Saturday, July 08, 2006
"No school" doesn't equal "homeschool"
...Christina, 16, and her sister, Louise, 14, said that instead of studying their homeschool lessons, they spent all day, every day from January through June 2005 traveling to malls and stores across Ohio, stealing thousands of clothes, tools and collectibles by order of their parents...
Both girls said their father told them he would kill them if they ever refused to steal or reported their parents.
It's time the media and the general public understand that not every child who isn't enrolled in school is being homeschooled. I don't know this family, but I'm guessing they weren't taking time out of their busy shoplifting schedule to fulfill the notification and evaluation requirements set down in the Ohio state homeschool law.
There's a term for children who aren't in school and who aren't legally exempt from their state's compulory education statutes. These children are not homeschoolers, they're "truant." I wish the media would quit lumping negligent and abusive parents in with parents who are genuinely working to provide positive educational opportunities for their children by homeschooling them properly and legally.
Which is not to say that I think that all homeschoolers need to follow a rigid schedule, but even by unschooling standards, I don't think day after day of thievery under duress counts as providing an education.When you think of homeschoolers, please don't think of people like these. This is not what homeschooling is about.
Labels: homeschooling, newsworthy
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Amen! It really burns me up when "news" programs report things like this as though all homeschoolers are probably doing the same thing and just haven't been caught yet. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take my kids to the mall.
Just kidding.
Just kidding.
we just got back from the mall ;)
why is it that the media will pick a topic and show only the bad side until they run it into the ground, but won't show the bad side of the opposing opinion. ie. you don't hear such bad stories about public schooled kids...even though those kids are in gangs that steal from malls too. (maybe because their parents aren't making them do it?)
why is it that the media will pick a topic and show only the bad side until they run it into the ground, but won't show the bad side of the opposing opinion. ie. you don't hear such bad stories about public schooled kids...even though those kids are in gangs that steal from malls too. (maybe because their parents aren't making them do it?)
I agree! Since when can keeping your kids out of school for your own purposes be called homeschool. Last time I checked, homeschool meant there was actually schooling involved. Even if these parents were teaching their kids, that doesn't mean that all homeschooled children are neglected. Give me a break. I posted a similar comment on my 2nd blog yesterday.
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View my original,most active blog:
http://thehomeschoolingmommy.blogspot.com
Amen! As an Ohio homeschooler, I just roll my eyes. Wish it were that easy! I wonder if they ever even filed any paperwork with their district. If they didn't, I think some Ohio homeschooler's organization should demand a retraction of the statement that these were legitimately "homeschoolers".
# posted by 
: 7:30 PM
: 7:30 PM
I hear you. I used to get all kinds of crap because I homeschooled in Missouri. Instead of "Bravo, you want excellence for your children", I got "oh, you're one of those"
Yes, I am, with kids who just scored in the 97th percentile nationwide ITBS.
Have you seen the new Karl Maeser Academy site? Fantastic.
Bad "negligent school" parents need to go to the same place as child molesters, in my opinion.
Yes, I am, with kids who just scored in the 97th percentile nationwide ITBS.
Have you seen the new Karl Maeser Academy site? Fantastic.
Bad "negligent school" parents need to go to the same place as child molesters, in my opinion.
LOL @ great day. It is definitely NOT a subject to shoplift and good for all of you sticking up for homeschool. As a parent who had the experience of both types of school, there is definitely a prejudice about homeschooling. I, unfortunately experienced that from a few people when I decided to take over myself. Personally, I think people fear the unknown, and when people fear something, they usually laugh at it to make it go away. But, sorry, they can laugh all they want, but homeschool is only getting stronger. Some people need to learn that different things work for different people and just because something might not work for them, doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Another thing that makes people rebel against something is jealousy. I bet some of them are just jealous because they can't spend the whole day with their children like we do, so to make themselves feel better, they pretend we're these evil people who keep our kids out of school just to neglect them or whatever. OK, I think I've rambled enough. LOL
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