Testament. The thing is my faith is based on the New Testament, I have a Savior and it really is the main thing.
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Lionheart
My apologies, I was thinking the mythical god of the Old Testament was the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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Howard Pippin
Apology accepted.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Knock, knock ! Hello ! Is anybody in the ULC office ? It's been three days since anyone submitted a comment. Does that tell y'all something ?
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Anisahoni
Its broken Carl.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I wished my parents would have home schooled me. I hated going to school. My stepfather has a master's degree in special education, so he could have done it. Although they forced us kids to go to church every Sunday, they otherwise didn't force religion on us. However, we were religious anyway. I was leading a Bible study group when I was fifteen years old, and am a former Galveston chapter president of Victorious Missionaries. Of course that was before I became a Pagan convert, and started my year and a day of training to become initiated into Wicca. Praise the Goddess ! Blessed be !
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Professor flugo seems to think she knows a lot about the subjects of education and Christianity. I wonder why we haven't heard her blather on the subject yet ?
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T Kosse`
Carl Bernard Elfstromg you should not speak of he-who-must-not-be-named, for if you speak of the devil he shall appear.
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Daniel Gray
Sorry but this is all wrong. Even the Ohio Teachers Unions are complaining that by taking the child out of the system and home schooling them they are taking money from the system. Notice they are not complaining about the children, just the money. On average, those who are homeschooled do get significantly higher scores on standardized tests than those who attended public schools; which is ironic, considering some parents homeschool their children because they don't think standardized tests are useful for gaining practical skills for their children's future and this proves that teachers are overpaid and do not do their jobs. We just built a new school that the teachers just HAD to have, and now they find out that they claim they need FOUR principals and staff (cost per principal and staff equals out of over 600000 per) and 12 nurses who are there only 3 hours a week at the cost of 1.2 million. I could go on but the total cost of the school comes to roughly 108 million dollars when you include the interest. And this is placed on a group that is lucky IF they total 12,000 people comes out to 9,000 PER man woman and child seniors and disabled. And this is even for the people who never had children in the schools and not counting the new uniforms for the sports and music teams and constant 3% per year raises and so on. So tell me again this is go the kids and not for the teachers.
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Rev. Jonathan Peebles
Thats insane I am sorry but schools are dangerous nowadays with all the shooting, bullying, and crap going on. I would home school my kids to keep them safe if I had kids and could. Unfortunately, I think I am not much of a teacher anymore...
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Vern Dee Wall
"When parents homeschool their kids, they often have free reign" OMG! We can't have that! That's unamerican!
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arawngraalrd
There's a fine line, between demanding that Children not be stolen from Public Education by their own Parents, and publishing in The Onion.
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Brien
A good discussion, but we are overlooking an important point. Children are the responsibility of the PARENTS not the state. Now, I am certainly not a fan of organized brainwashing, but that happens on BOTH sides of this subject. I throw out anything that starts with "experts say...", or "specialists agree..." because those terms get misused way to often. It has been proven that homeschooling produces fine academic results. In this discussion, the parents have the final say because they are the parents. The state, and any others, may disagree, but they may not interfere. Peace.
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James Mounts
Someone needs to let Alan Meunier know that the record indicates one's chance of being a boss increase significantly with home schooling.
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Anisahoni
Another reason some kids are home schooled is because they have big time behavior problems that parents want the teachers to fox. They cannot hack it in a regular school system which has expectations for behavior and assignment completion. Christians brainwash their kids anyway, but it has little effect on their spiritual growth. They already believe in some guy in the sky who is just waiting to punish then but it doesn't stop them from behavior badly because their parents are hypocrites and they see that. Just look around. Who are the nastiest people we see? Christians. No thanks. Take your false god and go away. You all have not changed the world with your discrimination,racism,sexism and jingoism.
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Val Jester
You may want to find another venue to spew your venom other that a church.
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Anisahoni
Excuse me? You obviously get upset with different opinions and experiences. I do not need to find another venue as this is a site for ministers, did you forget? Having different opinions should not be labeled as "venom" that is ridiculous and ignorant. My opinion is based on a set of experiences, whether yo like it or not. Perhaps you should find another venue to bash those you disagree with.
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Patricia Ann Wileman
God gives you free choice. I chose God.
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T Kosse`
Val Jester - She has the right to speak here on this forum just much as you do,whether or not you agreed or disagree with her thoughts or opinions.
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Rev. Pam Field
Regular schools brainwash kids, Colleges brainwash kids, parents brainwash kids, kids brainwash kids, society brainwashes kids and religions brainwash kids too! All at the direction of the government to brainwash as many as they can. Propaganda is everywhere to brainwash us to work, buy, and work more to buy more, and make them money from taxes. They get richer we get poorer so they can bribe us to go on social welfare programs to cause those who work to work even more to pay for them. We are all brainwashed to be worker bees for the elite. Who make us feel like we are free citizens as long as some of us are always working. Those who want this world to become a cold-hearted socialist government are loving this pandemic to take even more freedoms away for the "common good" More brainwashing...they have made this happen, want to keep it happening and tell lies as to who, what, and when this all began and blame someone else for it.
When will "the people" wake up and smell the rotten eggs all around us? They demand respect, and obedience because they have named themselves to be the all knowing ones. We have let them do what they wanted because of a false trust that they have honor and will do what is best for the people. What I find interesting is that the True All-knowing One, God; doesn't force you to abide by his suggestions/laws for a content life. He lets you choose which way to live. There are two paths to live, each has its own reward. He has explained what those rewards will be, choose wisely and definitely for yourself.
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Anisahoni
"cold-hearted socialist"? Doubtful. Socialism is an economic structure. We live in a binary economic system where capitalism and socialism exist. Schools, fire departments, first responders, the military are some examples of socialism. Perhaps you meant "cold hearted Capitalism." We are slaves to the richest in the world whose focus and only agenda is to make and keep more money and power off the backs of the workers. Our tax laws favor the rich where they pay no taxes and we get "screwed" by having to pay taxes until we die. They get incredible write offs, bailouts, corporate welfare at our expense. Look at how big wealth has dealt with sick employees at meat packing plants. They don't care and only want more profit. A great classic is "A Nation of Sheep" and a film is "Metropolis."
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Val Jester
You are completely wrong about the rich and taxes. The top ten percent of wage earners pay FORTY PERCENT of collected federal taxes. Stop believing what you read on Occupy Democrats.
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Anisahoni
Do not tell me what to believe or not. If you do not like my comments, too bad. Amazon pays no taxes, neither does Zuckerberg and on and on. Our tax laws do give tremendous tax benefits to the wealthiest corporations plus they get corporate welfare. The workers in this country have to pay taxes to make up for these greedy CEO's Occupy Democrats? Not only are yo making a silly assumption, you are barking up the wrong tree. I listen to real economists, like Robert Reich, who you probably have no clue.So back off.
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David J Nix
foreign country owned companies do not pay american taxes, amazon is not owned by anyone in the usa so they are not under our laws, I do not use amazon nor target as both are not american owned companies.
we do need a tax reform as our money goes to baby killers and large anti american companies and large companies that do not need help, and not helping the ma and pop shops that do need help as they are being drowned out by major corparations that can undercut the ma and pa shops then get help from the government.
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CB Cuff
Amazon.co is an american company, and yes they pay taxes in america. Additionally the US charges taxes on books not even written in the US, or by american authors, because they are marketed by companies such as Amazon. Read it first hand from British author Martin Edge. Americans contribute nothing to benefit the authors who try to 'market' their books, but are right there to take a piece of the royalty / sale.
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Woodrow
Robert Reich is a socialist commentator on national media among other media as well. By the way if you don't like MY comments, TOO BAD. Do you buy from Amazon or any other corporations. These are the socialist based companies who get by with payoffs and other forms of graft. So Reich is not real, He's a liar and a thief. He's after the Green Plan to be endorsed.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I love Amazon!!! It's my favorite store!!! I've been shopping with them for nineteen years. It's not their fault that China makes better products for less money. Why do our greedy fellow American manufacturers keep trying to rip us off? Talk about anti-American pig trash!
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Val Jester
Once again you are nattering on about something you know nothing about. The bottom twenty percent of wage earners in this country pay ZERO income tax. The top ten percent of wage earners pay approximately forty percent of income taxes. Show me where Zucherberg pays no personal income tax. Those companies pay billions in property and sales taxes. Robert Reich couldn’t find his butt with both hand with the lights on. If he is your source on economics, it is clear why you are so ill informed.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Another good book is called Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. You might think better about the rich after you've become one of them.
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Anisahoni
Richness for me is about how much love and compassion is in the world. We can't take our bank accounts with us when we leave this planet. Don't have any desire to be a greedy SOB. Love is in my life, have food in the pantry, clean water and a decent car which gets me from point A to point B. Have veggies growing in my garden and delight in hummingbirds and butterflies visiting. Good Neighbors and friends too. For Christians, they should remember that Jesus was a radical and a socialist. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless. Simple richness in life.
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Madeline Cheers
Agreed, Rev. Pam Field. If you don’t know John Taylor Gatto’s work check out his books DUMBING US DOWN and, more importantly, his Magnum Opus, THE UNDERGROUND HISTORY OF AMERICAN EDUCATION. His basic premise is that for the last 100 years, compulsory education has been designed to keep a few elite folks in power and keep the rest of at their service. Ask yourself why 2/3 of all presidential candidates come from the 11 most elite private schools in the country. Better yet, ask yourself why the vast majority of politicians on a state and federal level send their kids to private school if public school is so great. The last thing elites, like those at Harvard, want is a populace that can think for itself. Not to mention the fact that there was very little factual information in that article. It was based on stereotypes and misconceptions. The fact is that homeschooled kids (and there’s plenty of leftist free thinking homeschoolers) go to college at a higher rate than public school kids and while in school are treated to a child centered, well thought out curriculum which includes, daily phys.ed., sports, art, music, US Government, literature, creative writing, field trips, hands on and project based learning, all the things found in elite private schools that are glaringly missing or only a minor part of most public school curriculum. Certainly only focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math will make happy well rounded citizens, right?
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Lourdes Gutierrez Raupe
Ahh, Madeline, thank you for your response. My husband and I homeschooled our two sons for 8yrs. We decided to do so because we didn’t think the school system where we lived offered the best education, and we’re so pleased at the many more benefits we discovered on the journey to educating them. We did this back when people thought we were crazy, and yes, back then most people homeschooled for religious reasons. We did not! Today there are many more families homeschooling, and I dispute the numbers in the article above. Also, there are many more resources today than ever before! Along the way, one has to adapt to each child, have a clear focus, and stay flexible. The biggest mindset to topple is to rid oneself of the “cookie cutter“ mentality that pervades our schools and society. Educating ourselves as the parent-teachers was crucial. We studied many educators, one of them being John Gatto. At a homeschooling conference, I got to meet him and spend a half day visiting with him before he addressed our group. What an education that was, and it only enhanced what he covered in his two books. WOW! Learned so much. This was an unschooling group convention, and while I didn’t agree 100% with their philosophy, I borrowed heavily from them and many, many other sources until we created something that worked for our sons. In the end, they both graduated from college, and did very well there. The general comment they both made was how lucky they were to have been homeschooled. They commented their public school friends were afraid to participate in class and engage with adults. Not so with mine. They both have wonderful careers, and are contributing citizens of their community. What more can one ask for in this life but to teach them to be in the world, be not of it, and make a contribution on the web of life. Awesome stuff!
PS ~ along this journey they became autodidacts, something they will keep for life!
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Woodrow
Remember they are skeptics who think homeschooling will brainwash kids into religion? Really. The religion of Christianity or Morman,etc.etc. etc. including the religion of Homosexuality, the religion of lesbianism, bi-sexual......... psychopaths, etc etc. Oh well, wait for it.
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Val Jester
I agree with you. We all impart our beliefs to our children.
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Val Jester
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Leslie Renee Gray
I am constantly amazed by the fact that nobody seems to notice that contemporary teachings against being homosexual condemn a condition of birth and not merely a choice of behavior. Scripture condemns editing biblical text. Yet, the term homosexual did not even exist in any language prior to 1869.
Mention of homosexuality did not appear in biblical text until 1947 in the United States. Not, is there any record of the Messiah ever uttering a single word against being homosexual. Jesus is however well documented in his condemnation of marriage and its potential to interfere with the worship of God.
Likewise, there is no scripture specifically condemning being transgender. There is however scripture admonishing the faithful to accept those who were born a eunuch, which is understood to have been the term for trans women in biblical times.
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T Kosse`
Really I didn't know there was a religion of Homosexuality, the religion of lesbianism, bi-sexual......... psychopaths, etc etc. Interesting, is there also a religion of stupid and brain dead people as well?
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Alan Meunier
The fundy kids will be working for my kids, or easily flipping burgers, unless they become ministers of course, then they can have a tax-free lifestyle.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
We're all going to get brainwashed into one thing or another anyway, and although religion isn't one of the best things to be brainwashed into it's a far cry from the worst, so don't knock it. It will only produce more people for us to argue with.
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Howard Pippin
Is that any different than science brainwashing children into believing that they have all the answers? Science can actually explain how life started and what happens after you die? Are people on this particular site naïve enough to believe that there is no God? I do feel sorry for those that don't believe when I go to their funerals. There they are, all dressed up with no place to go.
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Lionheart
Science allows us to postulate, develop theories, and run tests to either prove or disprove those theories with evidence. After theories have been proved “with evidence”, unlike religion, we move forward. As a result of science Howard we now have all the pleasures of travel, computers, medical science etc., that even you use Howard. Science teaches us “how to think” not “what to think”.
Is it naïve to not believe in a talking snake, or ass? Is it naïve to not believe everyone came from one woman and one man approximately 6,000 years ago? Education, evidenced through science, is continually allowing us to move forward and advance our knowledge and understanding of the earth, and cosmos, and ourselves. So if your claim is that your god is real Howard, perhaps you, or your god, can come up with the evidence to prove us doubters wrong. If you can’t, perhaps your omnipotent god can. Do you think he’s up for the challenge? I suspect not, but as a free-thinker, my mind remains open to be proved wrong.
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Leslie Renee Gray
Oh please. There are literally hundreds of religions on this planet and they think they're right, just as much as you do. Religions come and go with the rise and fall of dynasties and civilizations. What is now seen as myth was once the sincerely held beliefs of the people of that time.
No religion has an absolute lock on the truth and no religion is completely wrong. Not is the absence of religious beliefs in any individual a thing to be condemned. Everyone has the ability to think for themselves and chose to believe or not as they see fit. And, nobody has the right to say otherwise.
That said, I do not believe that religious fundamentalist home schooling is a good idea. Anyone taught only a narrow view of the world as seen through the eyes of extremist religious doctrine is likely to turn out to be another Jim Jones, George Roden or Vernon Howell.
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Val Jester
Howard, just because this is a church don’t make the mistake that you are among believers. This place is fully staffed with liberal agnostics and atheists who actively proselytize against a loving God who wants the best for us. They have no hope past death.
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Lionheart
I’m just wondering what part of your god is a loving god being as he had anger management issues in the OT. Perhaps your god isn’t that one. Mankind has created so many gods it’s hard to keep track of them all. I’m sure yours is the right one though...right?
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Val Jester
“Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess...”. At some point in the future, every human will fervently believe in the God of the Bible. Make no mistake, he is your God too. He is a loving God, but he will not be mocked. Your choice.
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Lionheart
Nope! Don’t agree, my knee won’t be bending to any pathetic genocidal, and infanticidal, dictator. If there was a god it would be one that is not jealous, doesn’t have anger management issues, and would literally show up and help the poor and needy, especially children.
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Brien
I bend knee to NO mythical being of yours or anyone else's creation. If you expect that everyone you speak with is some kind of obedient knucklehead slave, you might wish to pull your head out and take a good look around. You see, you nice obedient knuckleheads are the cause of alot of problems that the rest of us have to deal with. I personally don't care what you believe in as long as you don't force it upon me. You judge, yet your beliefs say not to. You claim love, yet dish out hate every chance you get. You claim to be understanding, yet you understand only what is make believe. Somehow, I just don't wish to listen to the manure that you spew out. Hopefully, you now realize how unimportant your beliefs are to someone else. Peace
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Howard Pippin
Val, I’m well aware of that fact that there are people on a religious website that aren’t. But what better place to place a thought in favor of religion on a website that says it is, sort of a religious site. I’ve crossed horns with others on this website that are not in favor of religion, and believe it or not I think they have their own cross to bear. I happen to bear mine on the other side of the shoulder. Without intentionality riling anybody, it’s sometimes better to let people think you’re a fool than to open your mouth and prove that you are.
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What part of God is a loving God? The real God apart from the lies and misconceptions about Him. Are you defined by other people's lies about you? If not, neither is God defined by the lies and misconceptions about Him. That is just the Golden Rule applied to God, too. There are many different "gods" because people have made up "gods" to suit themselves or have been misled by some spirits into considering them "gods" or just misunderstood some parts of God as "all of God", but no more than counterfeit money makes real money phony do counterfeit "gods" make God unreal. He exists, no matter what any people, such as yourself, say against Him, but you benefit yourself or would benefit yourself by believing in the true God of love in the Bible, apart from the lies and misconceptions told about Him.