tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post5517186433592927537..comments2023-05-13T09:16:17.585-06:00Comments on FollowingFrodo: Education: PArental vs Society Rights.Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-44843929435089517042012-07-14T10:49:59.839-06:002012-07-14T10:49:59.839-06:00I am not a "far right" or even "med...I am not a "far right" or even "medium right" person. My ex (with whom I remain great friends), has been called, in print, a "left-leaning social engineer." In short, we're "airy-fairy liberals" with three children.<br /><br />The first child was homeschooled from grades K-2, and again in grades 7 & 8. Looking back on our decision, the only regrets I have are of not homeschooling him in grade 6. For grades 3 to 5, he attended a publicly funded co-operative school, along with his sister, who was in grades K-2 through those years.<br /><br />Many homeschoolers (maybe even the majority of us) homeschool not for religious reasons, but because we don't feel, for one reason or another, that the public school system is the best place for our particular child.<br /><br />For children who are different, sometimes homeschooling is the option that works the best. My son was (and remains) an extreme introvert, he is gay, and this was apparent by the time he was two, he is extremely intelligent. The jungle of middle school wasn't going to work for him.<br /><br />My daughter is more social, and was able to handle a regular school for those grades, but she doesn't have happy memories of them. She thanks us every once in a while for having her enrolled in the co-operative school during her most formative years.<br /><br />We ARE strong supporters of free, quality public education. My children's father is a public school teacher. However, having a homeschooling option available is necessary. Public education is necessarily a "one size fits all" institution--the cost would be prohibitive otherwise. Some children DO need something other than a "regular" school experience in order to thrive.<br /><br />The folks on the far right always seem to be the most vocal, but they aren't the only homeschoolers, and probably not even in the majority. But in this case, they are protecting the rights of all of us, even (ironically) those who don't want their gay sons to be the targets of bullies, and who want to be free to teach their kids that reading the bible literally isn't the only way.<br /><br />My son, BTW, is now 26, and in his third year at Emmanuel College, and finishing up discernment this fall :)Ruth Cookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com