In most cases (as I suspect in this case), homeschooling is a way for religious fanatics to shelter their children from realities they would rather not face, which is psychologically damaging. In particular, it perpetuates the evangelical fantasy of Creationism, which places irrational prejudices above scientific fact. The ultimate aim of universal education is undermined.
Suspect as you please, but there is no obvious reason for the surveyed parents to lie, and consistently the majority do not list religion as a motivator, the #1 reason cited is they think they educate better at home, 48.9%, versus 38.4% citing religious reasons as #2, and 'poor learning environment at #3 at 25.6%. Considering the survey was 'check all those that apply' it's not like people with religious reasons had to skip that to answer a different one. Only a little over a third cite religious reasons as being any factor in their decision. It certainly wasn't religion or propaganda that was the reason for me and my sister being homeschooled, our mother was an agnostic liberal at the time, who'd attended catholic schools herself, and I was an avowed atheist. If you want to review the survey, it's on the wikepedia page for homeschool.
Of course, progressives helped to generate this situation by introducing (or attempting to introduce) propaganda of their own into the school systems, as well as an aggressive reading of the separation of church and state, such that innocent Christmas pageants are now avoided for fear of lawsuits from a few Grinch-like pricks who want some media attention to highlight their personal animus against major holidays.
All certainly true, but you are still assuming religion is the major reason for homeshooling, it is not.
The end result is that one of the best guarantors of a robust, democratic, educated and equal society - universal public education - is being eroded, with disastrous results. As a result, I fervently oppose the decision to homeschool children (just as I oppose efforts to push any particular currently popular political agenda in public secondary schools).
However, that having been said, it is not the state's place to force children to go to public school, or any school, if they meet certain educational milestones as the result of their homeschooling.
Agreed
This means that I am happy that people have the option to homeschool as a matter of limiting government power but very unhappy that the trend exists from the standpoint of the future of American education.
Little bit of an 'if-by-whiskey' argument there. Again, most don't do it for religious reasons, there's nothing fundamentally wrong about doing it for religious reasons, and religious reasons or not, from the 'standpoint of the future of American education' I wonder why you find it objectionable that their is an educational process out there that consistently produces students who perform vastly superior to pub-ed on the standardized test, especially since they, unlike pub ed, aren't being taught specifically to pass those tests. Normally this is considered a good thing.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Homeschooling: German Family Gets Political Asylum in U.S.
02/03/2010 10:30:01 PM
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Looks like a win-win situation to me.
02/03/2010 11:01:22 PM
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Germany does have a history of getting rid of people it doesn't like *NM*
03/03/2010 02:08:37 PM
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Yawn. At least beckstcw was joking when he invoked Godwin's law below. I hope. *NM*
03/03/2010 02:10:18 PM
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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
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Um.
03/03/2010 02:57:53 PM
- 309 Views
But our religious beliefs and belief in allowing religious freedom is fair game?
03/03/2010 03:09:48 PM
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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
- 540 Views
It's actually quite the opposite.
03/03/2010 03:57:19 PM
- 515 Views
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
- 520 Views
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
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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
- 383 Views
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
- 668 Views
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
- 735 Views
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
- 616 Views
Your comments on public school educations have rather limited relevance to other countries, though.
03/03/2010 09:53:30 AM
- 747 Views
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
- 502 Views
Yes, but we can't argue abuse of law.
03/03/2010 06:51:23 AM
- 611 Views
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
- 589 Views
Being able raise your kids by your beliefs is a frivolous matter?
03/03/2010 03:21:23 PM
- 524 Views
Germany is not saying "you can't raise your kids by your beliefs"
03/03/2010 03:31:01 PM
- 647 Views
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
- 704 Views
how is that different then other political refuges we allow in?
03/03/2010 04:55:14 PM
- 618 Views
I believe Legolas linked an article
03/03/2010 04:57:09 PM
- 594 Views
I never saw the link
03/03/2010 05:08:21 PM
- 511 Views
I'm not sure if they offered "formal" assurances or some such
03/03/2010 05:21:54 PM
- 431 Views
that was a mayor, I doubt he would have the final word on the issue
03/03/2010 05:46:22 PM
- 488 Views
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
- 606 Views
no we don't.
03/03/2010 04:50:31 PM
- 477 Views
Do you have a better system?
03/03/2010 05:05:42 PM
- 768 Views
Immigration processes could certainly use some reform
03/03/2010 05:32:22 PM
- 571 Views
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
- 388 Views
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
- 428 Views
Doesn't matter why, but all parents should have the right to homeschool.....
03/03/2010 04:48:57 AM
- 545 Views
That whole thing is pretty silly
03/03/2010 12:18:45 PM
- 781 Views
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
- 689 Views
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
- 569 Views
they tend to beat private schools as well would should flatten out the demographics
03/03/2010 07:53:38 PM
- 654 Views
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
- 508 Views
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
- 610 Views
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
- 526 Views
Wow....so this got the board going. A question for everyone...
03/03/2010 06:02:57 PM
- 787 Views
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
- 709 Views
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
- 636 Views
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
- 698 Views
Hmmph. Inappropriate action on the part of the judge who allowed them to stay.
03/03/2010 06:22:08 PM
- 655 Views
You just skip the part where they have to show they are being persecuted
03/03/2010 06:54:20 PM
- 779 Views
As I said, most people would prefer to have their safety threatened to losing their kids. *NM*
06/03/2010 10:14:52 PM
- 451 Views
*walks in, looks around*
03/03/2010 07:52:09 PM
- 727 Views
Interesting
03/03/2010 11:02:27 PM
- 727 Views