dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My daughter would be in Grade 5 if she was in public school. She had missed the cut-off date by 8 days for Kindergarten. A new Charter school just opened for grades 6-12. It is a public school still. It's focus is on Math on Science, and is a college prep school. I applied my daughter for Grade 6 over the summer. Hoping that they would allow her to skip Grade 5, and start in Grade 6. We completed Grade 5 here, for the most part, at home last year. Because we were "out of district", she was placed on a wait list. I got a call on Monday and was told that an opening came up, and to bring my daughter in if we were interested. My daughter was thrilled. The only thing, was that we had to prove that we completed a grade 5 curriculum here at home. Which we did(except Math, we are not quite done, but almost). She spent the day there, and I spoke with the Dean of students. I submitted some paperwork to the Charter, and they called today letting me know that the Charter School Commission would allow my daughter to skip Grade 5 and enter for Grade 6(The school only houses grades 6-12). I was amazed that they were going to let her into Gr 6. Because in a regular publisc school here, you HAVE to enter public school at the grade going by your birthdate. Unless you have come from an accredited Private School, or another state. If you are homeschooled, it doesnt matter if you are working in Grade 8, you would enter at grade 5 if that is how your birthday fell. The school is small. 50 kids per grade. Small class sizes. Long school day though. 8-4. And the school is 40 minutes away, and I would have to drive her. We live in an area where we have long winters, and it gets dark around 4:30 in December. We would have to leave the house by 7:15. And I would pick her up at 4:00 not getting home until around 4:40-4:45. They had 2 hours of math, 2 hours of Science and 2 hours of English, varied from day to day, foreign language of Turkish(have no idea why) and Spanish. World Geography as a seperate course. Music, art and gym. Computer Science. Well, the school wanted her to start tomorrow. Since they were already 7weeks into the school year. The school has a uniform of tan pants, and navy blue shirt. When I told my daughter she was accepted, she was "happy" about it. I had to go to Walmart anyways and get a baby shower gift, so I had to buy her tan pants and a navy blue shirt for her uniform, and she looked very distraught. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she wanted to stay home. I asked her why. And she said that 1. She didnt want to get up at 5:30 am and stay in school until 4:00(okay, not really a reason to stay home, but okay, I'll go with it) 2. She said she sat in Grade 6 Science and she already learned all that "stuff". 3. She says when she is home, she can read what she wants and when and she doessn't want to give up reading 4. She would miss me 5. She would have to give up dance, and her after school program(okay, again the after school program is at our public middle school and they offer all kinds of activities, and she would only do this for grades 5,6 and 7), and dance well okay, again not the best reason in the world to stay home I guess 6. She doesnt want to be gone all day and she would "miss me"(okaaaayyy). 7. She doesnt want to go back to public school(this is still a public school, but a charter majoring in Math and Science, college prep). Soooooo, she is staying home. I really, really hope I made the right decision in letting her. {{sigh}}. They would have bumped her a whole grade(and they do NOT allow that in public schools here at all, they only let this go because it is a charter school). I would have had to drive 40 minutes 4X a day. And we would be coming home in the dark. Winters here are long, and sometimes the roads are not so great. I just feel that I cannot offer what they had there here at home. Or, be capable of offering. (Turkish as a language?? I couldn't teach that). Nor could I teach computer science. Even though she is a whiz at computers, she cannot do power point or any of that. I don't know. What do you guys think? Did I cave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Sounds like you did the right thing by your daughter. Did you do the right thing for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I'm not sure if you caved or not. Why did you sign her up for the school in the first place? Her reasons were (for the most part) fear based and I wouldn't have let those stop me from sending my children if I really thought it was best. I will say that I don't necessarily feel that it was the best situation. I am a firm believer in adequate sleep for children - my two youngers (10 and 7) go to bed around 7:30 or 8 every evening, and my eldest (15) still goes to bed as early as she can (9ish usually) after her homework is done - and it sounds as if your dd wouldn't be getting enough sleep. It also sounds as if she wouldn't have a lot of time to be a kid. And, as much as I believe math and science are important....I don't think they are important to the point of excluding the other subjects. The other thing that I personally would not have liked was the 40 min drive 2x a day - especially in a long dark winter. Snowstorms, black ice, etc.....I grew up with long severe winters, and know just how bad they can be, and how suddenly a whiteout can arise. All of this is a very long and roundabout way of saying that I don't think I would have changed my mind based on her reasoning, but I would have let her reluctance push me into withdrawing her if I had been harboring the doubts I listed above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 (edited) 2 hours and 40 minutes for you in the car each day. Yikes! There's no way to know if you made the right decision or not. But the decision has been made. It's over and done with. Focus on what you'll be doing now at home and how you can make your homeschool the best it can be. I firmly believe that our society is to busy, busy, busy. Maybe it's for the best that you won't be running around in the car all day and she will have time to read. Edited October 8, 2009 by Garga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 I think that was a big reason as well. The drive for me, the long school day for her, plus the homework. She would come home, get homework done, eat dinner, shower, and get ready for bed by at least 8, 9 at the latest. Hmm, did I do the right thing by me....Good question. I always doubt my abilities, even though I did graduate one child from homeschool 2 years ago.(I have another in Grade 11 at a public vocational high school). I guess the school feels that Math and Science are lacking in the regular public schools. And in hopes that these kids will go on to private exclusive 4 year schools. I signed her up as she really wanted to return to school at the time, and in all honesty, forgot about it until I got the call. I guess I am looking to others to see if I did the right thing or not. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 The schedule you and she would have to be on sounds dreadful. I think her reasons are valid. Maybe not enough to keep her home if there was a compelling reason to send her to school, but if you have the option of continuing to hs her, then they are good reasons. It sounds like you are not confident that you can provide what she needs. Now that you have made the decision to keep her home, you can start finding options to make you more confident about what you can provide. While I can't be certain, I doubt that she will be hindered in adulthood by not learning Turkish. And if she likes computers, she can teach herself PowerPoint and Excel and Word. My dc did. I got a book that had basics on each of those, my dc used the book and figured out how to use the software. They use them all now and I never taught them how. They can prepare PowerPoint presentations, make Excel spreadsheets, and they use Word all the time. And my dc are in college, so they do have the necessary college computer skills. It's okay that you can't teach her everything. Neither can the charter school. Just teach her how to learn and provide resources for what you can't teach yourself. If she needs more, you can deal with that specific situation when it arises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 What a hard decision. I don't know what I would have done...I think I would have asked her to try it for one month. After one month you could both re-evaluate the pros and cons. Right now they are all abstract. For example a 40 minute car ride might actually be 1.5 hours during a specific time. On the other hand, she might have fantastic teachers and make some nice friends. It is just all a big unknown right now. Perhaps you can talk to the school and ask them for a trial period? Explain that because she is used to being home schooled you both need time to see if it will work out? Just my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 That makes for a LONG day and subtracts a great outside activity. It may be a "great" school but is it worth the possible burn out? Also, they may let her "skip" a grade, but technically she's already done the work and is simply moving at her own pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 I have called the school and left a message late last night, to see if they would allow hwe to at least try it for a few days, or even a week. It happened all so quick. Call in Monday, went in Tuesday, and then he didn't even call me until 6 pm last night and said to bring her today to start. It was so quick. So, I guess we will see if they allow her to do a trial run. If not, then I guess she stays home. It is always so hard with these decisions. Oh, yes and the drive and the hours of the school was a big concern of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I hope you find peace in your decision, either way. I think so often I second guess myself, doubting myself, etc, so I can understand many of your feelings. I have the feeling if you keep her home she will do well, and if you put her in the school she will do well, but that drive, I just couldn't do that myself. I hope you are able to make a decision you feel good about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 If I had made the decision and my daughter responded the way yours did I would have said that we were going to at least try it for a time. I put my 4 younger kids in charter school this year (they had always been homeschooled) and they all were not totally sure that they wanted to go to school. I told them that we were going to try it for at least one semester and then if they really didn't like it we would re-evaluate the situation. So far it is going really well but I do miss them. That said, I would have never considered putting my child in a school that was a 40 minute drive away...that type of commuting is just not something I could do, so I can understand if you decide that the school won't work simply based on that alone. Anyhow, I hope it all works out for you either way. It is really hard making these types of decisions because you can't really tell what a school will be like until you actually go there. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catalinakel Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Just curious...is your charter school run by Turkish men? We have one near us that is...and my kids went there for a little bit. They loved learning Turkish, and the school had a good rep. for math and science, but was very poorly run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Just curious...is your charter school run by Turkish men? We have one near us that is...and my kids went there for a little bit. They loved learning Turkish, and the school had a good rep. for math and science, but was very poorly run. Yes. Both the Dean and Director are Turkish. The school is called the **** Charter School of Science. So I assumed that is why Turkish was offered. Of course Spanish is offered as well. Someone on my local boards here said that when they were hiring for teachers, the pay was only $35,000 a year(I live in MA). The average pay scale in my town for a teacher is about $45,000. So this person said because the pay was so low, how could they attract good teachers. True?? Hmmm, well I did call the school, and reluctantly, they are giving her a trial run. Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday.(No school here Monday). Now, the other thing that bothers me(which I didn't know), is that one of the "in district" towns is a city. Meaning, because the school is still a puclic school, they have to accept anybody. So about 3/4 of the student body(Which right now is only grades 6-9,with 50 students per grade and will be adding a grade each year. Max capacity 350 kids grades 6-12) comes from the inner city. So the school is quite diverse. Which is not a problem for me being diverse, I actually wanted that. BUT, it is not like this school has an "admissions" process, so these kids could just be there because their parents felt they were getting into to much trouble at their hometown schools. According to the charter, there has been no serious discipline issues at all. Most like due to the very small size. Because they are new, they offer no sports at this time(Which doesn't matter to us since we dance), and there is no official "gymnasium" yet, it will not be completed unitl next year. This was an existing elementary school that had sat empty for three years, and was redone this past year. They have not completed some things as of yet. That is interesting about the Turkish running your school. If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I'm one of those weirdo homeschool parents that firmly believes there's nothing a school can offer that I cannot. Science? No problem. Microscopes, bunsen burners, dissection kits...all available for purchase. Plus, there's always outside tutoring available. Computer stuff? Lots of how to books, including the 'For Dummies' series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Impish You have a point. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 THe school is going to let her to a trial run for three days. My husband thinks she should at least try it. I don't know, I guess we will see. Thank you ladies:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 (edited) If my kids begged to stay home, I would let them. She hadn't even gone to the school (as an offician student) for a day yet and knew that it wasn't what she wanted. I think you did the right thing in the first place. The trial won't hurt her - she may need to get her feet wet. But it she comes home and again says she wants to stay, I would definitely let her. Edited October 8, 2009 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I think your dd's reasons are quite valid. Not having time to pursue her interests and activities, not wanting to be gone from home/family for most of her waking hours - - excellent reasons, imo. Not wanting to reenter the public school system can also be a good reason; magnet schools are generally 'better' but they aren't always 'excellent,' especially when just starting up. If the decision is hers to make, I would make sure that she understands that this might be a long-term decision, in the sense that she might not get back into the school anytime soon, if at all. And if she was okay with that, I'd be very glad for her to stay home. If it were me/my dd, this school wouldn't be a choice. The schedule and commute are crazy, and family time would evaporate. Also, I think that the middle grades are a tough time to go back to school, and I wouldn't like having high school kids at the same school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Not trying to be an alarmist but you should check to see if this school has any connection with the FGC charter schools (most of which are math and science operated, have turkish classes, etc, but have a....ummm...."unsavory" reputation). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 What about keeping her home this year and then if you want, start her in 6th grade next year? I know you were pleased they were willing to bump her up a grade above what her age level is, but personally, I would rather have my child be one of the older ones for their grade than the youngest. Through the teen years maturity plays a big role. Even if the child can do higher level academics there is a lot of other stuff to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) I have such a knot in my stomach over this. I am going to let her go tomorrow, and I think that I will reacess the situatuation then. To the above poster, how do I find out about the reputation of this school if they are new and just opened? Both the Dean and Director are Turkish. You are not the first person who has said this. Heather in NC I sent you a PM Edited October 9, 2009 by dancer67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 OK, did a little research on FGC - apparently they have 90 charter schools in 20 states. The articles I read were a little on the alarmist side regarding the "creeping Islamization" of charter schools. However, it might be worth asking if they are an FGC school as you should at least know going in if there is any religious bent to their teachings. One article said the schools themselves seem rather secular but many of the additional activites (camp outs, trips) end up being more religious. Hope the trial run clears up issues for both of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 OK, did a little research on FGC - apparently they have 90 charter schools in 20 states. The articles I read were a little on the alarmist side regarding the "creeping Islamization" of charter schools. However, it might be worth asking if they are an FGC school as you should at least know going in if there is any religious bent to their teachings. One article said the schools themselves seem rather secular but many of the additional activites (camp outs, trips) end up being more religious. Hope the trial run clears up issues for both of you! I went to that list, and there is only one listed here in my state. BUT, this school is new. What is interesting, is that the school just had a field trip to NYC . This was off the Charter School Website: Field Trip to Turkish Balkan Festival in New York It was a cold and drizzly morning and the bus pulled out at 7:35 AM sharp. On our way to the Big Apple, we watched Mr. Yaman's video on a Turkey as well as Monster's Inc. thanks to the Charbonneau Family. Once we got closer to New York, you could feel the excitement, especially as we crossed the Whitestone Bridge into Queens! We even got to see Citi Field (Home of the NY Mets) from afar. We were a little nervous once we arrived, everything was rainy and even the vendors seemed a little slowed down by the rain. However, the day turned around quickly after getting some good Turkish food in our bellies (Doner's and Gazos were great!). A Turkish military band came on first after the greetings and then Turkish Folk dancers; they were beautiful. We rounded out the day shopping, interacting with the vendors and enjoying the company of our peers. The bus ride home was relatively quiet, most people were tired from our great adventure in New York. We were also happy to be warm and dry. Overall it was a great day and a great adventure for our first H.C.S.S. field trip. Okay, so what do you think of this??????????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I think it sounds great, interesting and educational. I personally wouldn't have a problem with that trip or even with teaching about Islam. But some parents would have a problem. My more pressing concern would be the academic reputation of these schools and of course your daughter's feelings about the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catalinakel Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I went to that list, and there is only one listed here in my state. BUT, this school is new. What is interesting, is that the school just had a field trip to NYC . This was off the Charter School Website: Field Trip to Turkish Balkan Festival in New York It was a cold and drizzly morning and the bus pulled out at 7:35 AM sharp. On our way to the Big Apple, we watched Mr. Yaman's video on a Turkey as well as Monster's Inc. thanks to the Charbonneau Family. Once we got closer to New York, you could feel the excitement, especially as we crossed the Whitestone Bridge into Queens! We even got to see Citi Field (Home of the NY Mets) from afar. We were a little nervous once we arrived, everything was rainy and even the vendors seemed a little slowed down by the rain. However, the day turned around quickly after getting some good Turkish food in our bellies (Doner's and Gazos were great!). A Turkish military band came on first after the greetings and then Turkish Folk dancers; they were beautiful. We rounded out the day shopping, interacting with the vendors and enjoying the company of our peers. The bus ride home was relatively quiet, most people were tired from our great adventure in New York. We were also happy to be warm and dry. Overall it was a great day and a great adventure for our first H.C.S.S. field trip. Okay, so what do you think of this??????????????? We are in Nevada. The charter school here is in it's third or fourth year. Many of the instructors, as well as the director, are both Turkish and Muslim. Very nice people; horrible administrators. But the school has done well academically, and many parents are pleased. Many others have left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda TX Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 One thing that jumped into my head is your daughter is still very young - I don't think she is at a disadvantage at this age to not know PowerPoint and the like. Those are easily taught, either self taught or with a few books. The drive would kill us. If she enjoys being home with you, I say take advantage of that. Having homeschooled for ten years, I think the BIGGEST advantage for our family is being able to develop and nurture our relationships. That is something that a school cannot replicate. My oldest is now a sophomore at a charter high school, and because of those years at home, he is still very comfortable discussing whatever comes up. He is not embarrassed to have me around, etc. My second oldest child has been in an online charter school this year, and recently tearfully confessed how much she disliked it. Life is too short to be that miserable for something like that - so starting tomorrow she is homeschooling full time again. Sorry for rambling - best wishes for your decision. Remember, also - nothing is written in stone. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Does she have friends at the afterschool program? That could be a big disappointment. Is she particularly social, or does she need some definite down time? It doesn't sound like she would be able to continue to do dance, if she attends this program. That would be difficult, to give up an activity that she loves, and to limit the amount of physical exercise she would get. That's a long drive. I think it is a good idea to have her try it for a few days, but I would have some trepidation about the situation, not because of school in particular, but because that's a killer schedule and would be hard for the entire family. I do think that perhaps she may need some encouragement to be a bit more independent and self confident. Are you interested in this school just because you are feeling insecure about providing a sufficiently rigorous education? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Oh, bless her heart! It will work out. Personally, I think the drive alone in severe weather would have concerned me. Eeeek. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Does she have friends at the afterschool program? That could be a big disappointment. Is she particularly social, or does she need some definite down time? It doesn't sound like she would be able to continue to do dance, if she attends this program. That would be difficult, to give up an activity that she loves, and to limit the amount of physical exercise she would get. That's a long drive. I think it is a good idea to have her try it for a few days, but I would have some trepidation about the situation, not because of school in particular, but because that's a killer schedule and would be hard for the entire family. I do think that perhaps she may need some encouragement to be a bit more independent and self confident. Are you interested in this school just because you are feeling insecure about providing a sufficiently rigorous education? Yes, she does have friends at her afterschool program. One's that she has met over the years that have attended public school. All (or what few) friends she has are in public school. We do not have a homeschool community here. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves, and there is really nothing for homeschoolers. So it is now 6:20 am. I was up at 6:00 am. It is dark, and it is cold out. I have to leave in 40 minutes, to get to the school by no later then 8:00 am. Yep, this schedule is going to suck. (sorry). I know some people are early birds, but not me......LOL. I am not usually up until about 8 or 9. I was interested in the school because yes, I feel insecure about providing what she needs. Now, with that said, I did homeschool one starting in high school, and he scored very high on his SAT's. But he had gone to school until Grade 8. He graduated from homeschooling in 2008. My youngest has only been to school for a 1/2 year in Grade 3. She is just so smart(not saying this because I am her mom, really:D) and I only have a high school diploma, and barely one at that(skipped school a lot:001_huh:). So I feel like I may be holding her back by not picking up on the academic strengths she might have. She is certainly "gifted" in the Language Arts area. And writing is not my strong suit.(where she is writing books, are they good? I don't know) And she struggles through Math though, because I struggle with it. I never understood math, and I still don't{{sigh}}. My son did get a partial academic scholarship to Letourneau University in TX, but did not attend because 1. He didn't know what he wanted to do and 2. We couldn't afford the rest{{sigh again}}. My husband feels that if she is in a rigorous school, they may be able to help with more scholarships for college when the time comes, since we really have no clue about that. I think my son could have gotten more, but we did not know how to pursue it. My daughter definitely wants to go to College. Although that may change, we do want to be prepared. My son did do okay without College. He actually started working P/T at the age of 16 at McD's. I know, not the best place but it was money. He wasn't planning on staying even. And he is now 19, and getting ready to take over the store. He is assistant store manager now. Not prestigious. But it is the only job he has ever had, works over 40 hours, and he is gaining management experience. So, I am rambling, and that is my story.....LOL Now, I have to go get my daughter ready for "school". Thanks ladies:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiopianFood Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 How did it go? I feel badly that you doubt yourself so much. There are so many parents here who have such good ideas. If you decide to keep going with homeschooling, I really think you should make a post about each subject in which you are having a problem. Be very frank. Say you don't know how to grade a paper, so what should you do? Make it clear that you're not just looking for encouragement, but you really want practical advice. I know there are people who will be able to help you out. I know there are programs that will provide a teacher who will grade the papers for you. Honestly, if you didn't get a good education yourself (and even if you did sometimes!), you can make up the difference by ASKING QUESTIONS. A desire to make it work and a willingness to seek out help really, truly is the key. If you want to homeschool, you really can do this! I'm going to watch this thread, and if you say the charter doesn't work out, I'm going to be looking for some posts on the curriculum board. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I'm interested to hear how it went also! I couldn't handle that commute, but some people have even longer commutes and do fine. I agree it comes down to what you and your dd feel is the best fit. You can do 6th grade stuff with her at home. Find good math people to help---a college student or someone to tutor, or a friend that will help out. There are online classes for most school courses, so if math and writing are not your things, try some online classes. If she absolutely adores it at the school, then you'll have to work things out. Any bus that goes nearby and to the school or school vicinity? Anyone else you know that commutes that direction? Best wishes, let us know how things go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Passerby Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Dancer, Listen to your gut on this one. Your turmoil about this school is because there are major issues with these Turkish charter schools. I say this from personal experience and probably knowing more about these schools than anyone. I can't go into great detail at this time. Lets just say, in the future you will be very glad your child left sooner rather than later. The alarmist things you have read are very much reality. Just a little bit of research about your school's administration will show you that they are tied to the Gulen Movement. Let me know what school your child attends and I can provide you with more information than you will want to know. This is not an anti-Islam issue, it is about these schools lying to the parents, States and Federal government about their affiliations and intentions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Passerby Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I went to that list, and there is only one listed here in my state. BUT, this school is new. What is interesting, is that the school just had a field trip to NYC . This was off the Charter School Website: Field Trip to Turkish Balkan Festival in New York It was a cold and drizzly morning and the bus pulled out at 7:35 AM sharp. On our way to the Big Apple, we watched Mr. Yaman's video on a Turkey as well as Monster's Inc. thanks to the Charbonneau Family. Once we got closer to New York, you could feel the excitement, especially as we crossed the Whitestone Bridge into Queens! We even got to see Citi Field (Home of the NY Mets) from afar. We were a little nervous once we arrived, everything was rainy and even the vendors seemed a little slowed down by the rain. However, the day turned around quickly after getting some good Turkish food in our bellies (Doner's and Gazos were great!). A Turkish military band came on first after the greetings and then Turkish Folk dancers; they were beautiful. We rounded out the day shopping, interacting with the vendors and enjoying the company of our peers. The bus ride home was relatively quiet, most people were tired from our great adventure in New York. We were also happy to be warm and dry. Overall it was a great day and a great adventure for our first H.C.S.S. field trip. Okay, so what do you think of this??????????????? The Turkish Balkan Festival the school attended was covered by EBRU TV...a Fethullah Gulen media organization. http://news.ebru.tv/en/special/Turkish%20Days%20in%20New%20York/13255.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Passerby Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I went to that list, and there is only one listed here in my state. BUT, this school is new. What is interesting, is that the school just had a field trip to NYC . This was off the Charter School Website: Field Trip to Turkish Balkan Festival in New York It was a cold and drizzly morning and the bus pulled out at 7:35 AM sharp. On our way to the Big Apple, we watched Mr. Yaman's video on a Turkey as well as Monster's Inc. thanks to the Charbonneau Family. Once we got closer to New York, you could feel the excitement, especially as we crossed the Whitestone Bridge into Queens! We even got to see Citi Field (Home of the NY Mets) from afar. We were a little nervous once we arrived, everything was rainy and even the vendors seemed a little slowed down by the rain. However, the day turned around quickly after getting some good Turkish food in our bellies (Doner's and Gazos were great!). A Turkish military band came on first after the greetings and then Turkish Folk dancers; they were beautiful. We rounded out the day shopping, interacting with the vendors and enjoying the company of our peers. The bus ride home was relatively quiet, most people were tired from our great adventure in New York. We were also happy to be warm and dry. Overall it was a great day and a great adventure for our first H.C.S.S. field trip. Okay, so what do you think of this??????????????? The Turkish Balkan Festival was put on by Turkish Cultural Center-NY...this is a Gulen Movement Organization. http://www.turkishculturalcenter.org/ http://www.fethullahgulen.org/videos/2567-symposium-focuses-on-islams-role-in-turkey.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Passerby Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 OK, did a little research on FGC - apparently they have 90 charter schools in 20 states. The articles I read were a little on the alarmist side regarding the "creeping Islamization" of charter schools. However, it might be worth asking if they are an FGC school as you should at least know going in if there is any religious bent to their teachings. One article said the schools themselves seem rather secular but many of the additional activites (camp outs, trips) end up being more religious. Hope the trial run clears up issues for both of you! Here are some quotes from Fethullah Gulen: "The philosophy of our service is that we open a house somewhere and, with the patience of a spider, we lay our web to wait for people to get caught in the web; and we teach those who do. We don't lay the web to eat or consume them but to show them the way to their resurrection, to blow life into their dead bodies and souls, to give them a life." "You must move in the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the power centers … until the conditions are ripe, they [the followers] must continue like this. If they do something prematurely, the world will crush our heads, and Muslims will suffer everywhere, like in the tragedies in Algeria, like in 1982 [in] Syria … like in the yearly disasters and tragedies in Egypt. The time is not yet right. You must wait for the time when you are complete and conditions are ripe, until we can shoulder the entire world and carry it … You must wait until such time as you have gotten all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institutions in Turkey … Until that time, any step taken would be too early—like breaking an egg without waiting the full forty days for it to hatch. It would be like killing the chick inside. The work to be done is [in] confronting the world. Now, I have expressed my feelings and thoughts to you all—in confidence … trusting your loyalty and secrecy. I know that when you leave here—[just] as you discard your empty juice boxes, you must discard the thoughts and the feelings that I expressed here." These comments were aired on Turkish television. These aired statements prompted the Turkish government to bring charges against Gulen for trying to undermine the secular state. Gulen fled Turkey at that time and is now living in PA. With a sympathetic AKP government now in power in Turkey, these charges have been dropped...big surprise. Here is what Michael Rubin from the non-partisan American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research has to say about Fethullah Gulen: http://www.aei.org/issue/27860 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran51 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I wonder how this situation turned out for you:lurk5:? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 I never sent her. She tried it for one day and hated it. As of now, she has no interest in returning to school, and that works just fine for me:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran51 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I never sent her. She tried it for one day and hated it. As of now, she has no interest in returning to school, and that works just fine for me:001_smile: It was probably a good thing you went through the process and put your uncertainty to rest. I'm happy for you:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I think her reasons number 1, 4 and 6 were plenty to keep her home--I actually would have seriously reevaluated after just number 1. But I'm a committed homeschooler, so I'm biased. LOL I think it's great that she was able to articulate her reasons and it seems like she weighed it very thoughtfully. Have fun at home! You can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) I don't know. What do you guys think? Did I cave? I should have read the replies first! I removed my response. :) Edited January 24, 2010 by Kristine out of lurking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.