thinkingmama (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} thinkingmama) wrote,@ 2006-12-27 05:04:00 |
|
Why I'm Glad That We Homeschool
As I recall, Sandra Tsing Loh's older daughter is around my oldest son's age. In fact, I remember seeing her pregnant at the Los Angeles Times' Book Fair when I was pregnant with my oldest; she was a few months ahead of me in pregnancy. Now, her daughter may be going to the same fenced school that my son could be going to, if we didn't homeschool.
I remember John Taylor Gatto's words about magnet schools, gifted and talented programs, et al. He called them dog and pony shows. Well, I have to agree. And honestly, I thought those things were only a big deal in places like Raleigh. But evidently, Los Angelenos go crazy over this stuff as well, agonizing enough to drink too much when they're trying to find the very best dog and pony show for their progeny:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/1
And then, on the same CNN page, is this lovely story:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/1
The illustrious mayor of Los Angeles is forcing his way to controlling the schools. My goodness, this whole mayoral scheme does seem to fit in quite nicely to the whole School-to-Work thing, whatever they're calling it these days. Soon, and I'm not exaggerating here, mayors all over the country will start taking over local control of school boards, encouraging more centralization and less parental control. If one can only imagine. With mayors controlling the schools, it will be much easier to implement the School-to-Work programs, which basically start slotting children into pre-determined career slots as young as elementary school. Children are already not receving basic educational skills--remember that few people these days can read books that were best sellers a century ago. With students being selected for careers, based on projected demand in local communities, at such young ages, the lack of reading skills will become even worse. Arguments based on emotion and not logic, as I've personally witnessed much of lately, will become even more normal and our society will continue to decline. Programs such as diversity training and mental health screening are already overtaking the schools, pushing out things like logic and reading.
But who cares? Our society will become even more full of victims than it already is. The pharmaceutical companies will profit. That's really all that matters, isn't it?
Meanwhile, parents all over the country are dancing and singing to whatever beat the government schools suggest, just as the public schools were set up to make them do.
As I recall, Sandra Tsing Loh's older daughter is around my oldest son's age. In fact, I remember seeing her pregnant at the Los Angeles Times' Book Fair when I was pregnant with my oldest; she was a few months ahead of me in pregnancy. Now, her daughter may be going to the same fenced school that my son could be going to, if we didn't homeschool.
I remember John Taylor Gatto's words about magnet schools, gifted and talented programs, et al. He called them dog and pony shows. Well, I have to agree. And honestly, I thought those things were only a big deal in places like Raleigh. But evidently, Los Angelenos go crazy over this stuff as well, agonizing enough to drink too much when they're trying to find the very best dog and pony show for their progeny:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/1
And then, on the same CNN page, is this lovely story:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/1
The illustrious mayor of Los Angeles is forcing his way to controlling the schools. My goodness, this whole mayoral scheme does seem to fit in quite nicely to the whole School-to-Work thing, whatever they're calling it these days. Soon, and I'm not exaggerating here, mayors all over the country will start taking over local control of school boards, encouraging more centralization and less parental control. If one can only imagine. With mayors controlling the schools, it will be much easier to implement the School-to-Work programs, which basically start slotting children into pre-determined career slots as young as elementary school. Children are already not receving basic educational skills--remember that few people these days can read books that were best sellers a century ago. With students being selected for careers, based on projected demand in local communities, at such young ages, the lack of reading skills will become even worse. Arguments based on emotion and not logic, as I've personally witnessed much of lately, will become even more normal and our society will continue to decline. Programs such as diversity training and mental health screening are already overtaking the schools, pushing out things like logic and reading.
But who cares? Our society will become even more full of victims than it already is. The pharmaceutical companies will profit. That's really all that matters, isn't it?
Meanwhile, parents all over the country are dancing and singing to whatever beat the government schools suggest, just as the public schools were set up to make them do.
