An excellent funny from Martha at Yes! They’re All Ours
“In an effort to increase the public drumbeat for criminalizing
homeschooling, a memo has been distributed containing the top 10
reasons why public schooling is better than homeschooling. Here is an
excerpt from that memo:
1. Most parents were educated in the under funded public school system,
and so are not smart enough to homeschool their own children.
2. Children who receive one-on-one homeschooling will learn more than
others, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. This is
undemocratic.
3. How can children learn to defend themselves unless they have to fight
off bullies on a daily basis?
4. Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.
5. Children in public schools can get more practice “Just Saying No” to
drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
6. Fluorescent lighting may have significant health benefits.
7. Publicly asking permission to go to the bathroom teaches young people
their place in society.
8. The fashion industry depends upon the peer pressure that only public
schools can generate.
9. Public schools foster cultural literacy, passing on important
traditions like the singing of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin
laid an egg.”
10. Homeschooled children may not learn important office career skills,
like how to sit still for six hours straight.”
Zoe says:
I never considered home schooling to be a particularly good idea, but the reasons listed above to criminalize it have just convinced me that it is the public schooling that should be criminalized. This is crazy!
6th March 2009 at 5:30 am
education « She lost her keys says:
[...] 10 Reasons to Criminalize Homeschooling (caught your attention didn’t it?!) [...]
6th March 2009 at 8:58 am
Daniel says:
I love this list.
6th March 2009 at 6:57 pm
Carissa says:
I’ve never been on this site before. However, I would like to submit a second point of view for these points, as a homeschooler.
1. Most parents were educated in the under funded public school system,
and so are not smart enough to homeschool their own children.
–I am actually a senior, and since around 8th grade, I’ve been mostly independant when it comes to my bookwork. Many parents also join a co-op so that moms or dads who are specialized in certain areas of education can help other kids. Also, if most parents have this kind of schooling, how do we have a trusted generation of politicians, doctors, and law enforcers.
2. Children who receive one-on-one homeschooling will learn more than
others, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. This is
undemocratic.
–This is NOT undemocratic. It’s all about the child and what he or she chooses to do. I know some homeschoolers who could care less about their education, so they don’t work very hard at it. I also know some public schoolers who seek out one-on-one relationships with teachers and counselors, providing them with a more in-depth education. Every public school student has an oppurtunity to recieve one-on-one education from their parents through homework and other academic enriching oppurtunities. Homeschoolers recieving “one-on-one” education is not a valid excuse for fairness in studies.
3. How can children learn to defend themselves unless they have to fight
off bullies on a daily basis?
–Homeschoolers have the oppurtunity to do extra curricular activities because of how flexible their schedule is. Some choose to take lessons in Karate. A flaw in this point would be, why would children HAVE to fight off bullies on a daily basis? Can’t schools do something about that?
4. Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.
–Homeschoolers get ridiculed often for their beliefs or assumed “unsociability”. Take this article for instance…
5. Children in public schools can get more practice “Just Saying No†to
drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
–Honestly, there should be no need for any child to have to “practice” saying no to bad influences like these suggested. That just puts a downer on public schools if they can’t keep that junk out of them. Homeschoolers have the advantage to not being exposed to that stuff, therefore not experiencing as much pressure from peers.
6. Fluorescent lighting may have significant health benefits.
–Not quite sure where this “may have” is basing it’s evidence so I cannot agrue with this point.
7. Publicly asking permission to go to the bathroom teaches young people
their place in society.
–This is a flawed point because it does not have support to identify WHAT a young person’s place in society is. There is more to teach kids that then making them ask if they can use the restroom. Like, sturdy dicipline.
8. The fashion industry depends upon the peer pressure that only public
schools can generate.
–This has absolutely nothing to do with schooling. From how I see it, the fashion industry for school aged children derives from Disney Channel stars.
9. Public schools foster cultural literacy, passing on important
traditions like the singing of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin
laid an egg.â€
–I have never been to public school, yet I know that diddy. Homeschoolers can have public school friends that pass that down to them. If that is what public school kids learn about in cultural literacy…well…no comment.
10. Homeschooled children may not learn important office career skills,
like how to sit still for six hours straight.â€
–Homeschoolers however, have the ability to interract with people older than them, and people younger than them. Homeschooled children are often self-motivated and responsible as a result of doing many of their own studies.
I am in no way favoring one over the other. My parents chose to homeschool me, and some parents choose to send their kids to public schools. They are personal decisions, so one side should not bash the other. I am just simply defending my position as a senior who made it though life as a homeschooler. Does that make me smarter, more introverted, or sensitive in any way? No. It simply means that I can take advantage of schooling in my home, enjoying a close-knit family, etc. Every child has those oppurtunities whether they are homeschooled or public schooled.
6th March 2009 at 2:09 pm
Mish says:
Hi Carissa!
I hope you know that this is meant as a joke! I am a homeschooling/unschooling mom myself and posted it for fun…although your points are well taken:-)
6th March 2009 at 8:50 am
Carissa says:
oh wow I feel really dumb now… sorry about that :]
6th March 2009 at 6:35 pm
Kayla says:
I was home schooled and while in the past I have always blamed homeschooling for my horrible social skills and slight social phobia, but now that I am older and considering having children of my own I am reconsidering my opinion. But how do I ensure that if I home school that my child donsn’t end up like me? I live in a small rural area, so there are no homeschooling social groups around. How would I socialize my child?
6th March 2009 at 7:08 pm
Mish says:
Well the first thing I would suggest is to stop blaming anything and get out there and do some stuff! Join a church group, play some sports, start a homeschool group – join one. As for your horrible social skills, there is nothing to say that if you had gone to school they would have been any better. Maybe you’re shy and needed encouragement. That would be true at school too!
6th March 2009 at 11:48 am