Through aimlessly wandering on facebook as a way of avoiding the tedium of medium term lesson planning, I came across this link. I have transcribed it below.
I can't tell if it is serious or a joke, the reasons seem to be a mix.
http://www.scrappleface.com/?p=23
It is an interesting debate, with many friends and families in my church opting to do this. I think my ultimate 'stand' on the subject is that if you choose to do it, that's ok, but don't preach it to others or put others under pressure to do the same.+ Ultimately, I think school is the better option (but as a teacher I recognise that impartiality is not something I can claim).
Anyway, enjoy...
(2002-08-26) — In an effort to increase the public drumbeat for criminalizing homeschooling, California Deputy Superintendent Joanne Mendoza has distributed a memo containing the top 10 reasons why public* schooling is better than homeschooling.
Here is an excerpt from that memo:Why Public* Schooling Is Better Than Homeschooling
Most parents were educated in the underfunded public school system, and so are not smart enough to homeschool their own children.
Children who receive one-on-one homeschooling will learn more than others, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. This is undemocratic.
How can children learn to defend themselves unless they have to fight off bullies on a daily basis?
Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.
Children in public* schools can get more practice “Just Saying No” to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
Fluorescent lighting may have significant health benefits.
Publicly asking permission to go to the bathroom teaches young people their place in society.
The fashion industry depends upon the peer pressure that only public schools can generate.
Public* schools foster cultural literacy, passing on important traditions like the singing of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg…”
Homeschooled children may not learn important office career skills, like how to sit still for six hours straight.
* For English readers: This article is American. Public School means the same as 'state' school in England. For once, the American definition makes more sense. In England 'Public School' is the same as 'Private School'. What is that about?
+ For those who feel this blog post promotes school education in a way in which I previously said that homeschoolers shouldn't, I apologise.
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1 comment:
Sounds quite a bit like my experience of school.
'Public schools' in the British sense were originally schools open to the public (i.e. not restricted to churchmen or aristocrats) but still fee-paying - the name is a relic from the Middle Ages and, despite my affection for relics from the Middle Ages, I do agree that the American meaning makes more sense.
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