s/o Government Reimbursement of Home School Materials?

[Peek a Boo]

What causes a lot of anger with the teachers is homeschoolers who try to negate all the good things many of these teachers do. Bashing the public schools, holding themselves up as superior, etc. etc. The homeschoolers are just as guilty of creating this divide as the NEA, etc. Most of the homeschool kids these teachers see in elementary classrooms are kids whose education was neglected. They see parents getting paranoid at the hint of even the slightest regulation, which gives the impression parents have something to hide.

 

There is middle ground. I have a lot of teacher friends- a few NEA teacher friends, and there is indeed middle ground. That is going to require concessions on both sides however.

 

I can appreciate some teachers being angry about homeschoolers bashing the public school system. On the other hand, there's plenty of teachers themselves bashing the public school system [which is why their spouses homeschool]. There are also plenty of teachers who bash homeschoolers too.

A lot of kids are homeschooled because of the public school's educational neglect, lol.

 

But the lobbying of state legislatures is NOT about homeschoolers bashing the system, but is instead the NEA's stated policies against homeschooling, PERIOD. They aren't interested in "common ground" or slight regulation. I haven't seen [yet!] a homeschool group with Official Stated Policy that public schools are incapable of providing an adequate education....

 

http://www.nea.org/charter/neacharterpolicy.html

 

2. There also should be an absolute prohibition against the granting of charters for the purpose of home-schooling, including online charter schools that seek to provide home-schooling over the Internet.(4) Charter schools whose students are in fact home schoolers, and who may rarely if ever convene in an actual school building, disregard the important socialization aspect of public education, do not serve the public purpose of promoting a sense of community, and lend themselves too easily to the misuse of public funds and the abuse of public trust.

 

 

and

http://www.nea.org/handbook/index.html

Resolutions

on page 57 of their 2008 handbook:

 

 

B-75. Home Schooling

The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

 

The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.

 

The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting. (1988, 2006)

 

 

 

they aren't concerned with whether a child is actually EDUCATED --only that the education be done according to THEIR standards [which fail a number of students!] and public funds aren't used in a specific manner. Talk about anti-choice ;)

[Peek a Boo]

There is middle ground. I have a lot of teacher friends- a few NEA teacher friends, and there is indeed middle ground. That is going to require concessions on both sides however.

 

i have no doubt that many individual teachers are willing to find a middle ground.

 

But the NEA as an organization [and the one who controls the lobbying] is NOT interested in a middle ground unless it looks exactly as they want it to be.

 

That's NOT 'middle.'

 

and frankly, I'm not interested in making concessions w/ the NEA. I am, however, interested in how to make sure as many kids get the education they need. Tax credits for homeschoolers are just one tiny prong of that. Another is letting homeschoolers take certain classes at the public schools [and losing some tax credit benefit in return]--something the NEA also expressly forbids.

[Retired]

I can appreciate some teachers being angry about homeschoolers bashing the public school system. On the other hand, there's plenty of teachers themselves bashing the public school system [which is why their spouses homeschool]. There are also plenty of teachers who bash homeschoolers too.

A lot of kids are homeschooled because of the public school's educational neglect, lol.

 

But the lobbying of state legislatures is NOT about homeschoolers bashing the system, but is instead the NEA's stated policies against homeschooling, PERIOD. They aren't interested in "common ground" or slight regulation. I haven't seen [yet!] a homeschool group with Official Stated Policy that public schools are incapable of providing an adequate education....

 

http://www.nea.org/charter/neacharterpolicy.html

 

2. There also should be an absolute prohibition against the granting of charters for the purpose of home-schooling, including online charter schools that seek to provide home-schooling over the Internet.(4) Charter schools whose students are in fact home schoolers, and who may rarely if ever convene in an actual school building, disregard the important socialization aspect of public education, do not serve the public purpose of promoting a sense of community, and lend themselves too easily to the misuse of public funds and the abuse of public trust.

 

 

and

http://www.nea.org/handbook/index.html

Resolutions

on page 57 of their 2008 handbook:

 

 

B-75. Home Schooling

The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

 

The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.

 

The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting. (1988, 2006)

 

 

 

they aren't concerned with whether a child is actually EDUCATED --only that the education be done according to THEIR standards [which fail a number of students!] and public funds aren't used in a specific manner. Talk about anti-choice ;)

 

 

:iagree:

[Retired]

i have no doubt that many individual teachers are willing to find a middle ground.

 

But the NEA as an organization [and the one who controls the lobbying] is NOT interested in a middle ground unless it looks exactly as they want it to be.

 

That's NOT 'middle.'

 

and frankly, I'm not interested in making concessions w/ the NEA. I am, however, interested in how to make sure as many kids get the education they need. Tax credits for homeschoolers are just one tiny prong of that. Another is letting homeschoolers take certain classes at the public schools [and losing some tax credit benefit in return]--something the NEA also expressly forbids.

 

 

:iagree: Again

 

Thanks for posting.

[Haiku]

Yeah, I don't know why the NEA is so interested in having a monopoly. It's the same with medical stuff, too. If I want to use a midwife, visit an herbalist, or homeschool my kids, no professional organization should be lobbying against my right to do so. I think the NEA needs a smackdown. ;)

 

Tara

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

I think the NEA needs a smackdown. ;)

 

As does the HSLDA

[Peek a Boo]

As does the HSLDA

 

except that HSLDA isn't lobbying to eliminate the Public Schools ;)

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

except that HSLDA isn't lobbying to eliminate the Public Schools ;)

 

No, they are just lobbying to make sure my homeschool child doesn't have the right to participate programs in the public schools, that parents who take on the huge responsibility of homeschooling are held to no minimum standards whatsoever, and for their own right wing agenda which hurts the perception of homeschooling with the public at large.

[KarenNC]

No, they are just lobbying to make sure my homeschool child doesn't have the right to participate programs in the public schools, that parents who take on the huge responsibility of homeschooling are held to no minimum standards whatsoever, and for their own right wing agenda which hurts the perception of homeschooling with the public at large.

 

My biggest problem with them is that they are conflating homeschooling and a particular variety of a particular religion, as does the state homeschooling association in our state. This would not be as much of an issue if they did not present themselves as representing *all* or even the majority of homeschoolers.

[Haiku]

As does the HSLDA

 

Well, I certainly have no love for HSLDA. So yeah, I'll get on board with a smackdown of them, too. ;)

 

Tara

[Peek a Boo]

No, they are just lobbying to make sure my homeschool child doesn't have the right to participate programs in the public schools, that parents who take on the huge responsibility of homeschooling are held to no minimum standards whatsoever, and for their own right wing agenda which hurts the perception of homeschooling with the public at large.

 

 

where do they lobby to keep homeschoolers out of public school programs? in NY, they were actually kinda instrumental in making sure homeschoolers COULD participate in the few PS programs available. i did see in the NEA charter that THEY are insistent about closing educational doors to students. i didn't catch that in HSLDA policy tho. I'll go look tho.

 

since I actually agree that the gvt is horrible at making sure "minimum standards" are met, I absolutely agree with them on that. When the public schools are meeting their minimum standards I'll be willing to consider the same for homeschoolers.

 

and yup --they are funded mainly by right wing conservatives, so i kinda expect that [altho i disagree with it]. Since they are a private organization that doesn't require all homeschoolers to join it [unlike a lot of teachers being forced to join the NEA], I don't feel a need to smack them down tho. i just refrain from joining :D

[mommaduck]

I find it interesting that they want us held accountable to them, but we aren't allowed any of the money for educational needs? Sounds like speaking out both sides of their mouth.

[Peek a Boo]

No, they are just lobbying to make sure my homeschool child doesn't have the right to participate programs in the public schools, that parents who take on the huge responsibility of homeschooling are held to no minimum standards whatsoever, and for their own right wing agenda which hurts the perception of homeschooling with the public at large.

 

here's some more info:

 

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000000/00000049.asp

 

they clarify that the reasons for not supporting certain access bills is due to problems w/ "homeschool" being defined in law. And yes-- they will lobby against access bills that require homeschoolers to meet the school's ideas of "standards."