Sonlight removing religious content for use in public school program

[lamppost]

I like the wording of this poster in Dear Sonlight. The response from SL is changing.

 

Interesting, that's a lot more clear to me. Just PM'ed you before I saw this.

[melmichigan]

I want to know why a secular SL/in a box/literature program (etc) company hasn't been started yet.

I presume it's been MANY years that this type of company has been wanted, so why not?? Is it the money to get started, difficulty getting reliable book suppliers, no established reputation, the time needed to start it or what??

 

I bought SL core B just last month and I gave away the religious books to a friend. The whole missionary/THUMB thing does bother ME but what can I do if I want lots of lovely books with an already planned IG??

I was thinking about buying many more cores in the future but now I kind've feel like just buying core C next year and being done with it all.

 

But then all the lovely, delicious books keep pulling me back!!!!

 

:lol:

 

It is, see above link.

[hsmom10]

I like the wording of this poster in Dear Sonlight. The response from SL is changing.

 

Finally a straight answer that makes sense. Although, too bad they couldn't have said that up front. They never even mentioned the Brightflash name until questioned on it. Then it was "oh yeah, that is one of the sister companies"

[awisha.]

 

 

It is, see above link.

 

 

Sorry!!! No, I meant a completely different company to SL. Why hasn't *someone* created a secular program yet?

 

If SL does make Brightflash available to homeschoolers, their BF profits will still be going to the same places as SL profits.

[ZooRho]

The brown forums were to allow people (any forum users) to chat about anything, no holds barred. So people didn't have to operate within the constraints of the forum rules on the brown boards. They had a separate password, accessible to all, so that only folks who wanted those types of discussions could see the threads. The rest of the forum users who didn't want to see those types of discussions didn't have to. Personally, I thought it was a win-win situation. There were a couple of people (very few, two who I can remember) who were "banned" to the brown forums because they couldn't play nice on the regular forums.

THAT WAS THE UGLIEST THING EVER.

 

I was appalled by the behavior of some of those Christian moms who were happy that THOSE people wouldn't be posting on the BLUE forums.

[ZooRho]

I do not agree. My experience and my opinion match Kathryn's.

mine too. There were some pretty ugly comments about Catholics at one time too.

[ZooRho]

After much research and reading I am feeling SL/Inquisicorp/Brightflash are not being honest or trying to mislead with all the doubletalk they are doing. Also with a small company that is having enough trouble keeping up with their constant changes and the whiplash beliefs they want their curriculum to hold/teach I just don't feel it will be able to maintain their quality or the quality I felt SL had. I like the SL material of the past and feel it had merit so will be purchasing used IG's that reflect the SL I wanted and fell in live with, We will as of now, still use SL but only from the older IG's. The new ones seem to be taking a much flipflop route that I will not be able to keep it straight. The newest twist is they do not know if they believe in young earth/old earth or somewhere in between and will see what their costumers feel about it. Even Jesus said choose one way or the other but to be wishywashy then he will have spit you out (paraphrased by me).

Deception no matter how subtle is wrong and does not portray a Christian character. They are saying one thing but the evidence presented is showing another. Not everything is misinformation.

 

Seriously I have all my old cores and IGs I can't think about getting rid of them. My oldest LOVED SL and I know would like to use it with his kids so since I don't like how it changed guess I'll be keeping things

[PachiSusan]

THAT WAS THE UGLIEST THING EVER.

 

I was appalled by the behavior of some of those Christian moms who were happy that THOSE people wouldn't be posting on the BLUE forums.

 

 

Sounds like a forum to avoid.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Since the entire stated purpose of the original SL was to further the Kingdom of God, this new move is just chasing the money. Funny how their motives become more and more apparent! The SL folks have become more and more deceptive as the years have gone by. Once again, I want to point out that the Holtzmans have never actually hsed a high schooler!

 

THIS! This is what keeps gnawing at me. SL came first in the group(from what I can gather) and with that their belief statements are the ones I am looking at. If you state you are creating a curriculum because you believe Blah, Blah, Blah then how can that change? Either you believe it or don't.

[WishboneDawn]

Since the entire stated purpose of the original SL was to further the Kingdom of God, this new move is just chasing the money. Funny how their motives become more and more apparent! The SL folks have become more and more deceptive as the years have gone by. Once again, I want to point out that the Holtzmans have never actually hsed a high schooler!

 

 

SL has always been a for-profit company, right?

 

Sorry but if you're a for-profit business and claiming to be fulfilling some sort of mission work, for me, there's a huge conflict. At some point the pursuit of money and the pursuit of their missionary goal is going to clash because the two are in no way complimentary pursuits and people shouldn't be surprised when that happens.

[lamppost]

If you state you are creating a curriculum because you believe Blah, Blah, Blah then how can that change? Either you believe it or don't.

 

I think people's beliefs can and do change. Just reading between the lines here, seems to me that while John and Sarita are married, they're not necessarily united in their vision for the company they created years ago.

 

So Sarita remains the president of Sonlight and things will go along there like they have been.

 

And John is now the president of Brightflash which will produce more inclusive curriculum.

 

As with anything, their customers are free to vote with their dollars, so to speak. If you find this additional business venture so offensive that you can no longer purchase from Sonlight, then don't.

[Lugrita]

Do you have a link to the article?

 

I agree with you. From what you've said, it sounds like Sonlight is rewriting their program to have a secular version. That's their right, of course, but I would want to make sure that wasn't what my kids would be using.

 

I've seen far too much, lately, of curriculum publishers changing their products to suit the public schools, when many families are pulling their kids to avoid the public school curriculum in the first place. I know Math U See changed their entire program, Alpha through Zeta, to suit the public school. in the case of MUS, they have said they have simply added things and haven't changed or omitted anything from their original program. That being said, I am glad I already own the untarnished versions, Alpha through Zeta, of MUS.

 

I agree. It's their right to do it, but IMO it's wrong for them to do it considering their original premise...in plain terms, they're compromising. I started my homeschool career many years ago with Sonlight because I wanted to teach my children a Biblical worldview. That was their premise. I moved from Sonlight years ago (except that I'm currently using my old IG's from about 10 years ago with my youngest child - love the old stuff!), but I would never continue to purchase from any company that would choose to change in order to suit the public schools. It's one thing to make changes, but to start off calling yourself a Biblical company and then ditching Biblical references in order to chase dollars...that's bad news. It's their choice to do it, and it's my choice to spend my money elsewhere.

 

I am discouraged that so many homeschooling publishers are choosing to go CC or do other things in order to become public school-friendly. If I wanted a public school education for my children, I would enroll them in public school or we would use a charter school. I don't utilize those choices for a very good reason. I am thankful for the the companies who are staying true to who they are and not running to fit in with the public schools, and I will be very choosy about which companies get our money from here onward.

[Guest Elizabeth124]

 

I'm not sure what you mean by sharing the funding. I looked at the HCCA website and it says it's a private school. Are you saying that HCCA receives a portion of your child's per-pupil funding from the state?

 

 

That has been my understanding since we started homeschooling in January 2012. However, since laws/guidelines can change, you can always ask prospective independent schools or publically-funded programs for current information if this issue is important to you.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Meh. The curriculum itself really doesn't depend on the Christian theme. The Bible isn't integrated into the history/literature anyway. Some cores have a few missionary books and such, but most of the history/lit is pretty secular already.

 

I don't understand why they shouldn't be able to help out public schools by offering notes for books that are secular already. For example, there is nothing Christian or not Christian about Johnny Tremain. What's wrong with giving notes for it to help teachers?

 

If it were someone like MFW or TOG doing this, where they integrate Bible/worldview into everything, I think it'd be hard to do. But for Sonlight? It's already easy to use it secularly. I just don't see a problem with it. It's no different from selling the secular books (which would be a large portion of them) to secular homeschoolers. They aren't changing Sonlight. They're just offering a separate product line to get GOOD BOOKS into public schools.

 

Also, Sonlight isn't a church. They're just a company. And sometimes Christian companies to secular things, just like individual Christians do secular things. My DH works for a company. This is a secular job. He's still a Christian. He just earns his money doing a job that has nothing to do with his faith. Nothing wrong with that. Why can't a Christian company likewise earn some money via a secular job?

 

And why the snobbery against the public schools, as if they don't deserve good materials? I don't get it. On the one hand, we complain that public schools aren't doing a good job educating, but on the other hand, we complain when a homeschooling company provides them with materials that could help them do a better job.

 

Now if Sonlight were to provide the public schools with anti-Christian materials, I'd have a problem. But giving them notes to go along with Johnny Tremain? No problem.

 

 

Exactly my thoughts, expressed more eloquently then I ever could.

[welltrainedmami]

 

Exactly my thoughts, expressed more eloquently then I ever could.

 

 

I think their customers (myself included) are upset because they tried to hide their plans to offer a secular program. When the article was published they were quick to try to distance themselves from the "evil parent-company" InquisiCorp when in fact Sarita Holzmann is the President of that company! Here is the link to where they finally admit it. https://forums.sonlight.com/topic/332043-inquisicorpsonlight/

 

A simple e-mail or newsletter announcing their plans to branch out into the public school market would have been better PR. But to lie and say that Greg Thewes (the man interviewed in the article) is not a SL employee when in fact his smiling photo is on the SL employee page, is pretty unethical!

 

I think the outrage comes from the lying and hiding not from the the fact that PS will have a secular SL curriculum.

[PachiSusan]

 

 

I think the outrage comes from the lying and hiding not from the the fact that PS will have a secular SL curriculum.

 

 

That's a good point and distinction.

[LucyStoner]

I roller skate. Sometimes I do it outside where I need softer wheels with more grip. Sometimes I do it inside where I want to go as fast as possible and need hard wheels for that. If I use the outside wheels inside, it's slower, harder and less fun to skate. If I use the indoor wheels outside...well that's out of the question.

 

The company that makes the wheels I attach to my boots makes both kinds of wheels. Because some people want soft and safe outdoors and others want them hard and fast inside.

 

This really isn't all that different. It would make no sense for a wheel company to close themselves off from a legit part of the market just because the owner of the company skated only indoors or only outdoors.

 

They are not secularizing everything, just expanding their market. Public dollars spent on religious materials is out of the question so this allows customers to have what they want in some cases- Sonlight without the religion.

[swellmomma]

I roller skate. Sometimes I do it outside where I need softer wheels with more grip. Sometimes I do it inside where I want to go as fast as possible and need hard wheels for that. If I use the outside wheels inside, it's slower, harder and less fun to skate. If I use the indoor wheels outside...well that's out of the question.

 

The company that makes the wheels I attach to my boots makes both kinds of wheels. Because some people want soft and safe outdoors and others want them hard and fast inside.

 

This really isn't all that different. It would make no sense for a wheel company to close themselves off from a legit part of the market just because the owner of the company skated only indoors or only outdoors.

 

They are not secularizing everything, just expanding their market. Public dollars spent on religious materials is out of the question so this allows customers to have what they want in some cases- Sonlight without the religion.

 

Except I doubt the wheel company started off with saying "We only believe in the soft outdoor wheels, everything else is wrong, and those that do not use the soft outdoor wheels must be converted in order to save their very lives" and then suddenly start talking out the sides of their mouths, because holy moly there is money to be made on the hard and fast indoor wheels. Oh shoot we have to get some of that money, but wait we have very vocally been against those wheels for years. Oh I know we'll get Jim from in shipping to start selling the hard and fast indoor wheels and we can get the money but no one has to know that it is really us selling them. It's just Jim selling them, and he doesn't work for us *nudge nudge wink wink*

 

That's the carp that is getting everyone upset, In my opinion they are lieing sell outs. But as a business it is their perogative to do what they are going to do. But they can not honestly think that lieing and talking out the sides of their mouths is going to fly with the Christian families that use SL because they want to instill a strong christian character in their children. It is the complete opposite of what they want to emulate for their kids. It is not the secularization that is the biggest problem(though I do not agree with it given their previous mandate) but the lieing and secrecy. Speak honestly and plainly for goodness sakes about your intentions. If you have a reason for suddenly doing a 180 from your previous mandate than own it and don't sneak around and lie.

[JumpyTheFrog]

What is THUMB? I googled it and didn't find anything to explain it.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Except I doubt the wheel company started off with saying "We only believe in the soft outdoor wheels, everything else is wrong, and those that do not use the soft outdoor wheels must be converted in order to save their very lives" and then suddenly start talking out the sides of their mouths, because holy moly there is money to be made on the hard and fast indoor wheels. Oh shoot we have to get some of that money, but wait we have very vocally been against those wheels for years. Oh I know we'll get Jim from in shipping to start selling the hard and fast indoor wheels and we can get the money but no one has to know that it is really us selling them. It's just Jim selling them, and he doesn't work for us *nudge nudge wink wink*

 

That's the carp that is getting everyone upset, In my opinion they are lieing sell outs. But as a business it is their perogative to do what they are going to do. But they can not honestly think that lieing and talking out the sides of their mouths is going to fly with the Christian families that use SL because they want to instill a strong christian character in their children. It is the complete opposite of what they want to emulate for their kids. It is not the secularization that is the biggest problem(though I do not agree with it given their previous mandate) but the lieing and secrecy. Speak honestly and plainly for goodness sakes about your intentions. If you have a reason for suddenly doing a 180 from your previous mandate than own it and don't sneak around and lie.

 

Perfectly said.

[stripe]

What is THUMB? I googled it and didn't find anything to explain it.

 

That's their shorthand term for the "unreached" people of the tropical zone: "tribal people", Hindus, unreligious Chinese, Muslims, and Buddhists, for whom their money goes to convert. In a previou post I linked to two pages about how important this is and how much Sonlight emphasizes sending their profits to promote this goal.

 

I think only sonlight uses this term. No word yet on any other body-part references for other faiths or beliefs (JAW = Jews, Agnostics, and Wiccas, MOUTH=Mormons, Other Christians, Unitarians, Theocrats, and Herbalists, etc). Much less any other finger besides the THUMB.

[La Texican]

Someone linked earlier in the thread. I'm glad too because Google doesn't show you THUMB.

[Wheres Toto]

I did a search on the THUMB thing yesterday and did find one site that was a Christian site talking about it. I don't think it was linked to Sonlight at all but I could be wrong. It gave me a very icky feeling. I'm on dh's laptop this morning and I can't find it again.

 

So, theoretically if someone was willing to overlook the lies and mis-direction, get over where their money might really be going (although do the other branches of Intell.... also support the THUMB mission?), a person who would like a secular literature based program MAY be able to get the secular version of Sonlight, I mean Bright Flash, at some point soon?

[Sahamamama]

Scroll down a bit.

 

http://www.sonlight.com/missions.html

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I think their customers (myself included) are upset because they tried to hide their plans to offer a secular program. When the article was published they were quick to try to distance themselves from the "evil parent-company" InquisiCorp when in fact Sarita Holzmann is the President of that company! Here is the link to where they finally admit it. https://forums.sonli...sicorpsonlight/

 

A simple e-mail or newsletter announcing their plans to branch out into the public school market would have been better PR. But to lie and say that Greg Thewes (the man interviewed in the article) is not a SL employee when in fact his smiling photo is on the SL employee page, is pretty unethical!

 

I think the outrage comes from the lying and hiding not from the the fact that PS will have a secular SL curriculum.

 

Perhaps Sonlight was a bit hesitant due to the reactionary wing of homeschooling where we saw the big kerfluffle and other events where curricula providers have been excluded if they did not toe the line to certain beliefs. In fact, has not Sonlight been excluded from homeschool conventions for not being Christian enough?

 

I have not followed all of the events with Sonlight over the years and the forum thing sounds awful on their part. However, I cannot help but think that decision was based on a fear of not falling out of line with a certain group of homeschoolers. I also think that maybe there has been disagreement between the 2 founders as well. Anyway, I think offering a secular version for public schools is a good thing since it will offer a great curricula for those who choose public schools which still provide a very needed service in this country.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

That's their shorthand term for the "unreached" people of the tropical zone: "tribal people", Hindus, unreligious Chinese, Muslims, and Buddhists, for whom their money goes to convert. In a previou post I linked to two pages about how important this is and how much Sonlight emphasizes sending their profits to promote this goal.

 

I think only sonlight uses this term. No word yet on any other body-part references for other faiths or beliefs (JAW = Jews, Agnostics, and Wiccas, MOUTH=Mormons, Other Christians, Unitarians, Theocrats, and Herbalists, etc). Much less any other finger besides the THUMB.

 

 

I totally disagree with the thumb thing. Wanting to convert the Dalai Lama?? Really????

[stripe]

I totally disagree with the thumb thing. Wanting to convert the Dalai Lama?? Really????

I am well aware that there are Christian missionaries in the world, but it is certainly a customer's choice about whether she wants her money to support Christian missionary activities. (Some customers may happily be one of those groups, and may therefore really object to the group being targetted.) I think buying apparently secular curriculum and not knowing it's supporting missionary activity could be disturbing.

[mom2scouts]

I've used SL for years and I'm getting ready to order another core. If they just came out and said, "Look, we believe the BEST curriculum includes Christian content and that is our main mission with SL, BUT there is a market for a secular version and, as a for profit business, we would like to provide it under another name," I would probably be OK with that. What bothers me is that they continually dodged the question and denied the link between the companies. It's like being in the Wizard of Oz and they're saying, "Don't mind that man (company) behind the curtain."

 

I'm a Christian and I like having Bible readings included and some of the missionary stories (Adoniram Judson!) are fascinating. Other Christian books are not my favorite and I skip them. However, I know there is probably a huge market for a secular version of this curriculum. Just don't lie to us about it! I've been thinking about using another program for high school and several of the recent decisions are pushing me in that direction.

[Wheres Toto]

Scroll down a bit.

 

http://www.sonlight.com/missions.html

 

 

Oh yuck. Nevermind. I don't think I'd buy a secular version if this is where some of my money might go. Counting China as among the "least literate" ? Really?

 

If they are worried about poverty, illiteracy, and death rates why don't they send money to help with those things, instead of just working on converting people.

[Crimson Wife]

I totally disagree with the thumb thing. Wanting to convert the Dalai Lama?? Really????

 

 

Many Christians feel that it is a higher priority to try to evangelize polytheists and atheists than Jews, Muslims, Mormons, and members of other Christian denominations. Yahweh in the Torah, Allah in the Koran, God in the Book of Mormon, and God in the various versions of the Bible is the same deity, even if there are wide theological differences between those faiths. So it is a higher priority to reach those who do not believe in the One True God than it is to convert those who worship Him but just not in the exact same way that as the evangelist does.This belief isn't limited to Evangelical Protestants, even if I have never before heard the term "THUMB" as an acronym for it.

[boscopup]

I'm still not at all upset about the public school thing. Really, no big deal.

 

What I AM upset about is that last year they added LA to the IG, upping the price of the IG by $35, and THIS year they are now upping the price of the IG another $10! So $45 extra for LA that many customers do not want. THAT is annoying. See, the catalog isn't a shiny squirrel. It's got more to complain about. :lol:

[ZooRho]

What is THUMB? I googled it and didn't find anything to explain it.

 

yes someone did link it earlier. you can probably search for it on sonlight.com

[ZooRho]

What is THUMB? I googled it and didn't find anything to explain it.

 

yes someone did link it earlier. you can probably search for it on sonlight.com

[ZooRho]

 

Perhaps Sonlight was a bit hesitant due to the reactionary wing of homeschooling where we saw the big kerfluffle and other events where curricula providers have been excluded if they did not toe the line to certain beliefs. In fact, has not Sonlight been excluded from homeschool conventions for not being Christian enough?

 

I have not followed all of the events with Sonlight over the years and the forum thing sounds awful on their part. However, I cannot help but think that decision was based on a fear of not falling out of line with a certain group of homeschoolers. I also think that maybe there has been disagreement between the 2 founders as well. Anyway, I think offering a secular version for public schools is a good thing since it will offer a great curricula for those who choose public schools which still provide a very needed service in this country.

 

YEs Sonlight got banned from the Colorado state convention one year for not being Christian enough. I think John H probably blogged about it.

 

AND the bolded cracks me up since they are a married couple.

[mamakven]

Seems like a pretty big sell out to me. Maybe they will be called "sunlight" <eye roll>

[Alyeska]

Well, aside from all this...number 4 on the "27 Reasons" list is why I won't be using Sonlight. I simply can't afford it, and I am not willing to finance our homeschooling on a credit card or by using Sonlight's credit.

 

My plan was to use the literature and composition from Core 100, but the price tag is a whopping $300. I cannot justify that for English I. I can get dd's literature based history from Beautiful Feet PLUS all of her literature and composition by using LLATL and keep it under $300. 2 subjects for the price of one SL subject...can't beat that.'

 

edited to add: We used cores P3/4 through F. All but F were purchased new from SL. In these later and more expensive highschool years, I can't justify the cost anymore especially knowing that my ds won't be using the materials a second time around...he just isn't a SL kind of kid. :001_smile:

[hsmom10]

YEs Sonlight got banned from the Colorado state convention one year for not being Christian enough. I think John H probably blogged about it.

 

AND the bolded cracks me up since they are a married couple.

 

 

Sonlight has not been invited to the CHEC conference for a few years now (which is ironic since this is their home territory). I think the main thing it boiled down to is to be at CHEC (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) you have to sign something saying that the science offered is young earth, and Sonlight couldn't do that (although even now it leans more YE than it used to) I also think there were issues with someone at CHEC and John H. but my understanding is it came down to the science.

[PachiSusan]

Sonlight has not been invited to the CHEC conference for a few years now (which is ironic since this is their home territory). I think the main thing it boiled down to is to be at CHEC (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) you have to sign something saying that the science offered is young earth, and Sonlight couldn't do that (although even now it leans more YE than it used to) I also think there were issues with someone at CHEC and John H. but my understanding is it came down to the science.

 

CHEC really REQUIRES that you adhere to Young Earth theory? Wow.

[hsmom10]

 

CHEC really REQUIRES that you adhere to Young Earth theory? Wow.

 

 

I am not sure if CHEC requires its members to adhere to YE as I am not a member (although the members I know in my homeschooling circles do tend to be YE), they do require the vendors at the conference to adhere to it. It is one of the reasons we do not belong to CHEC.

 

Here is one article I found on the SL/CHEC thing:

http://planetpreterist.com/news-5589.html

 

I believe this is John H's blog that talks about it:

http://johnscorner.blogspot.com/2009/01/change-of-interpretation-on-chec.html

[PachiSusan]

 

 

I am not sure if CHEC requires its members to adhere to YE as I am not a member (although the members I know in my homeschooling circles do tend to be YE), they do require the vendors at the conference to adhere to it. It is one of the reasons we do not belong to CHEC.

 

Here is one article I found on the SL/CHEC thing:

http://planetpreteri.../news-5589.html

 

I believe this is John H's blog that talks about it:

http://johnscorner.b...on-on-chec.html

 

Well that's bothersome. As neither side has been definitively PROVEN without a shadow of a doubt, denying people's entrance based on that alone is troubling.

[ZooRho]

Sonlight has not been invited to the CHEC conference for a few years now (which is ironic since this is their home territory). I think the main thing it boiled down to is to be at CHEC (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) you have to sign something saying that the science offered is young earth, and Sonlight couldn't do that (although even now it leans more YE than it used to) I also think there were issues with someone at CHEC and John H. but my understanding is it came down to the science.

 

hmm I thought they had been invited back.

[hsmom10]

hmm I thought they had been invited back.

 

Not as of yet. They haven't been since 2008 and are not on the list for this year, either. The only CO convention Sonlight attends (officially) is a small one in Loveland (through Home Instruction Ministries) Last year they were also at the Douglas County district curriculum fair, but they don't full admit to that one apparently. (although on the SL forums under conventions there are questions about the district fair under the CO conference thread from before this article and the other questions about it came up)

[PachiSusan]

 

 

I believe this is John H's blog that talks about it:

http://johnscorner.b...on-on-chec.html

 

Wow - that's quite a long blog post and story!!!!

[ZooRho]

 

Not as of yet. They haven't been since 2008 and are not on the list for this year, either. The only CO convention Sonlight attends (officially) is a small one in Loveland (through Home Instruction Ministries) Last year they were also at the Douglas County district curriculum fair, but they don't full admit to that one apparently. (although on the SL forums under conventions there are questions about the district fair under the CO conference thread from before this article and the other questions about it came up)

ah interesting. I didn't know that yeah I thought Sarita fixed that issue

[ZooRho]

 

Wow - that's quite a long blog post and story!!!!

typical John

[...................]

Sonlight has not been invited to the CHEC conference for a few years now (which is ironic since this is their home territory). I think the main thing it boiled down to is to be at CHEC (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) you have to sign something saying that the science offered is young earth, and Sonlight couldn't do that (although even now it leans more YE than it used to) I also think there were issues with someone at CHEC and John H. but my understanding is it came down to the science.

 

I am glad I don't live in that state. The fact that an entire convention would ban all not YE Science materials just makes me so confused. Really? This is what's important?

 

Meanwhile, SL will be raking in the bucks regardless of what we think. I'd rather (and do) use Secular material than use SL at this point just for their sheer two faced-ness and gimmicky-ness.

 

I feel like SL is a big long INFOMERCIAL...with a nasty twist..

 

BUT WAIT....THere's MOre!!!

 

LOL!

 

ANd you never know if it's MORE gimmicks, or MORE twisted, confusing 180's.

[hsmom10]

I know, I have never been to that convention, and never plan to. It is unfortunate because it is a HUGE convention. I would love something that was inclusive of most curriculum companies.

[kagmypts]

 

CHEC really REQUIRES that you adhere to Young Earth theory? Wow.

 

 

This pretty much sums up my thoughts as well, and as a fellow Christian, I really do think that this kind of thinking gives all Christians a bad name.

 

As to the original questions, I am not sure about my thoughts, and I see all sides of the issue. I do think that giving secular homeschoolers more options is a good thing, but I really do struggle with this coming from a company called SONlight. It seems to me that SL is abandoning what it believes to be one of its core values. I understand when companies need to make changes to meet the demands of the market and to grow the bottom line, but I also struggle when that means compromising a core value.

 

I received the 2013 SL catalog this afternoon, and without this thread, I would have just dropped it in the trash. However, I opened and read the Top Ten Goals (page 150/151 of the online catalog - link below... it's shiny).

 

http://www.dpub.us/Sonlight/Sonlight-2013/SL-2013.html

 

1. Teach students to seek God's Kingdom above everything else.

3. Encourage children to honor God's "Great Commission" by maintaining an international focus; to raise kids with a godly heart for the world.

4. Inspire kids to honor Christ boldly - in speech and conduct.

5. Train kids to become winsome and effective ambassadors for Christ.

 

4 of the top 5 goals pertain to seeking and/or following God above all else, and in order to become truly secular, SL would need to omit those components. It's a fine line....

 

With respect to being deceitful and hiding the truth about what is/was actually happening, I completely understand all of the hard feelings aimed toward SL. If SL felt the need change directions, just OWN it. Don't point fingers, muddy the water, and blame "misconceptions". The consumer sees right through that, and it is not becoming at all.

[Laura Corin]

 

I am not certain this is "respectful" to people of other beliefs, unless you believe they are damned for all eternity and you will save them, and this shows your love and respect for them. I found it not very pleasing to receive and so I no longer do, and I would never buy their stuff,

 

Yes. I finally had to get them to stop sending me materials - it took some effort - when Sarita sent one talking about Hindus being in darkness and knowing no joy.

 

Laura

[lamppost]

AND the bolded cracks me up since they are a married couple.

 

Because... you think since the founders are married this situation couldn't stem from a disagreement between them?

 

I think John & Sarita do disagree on some important things, including the purpose of scripture, and their own disparate views will inform the decisions they make as presidents of their respective companies.