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If You are a 2nd Generation HSer


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The "Coalition for Responsible Home Education" folks are sponsoring a survey of HS alumni and if we don't want the results to be wildly skewed negative and used to push increased regulation, we need more people telling their positiive stories. The survey is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014HAROSurvey

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That was one of the most personal surveys I've ever seen. O_o

 

Also, I fit the profile for that survey, but my story is not what I would classify as positive. My "raising" was mostly something I was determined *not* to repeat with my own.

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This survey is hilarious! I'm filling it in for my DH as he answers questions. He was homeschool primarily in the 80s. What internet?!

 

I love the questions about food (was "organic" even a thing back then?), and "did your family practice any of the following?: Dr. Bronners? Essential Oils? Weston Price/NT?"

 

They forgot Paleo and the GAPS diet...whoever created this is so out of touch! :lol: And for those surveyed if they've graduated from hsing, they'll be too old for many of these things to have been around. Dr. Bronner's is about as normal as they come (for "liberal hippies" anyway, even though I'm a "crunchy conservative" and it's what we wash with). What makes you weird about the soap you use? Do you learn better because your soap is All One? :laugh:

 

Who were the monkeys that put together this survey? :smilielol5:

 

Okay, so I got further into the sexuality/orientation/mental health stuff. What in the world?! (DH lost interest long ago...around Dr. Bronner's ;)) What does this all have to do with homeschooling? Is this same survey being compared to PS kids? Private school kids? BDSM? I mean, that wasn't even a thing in the 80s (okay, I'm sure it was, but what does interest or non-interest in BDSM have to do with anything related to education?)

 

DH lost interest, and I just got lost. :hat:

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They WANT a negative result, even their 'where did you hear about this' are all anti patriarchy/quiverful websites. I know the group, filling it out is kinda pointless and I'd like to hope it won't get anywhere politically, since it is so obviously biased

 

Also note that they are only after christian homeschoolers. Well, if they want negative experiences I can point them in the direction of some non-christian unparenting families. I can pick a few really bad non religious homeschoolers. I can also find some stellar christian ones. It's really quite laughable how silly this survey is.

 

"Were you allowed to initiate hobbies based on your interests?" - WHA... And questions about BDSM and Kink? Maybe I am, but I'm not sure how that one is relevant at all.

 

I know where all these questions are coming from. As a second gen homeschooler, I think we've all known these families at some point. 

 

Look, if anyone from this survey is reading this post, I get it, these kids were in abusive homes, but PLEASE stop assuming all homeschoolers experienced the same abuse you did. I knew kids in homes just like yours growing up, I completely understand the dynamics, and it is NOT the norm, especially not now. We're past the 80s.

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I just read through the survey. I do not even know what half of the things mentioned even are. 1/2 of our kids can take the survey since they are adults. The survey oozes anti-homeschooling prejudice. Based on the attitudes toward religion and parents in the questions, I suspect school would not have solved the problems found in the undertones bc it seems the problem was in their home life.

 

The questions were also not well researched at all. Catholic was listed as a Christian choice, but not one Catholic homeschool providers' curriculum was an option (I just went back in and looked at the questions to verify my memory.). I am assuming ditto to multiple other denominations as well. It is evident to me that this is geared toward specific theological beliefs based on the wording of multiple questions.

 

Fwiw, in 20 yrs of homeschooling, I have never met a family that would meet the definition of neglect or abuse the way that survey was skewing questions. I know a few families I thought were not educating their kids sufficiently, but their kids have gone on to community colleges, so they have been able to move forward. I know the ps record has up to 60% remediation at the CC level, so it isn't as if they were guaranteed a higher level of success academically in a school.

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Filling that out reminds me of how much I hate multiple choice questions.  I never like any of the options and in this case I really don't like the conclusions they are jumping to based on the answer I choose.  Maybe my opinion on CPS has nothing to do with having been homeschooled/currently homeschooling and has everything to do with being a foster parent, for example.  And is it educational neglect by my parents that I had no clue what the BDSM thing means until this survey made me look it up?  What does that have to do with homeschooling?  I don't get it.  It got to the point that I just started responding that I don't understand the question for some of that.

 

So, is it a regional thing?  Where do you find these sorts of homeschoolers they seem to be implying are out there?  It is definitely not representative of the homeschoolers I grew up with (I was homeschooled 1994-2002 and most of the homeschool families were Christian and are just very normal people then and now, maybe with a few unusual hobbies/interests/skills that homeschooling allowed them to pursue, but nothing about any of them that would imply abuse or neglect).

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It is concerning that this group could have some influence.

 

I am very concerned that this group is portraying growing up in a cult-like church/Christian movement as the "norm" for Christian HSing rather than being atypical. It would be like using some former FLDS members to scare up anti-Mormon sentiment.

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I am very concerned that this group is portraying growing up in a cult-like church/Christian movement as the "norm" for Christian HSing rather than being atypical. It would be like using some former FLDS members to scare up anti-Mormon sentiment.

 

I grew up in conditions similar to the ones that some of these former homeschoolers did. I went to PS, though, and that did NOTHING to help me. NOTHING! If anything it made things worse. I learned that I needed to hide what was happening, or things would be worse for me, at school and at home. I think my sense of isolation and hopelessness and confusion was greater.

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I grew up in conditions similar to the ones that some of these former homeschoolers did. I went to PS, though, and that did NOTHING to help me. NOTHING! If anything it made things worse. I learned that I needed to hide what was happening, or things would be worse for me, at school and at home. I think my sense of isolation and hopelessness and confusion was greater.

 

It seems wrong to "like" this post, but I have to say that I agree with it. I went to PS with a girl who was abused by her stepfather for YEARS and the school knew nothing about it. The abuse only came to light when a friend got creeped out by a comment the stepdad made and confided in her babysitter, who called CPS as a mandated reporter.

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It seems wrong to "like" this post, but I have to say that I agree with it. I went to PS with a girl who was abused by her stepfather for YEARS and the school knew nothing about it. The abuse only came to light when a friend got creeped out by a comment the stepdad made and confided in her babysitter, who called CPS as a mandated reporter.

I think the people behind this website etc. have a lot of "grass is greener" issues going on. Where the primary problem is abuse within the family, attending public school is unfortunately not a magical solution. And even being pulled from the home and put in foster care isn't always an improvement. It is so, so sad and the accountable adults are beyond contempt, but blaming the issues on homeschool itself and assuming they are somehow endemic to the homeschool community is not helpful. I had awful traumatizing experiences in public school, and while that has influenced me in my decision to homeschool my kids I do not see it as a reason to demonize public schooling.
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The survey is very poorly designed.  You can tell most of the questions were chosen to get specific results in the end.  A lot of it didn't apply to those homeschooled prior to the 90s.  (I didn't have unlimited access to the internet as a kid BECAUSE NOBODY DID, not because my parents were afraid of it!)  Also, it only asked about my CURRENT employment.  I'm a homeschool mom right now, but in the past I had quite a nice career.  But that isn't reflected on the survey.  I can just see the results now..... "We proved it!  The results show many homeschool graduates can't get a lucrative career...."

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Okay, so I got further into the sexuality/orientation/mental health stuff. What in the world?! (DH lost interest long ago...around Dr. Bronner's ;)) What does this all have to do with homeschooling? Is this same survey being compared to PS kids? Private school kids? BDSM? I mean, that wasn't even a thing in the 80s (okay, I'm sure it was, but what does interest or non-interest in BDSM have to do with anything related to education?)

 

"Master and Servant" is about as 80s as you can get :)

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I think this group, having never been to PS, seriously overestimates the "help" PS would have provided.

 

Many of the younger siblings of the kids I grew up with ended out being homeschooled. I think the younger homeschooled kids had it easier than those that had attended PS, and were no less prepared for adulthood.

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