Progressives and Homeschoolers
I'm getting pissed off! And what better place to talk about it than here!
I have just read and posted at a few liberal blogs and am tired of having to justify my life and learning choice -- we are homeschoolers.
Yep. I could stop reading what other people have to say. I could stop caring and responding. And I do that. Sometimes. Sometimes people are beyond any sort of rational discussion. There's no point.
But these are left-leaning blogs. Places run by people I generally agree with politically. People I would like to interface with.
People I don't expect to smack me in the face every time I read what they have to say.
And that's what it feels like.
There is a rude and presumptuous attitude that it is OK to question and attack homeschoolers as if we are all bible-banging, child-beating, isolationist, creationist idiots. This is sometimes followed up with a half-assed apology that the questioner didn't mean ALL homeschoolers.
I think progressives should speak up when they see this sort of attack. Try to imagine the same attack but substitute "black" for "homeschooler." Now, progressives, figure out how outraged you would be and say something!
Say something about being open-minded. About knowing what you are talking about before speaking. About respecting privacy. About the family value called choice!
Well, that feels better!
Nance
Bookmark/Search this post with:
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
Choice | Homeschooling | Schooling | Unschooling | Democrats
Yes and. . .
Submitted by NanceConfer on 7 May 2006 - 10:05am.
Sure. Speak up here. If you are a homeschooler or know someone who is -- we are all over the place, in your neighborhood, no more freaky than your other neighbors. 
Speak up about free Americans making choices -- all sorts of choices.
Talk about the public school system -- its strengths, its weaknesses, the wonderful parents, the wackos. Learn about homeschooling -- with all its strengths and diversity and, yes, wackos.
Figure out what is important -- the choice of what sort of schooling should be used (for your family? for mine? for everyone?) and/or who should decide and/or what drives the choices?
Are these choices driven by work? By the quality of the local public school? By family size? By religion? By NCLB and other school policies?
What among those drivers, and others, is any of our business?
For instance, does the argument that not everyone can afford to homeschool hold water as a reason to continue/increase funding public schools? Why can't everyone afford to make a real choice?
There are a lot of issues around homeschooling and education that we can talk about. Issues that should be relevant to progressives!
But, while we are doing all that deep thinking and talking, remember to speak up when an entire class of people is insulted. Remember to educate the young social worker (this morning's blogging adventure for me) when she is shocked that hsers object to being slapped down by ancient canards.
Speak up, progressives!
Nance
» email this comment | 0 points
HS Perspective for Academic Lefties
Submitted by JJ Ross on 8 May 2006 - 1:05pm.
from one of my first blog essays here . . .it might help some see a new side of homeschooling?
"Continuous transformation is the best part of homeschooling for Thinking Parents. . . it's like never having to graduate and leave college! We're still there, baby, delving into everything all at the same time, meeting minds, burning through the library and the midnight oil discovering something new and stunning every day, including the most RADICAL words and ideas, setting our own pace and schedule, world by the tail, hoping our support holds out, lounging on the lawns, alternating between the organic homegrown and the cafeteria candy counter . . ."
» email this comment | 0 points
Yes and. . .
Submitted by NanceConfer on 7 May 2006 - 10:08am.
Sure. Speak up here. If you are a homeschooler or know someone who is -- we are all over the place, in your neighborhood, no more freaky than your other neighbors.
Speak up about free Americans making choices -- all sorts of choices.
Talk about the public school system -- its strengths, its weaknesses, the wonderful parents, the wackos. Learn about homeschooling -- with all its strengths and diversity and, yes, wackos.
Figure out what is important -- the choice of what sort of schooling should be used (for your family? for mine? for everyone?) and/or who should decide and/or what drives the choices?
Are these choices driven by work? By the quality of the local public school? By family size? By religion? By NCLB and other school policies?
What among those drivers, and others, is any of our business?
For instance, does the argument that not everyone can afford to homeschool hold water as a reason to continue/increase funding public schools? Why can't everyone afford to make a real choice?
There are a lot of issues around homeschooling and education that we can talk about. Issues that should be relevant to progressives!
But, while we are doing all that deep thinking and talking, remember to speak up when an entire class of people is insulted. Remember to educate the young social worker (this morning's blogging adventure for me) when she is shocked that hsers object to being slapped down by ancient canards.
Speak up, progressives!
Nance
» email this comment | 0 points
Yes and. . .
Submitted by NanceConfer on 7 May 2006 - 10:09am.
Sure. Speak up here. If you are a homeschooler or know someone who is -- we are all over the place, in your neighborhood, no more freaky than your other neighbors.
Speak up about free Americans making choices -- all sorts of choices.
Talk about the public school system -- its strengths, its weaknesses, the wonderful parents, the wackos. Learn about homeschooling -- with all its strengths and diversity and, yes, wackos.
Figure out what is important -- the choice of what sort of schooling should be used (for your family? for mine? for everyone?) and/or who should decide and/or what drives the choices?
Are these choices driven by work? By the quality of the local public school? By family size? By religion? By NCLB and other school policies?
What among those drivers, and others, is any of our business?
For instance, does the argument that not everyone can afford to homeschool hold water as a reason to continue/increase funding public schools? Why can't everyone afford to make a real choice?
There are a lot of issues around homeschooling and education that we can talk about. Issues that should be relevant to progressives!
But, while we are doing all that deep thinking and talking, remember to speak up when an entire class of people is insulted. Remember to educate the young social worker (this morning's blogging adventure for me) when she is shocked that hsers object to being slapped down by ancient canards.
Speak up, progressives!
Nance
» email this comment | 0 points
Yes and. . .
Submitted by NanceConfer on 7 May 2006 - 10:10am.
Sure. Speak up here. If you are a homeschooler or know someone who is -- we are all over the place, in your neighborhood, no more freaky than your other neighbors.
Speak up about free Americans making choices -- all sorts of choices.
Talk about the public school system -- its strengths, its weaknesses, the wonderful parents, the wackos. Learn about homeschooling -- with all its strengths and diversity and, yes, wackos.
Figure out what is important -- the choice of what sort of schooling should be used (for your family? for mine? for everyone?) and/or who should decide and/or what drives the choices?
Are these choices driven by work? By the quality of the local public school? By family size? By religion? By NCLB and other school policies?
What among those drivers, and others, is any of our business?
For instance, does the argument that not everyone can afford to homeschool hold water as a reason to continue/increase funding public schools? Why can't everyone afford to make a real choice?
There are a lot of issues around homeschooling and education that we can talk about. Issues that should be relevant to progressives!
But, while we are doing all that deep thinking and talking, remember to speak up when an entire class of people is insulted. Remember to educate the young social worker (this morning's blogging adventure for me) when she is shocked that hsers object to being slapped down by ancient canards.
Speak up, progressives!
Nance
» email this comment | 0 points
Hear Hear, Again with Feeling!
At least you've got me with you, here in the progressive corner or credibility dungeon, and Liza . . .I heard there another someone too, but I won't "out" her, I'll let her speak for herself!
So if we're "it" for now, maybe we need to speak up here first, where sooner or later we might be heard for calm reflection by a critical mass of rational, literate, compassionate, evolved progressives-- and maybe we'll be understood and believed (at least as the misfitting individuals we are!) and that will start to make a difference? JJ