to jump on the "I was homeschooled and I have social skills" bandwagon...
Mat Maniac Send a noteboard - 03/03/2010 06:27:05 AM
I think the important thing to note is that the cause for many of the stereotypes is not homeschooling, but rather a parenting style that is very attracted to home schooling.
I noticed this important difference because I participated in and then worked for a Christian Ballroom Dance Cotillion, for 9 years. It started off as a social activity that was dreamed up by home schooling parents who wanted to prepare their children for upper class society. The initial population was actually quite normal, with a wide variety of personalities (my older brothers went the fist year and I started the second).
Over time the program attracted a more conservative population, including many of the "I wear jean jumpers I made myself and love horses" home schoolers. This population included some people who were fairly awkward in such a social activity, but they certainly gained a lot from it. More interestingly by the 5th year we were only about 40% home schooled, and you could pick out a "stereotypical" home schooler easily and ask them how long they've been home schooled only to find out they have been to public school all their life.
By the 7th year I was loosing my interest in the program as it grew more judgmental and socially restricting, and was probably 60% sheltered, and most of them not home schooled.
Now, (two years after I left) my sister was interested in doing it and signed up. Wow... Very restrictive on what is "modest" (my sister almost had to put on a pair of ugly floral leggings because the bottoms of he knees showed when she did a spin) The recommendation for the formal balls is to shop at Goodwill or make the dress yourself, and only "lean in" hugs are appropriate (hugs where your tummy touches are inappropriate, and an adult will be quick to tell you that mid hug). There are certainly a lot of home schoolers in that crowd, but many of them are not.
Point being that there is a correlation between homeschooling and social ineptitude, intolerance towards society, etc. but it is by no means the cause. The parents will raise their children as they see fit, and homeschooling only gives parents the freedom to do so in a more active way. Which does have its negatives... but that comes with freedom, if you prefer government regulating how kids are raised... well yeah that is a whole 'nother tangent
And the obligatory statement: As a graduated home schooler I get a lot of "Wait, you were home schooled?" Also my only social deficiency I would claim was self imposed (not getting any romantic experience till I was 23) because I did not want to deal with it yet... And I'm typically noted as being more comfortable standing up and speaking to a group (oral presentation assignments in college were/are cake assignments where you always got 90+ without much effort) and being more thoughtful in how I respond to social interactions.
I noticed this important difference because I participated in and then worked for a Christian Ballroom Dance Cotillion, for 9 years. It started off as a social activity that was dreamed up by home schooling parents who wanted to prepare their children for upper class society. The initial population was actually quite normal, with a wide variety of personalities (my older brothers went the fist year and I started the second).
Over time the program attracted a more conservative population, including many of the "I wear jean jumpers I made myself and love horses" home schoolers. This population included some people who were fairly awkward in such a social activity, but they certainly gained a lot from it. More interestingly by the 5th year we were only about 40% home schooled, and you could pick out a "stereotypical" home schooler easily and ask them how long they've been home schooled only to find out they have been to public school all their life.
By the 7th year I was loosing my interest in the program as it grew more judgmental and socially restricting, and was probably 60% sheltered, and most of them not home schooled.
Now, (two years after I left) my sister was interested in doing it and signed up. Wow... Very restrictive on what is "modest" (my sister almost had to put on a pair of ugly floral leggings because the bottoms of he knees showed when she did a spin) The recommendation for the formal balls is to shop at Goodwill or make the dress yourself, and only "lean in" hugs are appropriate (hugs where your tummy touches are inappropriate, and an adult will be quick to tell you that mid hug). There are certainly a lot of home schoolers in that crowd, but many of them are not.
Point being that there is a correlation between homeschooling and social ineptitude, intolerance towards society, etc. but it is by no means the cause. The parents will raise their children as they see fit, and homeschooling only gives parents the freedom to do so in a more active way. Which does have its negatives... but that comes with freedom, if you prefer government regulating how kids are raised... well yeah that is a whole 'nother tangent
And the obligatory statement: As a graduated home schooler I get a lot of "Wait, you were home schooled?" Also my only social deficiency I would claim was self imposed (not getting any romantic experience till I was 23) because I did not want to deal with it yet... And I'm typically noted as being more comfortable standing up and speaking to a group (oral presentation assignments in college were/are cake assignments where you always got 90+ without much effort) and being more thoughtful in how I respond to social interactions.
"Anybody who goes to bed the same day they got up is a quitter."
Bonded to wolfsister
Achewon Nutiket*
*Spiritual Guard
† RIP Kory †
Bonded to wolfsister
Achewon Nutiket*
*Spiritual Guard
† RIP Kory †
Homeschooling: German Family Gets Political Asylum in U.S.
02/03/2010 10:30:01 PM
- 1466 Views
Looks like a win-win situation to me.
02/03/2010 11:01:22 PM
- 746 Views
Germany does have a history of getting rid of people it doesn't like *NM*
03/03/2010 02:08:37 PM
- 463 Views
Yawn. At least beckstcw was joking when he invoked Godwin's law below. I hope. *NM*
03/03/2010 02:10:18 PM
- 381 Views
That is a load of crap
03/03/2010 02:53:02 PM
- 465 Views
uhm, how would Germany be offending the US?
03/03/2010 02:56:52 PM
- 426 Views
Um.
03/03/2010 02:57:53 PM
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But our religious beliefs and belief in allowing religious freedom is fair game?
03/03/2010 03:09:48 PM
- 319 Views
Yes?
03/03/2010 03:40:30 PM
- 297 Views
If you made fun of the Native Americans I would be offended
03/03/2010 03:46:05 PM
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It's actually quite the opposite.
03/03/2010 03:57:19 PM
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and I would say they trying to fix intolerance with more intolerance
03/03/2010 04:13:49 PM
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That was probably the stupidest thing I ever saw you write
03/03/2010 03:28:39 PM
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You were the one who said good riddance
03/03/2010 03:43:24 PM
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It's the usual story of American ideology and European pragmatism.
03/03/2010 03:52:51 PM
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This is getting a bit off the discussion. Please keep it civil, everyone. *NM*
03/03/2010 06:55:11 PM
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Re: Homeschooling: German Family Gets Political Asylum in U.S.
03/03/2010 01:09:23 AM
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The socialization thing is mostly garbage
03/03/2010 02:32:19 AM
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Yep, exactly.
03/03/2010 02:41:14 AM
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Re: Yep, exactly.
03/03/2010 03:12:48 AM
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*shrugs* I said it was anecdotal. I have no hard figures, only experiences.
03/03/2010 03:28:29 AM
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The operative word IS mostly
03/03/2010 04:33:20 AM
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'Mostly' is all that matters
03/03/2010 05:46:01 AM
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Uhm, socialization is incredibly important.
03/03/2010 06:03:30 AM
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Yes, but you don't need to be taught to do it
03/03/2010 06:47:06 AM
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cats aren't pack or herd animals
03/03/2010 06:53:02 AM
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Something of an inside joke, sorry
03/03/2010 07:41:50 AM
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us closely associated with schools are sensitive on the issue too
03/03/2010 01:05:27 PM
- 521 Views

Re: us closely associated with schools are sensitive on the issue too
03/03/2010 10:19:21 PM
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I would agree that households with two working parnets shouldn't home school *NM*
03/03/2010 03:22:51 PM
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to jump on the "I was homeschooled and I have social skills" bandwagon...
03/03/2010 06:27:05 AM
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I was homeschooled through grade 12, and my mom has done pro bono legal work for HSLDA.
03/03/2010 02:20:38 AM
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I agree that it can be a very good option for some families
03/03/2010 04:42:21 AM
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Re: I agree that it can be a very good option for some families
03/03/2010 05:16:17 AM
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It depends on the public school.
03/03/2010 05:23:09 AM
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Re: It depends on the public school.
03/03/2010 05:45:07 AM
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"done right" is not always the case
03/03/2010 05:58:26 AM
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Re: "done right" is not always the case
03/03/2010 06:14:43 AM
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Re: "done right" is not always the case
03/03/2010 06:31:04 AM
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Well let's talk stats then.
03/03/2010 06:55:14 AM
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please do not get me started on statistis.
03/03/2010 07:11:19 AM
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Your comments on public school educations have rather limited relevance to other countries, though.
03/03/2010 09:53:30 AM
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While I support homeschooling, this is ridiculous.
03/03/2010 04:48:40 AM
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Meh.
03/03/2010 05:20:50 AM
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one year in a public school
03/03/2010 05:32:13 AM
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Re: one year in a public school
03/03/2010 05:58:48 AM
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No, I think i will nitpick.
03/03/2010 06:11:44 AM
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This is getting off track and wasting time.
03/03/2010 06:26:36 AM
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I'm not even certain it's 100% legal.
03/03/2010 06:34:44 AM
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Yes, but we can't argue abuse of law.
03/03/2010 06:51:23 AM
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I only used Mexicans because I'm from Arizona
03/03/2010 07:04:29 AM
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I think I have the gist of it,
03/03/2010 07:17:40 AM
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we haven't heard anything about their beliefs for me to think they're stupid.
03/03/2010 02:54:25 PM
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According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung...
03/03/2010 03:38:13 PM
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Say what?
03/03/2010 09:38:40 AM
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Being able raise your kids by your beliefs is a frivolous matter?
03/03/2010 03:21:23 PM
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Germany is not saying "you can't raise your kids by your beliefs"
03/03/2010 03:31:01 PM
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It's not a recent law, and supposedly other German families have moved to France and the UK.
03/03/2010 03:45:56 PM
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I think that would fly in very face of political assylum
03/03/2010 04:12:48 PM
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Yes, but they did not need political asylum.
03/03/2010 04:28:16 PM
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how is that different then other political refuges we allow in?
03/03/2010 04:55:14 PM
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I believe Legolas linked an article
03/03/2010 04:57:09 PM
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I never saw the link
03/03/2010 05:08:21 PM
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I'm not sure if they offered "formal" assurances or some such
03/03/2010 05:21:54 PM
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that was a mayor, I doubt he would have the final word on the issue
03/03/2010 05:46:22 PM
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You don't have a law about removing children from parental custody? At all?
03/03/2010 09:43:15 PM
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They can take your kids from for not sending them to school but not for home schooling them
03/03/2010 10:35:48 PM
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Compared to not being able to feed your kids, yes, it is.
03/03/2010 03:42:58 PM
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yes but we don't grant political assylum for being hungry
03/03/2010 04:34:23 PM
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no we don't.
03/03/2010 04:50:31 PM
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Do you have a better system?
03/03/2010 05:05:42 PM
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Immigration processes could certainly use some reform
03/03/2010 05:32:22 PM
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The system sucks, big government typically does not function well
03/03/2010 05:48:25 PM
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Oh, and did you miss the part where the federal government is appealing the decision? *NM*
03/03/2010 09:40:42 AM
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I would consider the threat of losing my children because of my beliefs to be a real threat *NM*
03/03/2010 02:54:08 PM
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Doesn't matter why, but all parents should have the right to homeschool.....
03/03/2010 04:48:57 AM
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That whole thing is pretty silly
03/03/2010 12:18:45 PM
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Re: socialising.
03/03/2010 06:13:49 PM
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I am opposed to homeschooling but believe it should be a legal option.
03/03/2010 02:32:34 PM
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I think you make a good point here
03/03/2010 05:22:59 PM
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but...but...parents can't educate their children outside of school!!
03/03/2010 05:40:30 PM
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I don't agree with them I just support their right to be wrong
03/03/2010 06:04:11 PM
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The statistics are flawed, as I've noted above
03/03/2010 07:07:11 PM
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they tend to beat private schools as well would should flatten out the demographics
03/03/2010 07:53:38 PM
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Your views on this are not fact-driven
03/03/2010 09:13:07 PM
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No, what you're saying is that my answer isn't driven by STATISTICS.
03/03/2010 10:36:50 PM
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Granted, but there is no obvious source for bias
03/03/2010 10:57:19 PM
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You mean aside from the fact that you are already arguing about it?
04/03/2010 12:14:02 AM
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Yes, I mentioned this in my reply to Tom, see below...
04/03/2010 12:19:42 AM
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And the wikipedia article you pointed me to had a different study that contradicts your point.
03/03/2010 10:42:54 PM
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Religious or *moral* instruction
03/03/2010 10:49:48 PM
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I haven't really "met" you the way I meant it in that reply
03/03/2010 11:48:11 PM
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Granted but for our purposes I think people on this site would qualify
04/03/2010 12:05:03 AM
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Umm Massachusetts did have slavery in 1717
03/03/2010 02:55:25 PM
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His argument on the law of Germany is a bad one generally, though, not just for that reason.
03/03/2010 03:31:00 PM
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Wow....so this got the board going. A question for everyone...
03/03/2010 06:02:57 PM
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I think it is incumbent on the state to show that kids are being in some way harmed
03/03/2010 06:07:13 PM
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Interesting
03/03/2010 06:25:43 PM
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I never said there should be no limits on what parents should be able to do
03/03/2010 06:38:53 PM
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I think it's safe to say teaching your kids to be little sociopaths qualifies as harm.
03/03/2010 09:17:48 PM
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I think so too
03/03/2010 10:46:41 PM
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I think the problem there was it was seen as inherently political, that, and showing harm.
03/03/2010 11:44:21 PM
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Yes they do. Provided...
03/03/2010 07:04:46 PM
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There is a reason why education until 18 (or 16, depending) is not merely a right, but a duty.
03/03/2010 10:00:53 PM
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Hmmph. Inappropriate action on the part of the judge who allowed them to stay.
03/03/2010 06:22:08 PM
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You just skip the part where they have to show they are being persecuted
03/03/2010 06:54:20 PM
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As I said, most people would prefer to have their safety threatened to losing their kids. *NM*
06/03/2010 10:14:52 PM
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*walks in, looks around*
03/03/2010 07:52:09 PM
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Interesting
03/03/2010 11:02:27 PM
- 727 Views