Home Schooling

Right off the bat, let me say I am sorry to Katie. I hope she doesn't get upset that I am apologizing publicly, but I think she deserves it. Asa and I went over for a visit and she very excitedly showed me her classroom that she had created for her son, whom she has decided to home school in the Fall. As she is showing me all these neat things, all I could do is sit there and think "what about the home schoolers who should be in public school?". Hey, nothing says friendship like acting like a turd. The reality is, as much as I love Katie, she has no control over every home schooled kid in America. It is like someone coming up to me and smacking me for Ted Bundy-we both lived in the Pacific NW and we are both of Caucasian descendents. Like he is my fault. So Katie, I am very sorry that I acted so shabbily AND that I subconciously blamed you for every bad home school experience I have ever seen.
See, here is my problem with Home Schooling: absolutely nothing. I have seen a lot of bright students come out of home schooling and I have seen students who were not successful in a public school totally shine in their own environment. Home Schooling has provided a positive and valubale need for a lot of kids. Unfortunately, Home Schooling has also been infiltrated by alternative lifestyle creeps, religious zealots, and kids to lazy to attend regular school (although in defense of that they were to lazy to graduate from the Home School Program either-yes, Alina, that was Missy). I have read interviews from people who openly say they don't want their kids in public school because they don't want them with "those people". Those people as in minorities? People who think different? People who think of cats as children? I have heard people say they disapprove of teaching their children certain facts of life, teachers are too permissive, schools to violent, and students where sexy clothing. And I can't disaggree with any of that. I have seen students wearing less clothing than what my underwear covers. But is pulling out kids to shield them the right idea? Representing a false world of rainbows and sunshine every day certainly doesn't leave them with many coping skills. But above all else, not one of the "crazies" mentioned the number one reason for home-schooling: it benefitted their child. And that is what we should all be thinking of: what is best for my child. How does s/he learn best?
Besides, a number one teacher in a child's life is and always will be their parents. No teacher spends as much time as I do with my son and I am totally irreplaceable. Even now he is watchng me to figure out how to react in the world. It's like having my own stalker. When I try all the new foods on my plate, so does he. When I read a book, so does he. Like the song goes, "no they can't take that away from me" and it doesn't matter if Attila the Hun is his first grade teacher.
Will I send him to public school? I don't know. It will depend on what he needs and what I can offer him. But public school is not the temple of hell as some people like to paint it. I like the thought that my son might meet people different then him. I like the idea that he will have another adult role model, good or bad, in which to find out how life can be. But if he needs are not met, then public school is not the place for him.
Katie will do great next year. Her son will have a quality education experience based on what Katie knows he needs. And I am confident that Ethan will become one of the home schoolers I see here at work-A bright, well-adjusted, extremely thoughtful student prepared for college. And I want the whole world to know that I think that, and that Katie will create the same environment for her daughter. And for every nut job that would rain on MY PARADE, so that I end up rianing on Katie's, nuts to you. I will no longer let you effect me like that. Sorry Katie.