|
News & Commentary January 06
In this Issue:
Federal Legislation - Old and New
Journalism and Homeschooling
Child Abuse and Homeschooling
King County Journal (Seattle) Highlights Homeschooling
Private School Goes Home
Charter Schools
Homeschoolers in the News
NEA and Homeschooling
Homeschoolers Give Homework Advice
Dropping Out, Dropping In
Follow-Up on Previous Stories
Final Words
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Federal Legislation - Old and New
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Bulletin #20 Update of HoNDA legislation and other related bills
Attorney Deborah Stevenson - Executive Director of National Home Education Legal Defense. www.nheld.com info@nheld.com
Judy Aron aronhome@att.net
"Did you know: Congress is due back in session on January 20, 2004. There are bills pending which contain the pieces of HoNDA (H.R.2732 S.B. 1562).
"NHELD is currently watching the status of several bills. We recommend that anyone interested will read the text of the bills in their entirety for a complete understanding. The bills are available at http://thomas.loc.gov.
"The last known action on the Home School Non Discrimination Act (HoNDA, or H.R.2732/S1562) occurred in the House in July when H.R.2732 was referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform, and in August when S. 1562 was referred to the Committee on Finance.
"Portions of the HoNDA bill, however, appear also as individual small bills currently before Congress."
Ann: To read the entire Bulletin on these important issues, contact either Judy or Deborah and ask to be included on the mailing list. Meanwhile, other legislation that may impact homeschoolers is in the works.
headline: Teen Work Hours
National Home Education Legal Defense
www.nheld.com info@nheld.com or Judy Aron aronhome@att.net
"HR3139 - HR3139 Youth Worker Protection Act ("Working-Hour Restrictions for Minors") was introduced by Congressman Tom Lantos (CA)in Sept 2003. The goals of this bill is to seriously restrict the hours a teen may work. For example, 16 and 17 year olds will not be permitted to work more than 4 hours per day, or 20 hours per week. Teens 14-15 will be limited to 3 hours per day, or 15 per week."
This pros and cons of this bill are being discussed at HEM-Networking@yahoogroups.com and
http://www.sonlight-forums.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Journalism and Homeschooling
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ann: The holidays brought many wonderful articles about homeschooling families. Theese three caught my eye because they seem to distort the bigger picture of homeschooling in California and Washington.
headline: School Patrol: Home Schooling
KESQ-TV, Palm Springs, California, December 22
http://www.kesq.com
"The Stagg family isn't doing this alone. They have the support of Palm Springs Unified, which runs the Home Independent home schooling program. About 30 families are enrolled this year. Parents are required to check in with advisors like Cindy Hollinger at least once a month to make sure they're keeping up....Home schoolers are held to the same state standards as students in regular school. They take their tests at school and research shows they're excelling."
Ann: Maybe it is just me, but doesn't this selection suggest that homeschooling is a public school activity in California? What about private homeschoolers? Otherwise a positive presentation of homeschooling, it is too bad the report didn't give better information about all the homeschooling options available in California. Maybe officials of the Palm Springs homeschooling program put out a press release? Read on...
***
headline: Parents Find Numerous Advantages to Homeschooling
http://www.thedesertsun.com
The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, California, By Mike Perrault, December 28
"...Like other parents and students who have chosen the Palm Springs districtäs 5-year-old home-schooling option, the Howards are working closely with teachers on various facets of Robinäs schooling, from curriculum to field trips to writing labs." And further down the page: "Home-schooled students are also tested and held accountable for the same academic standards as other students, Kalisek said."
Ann: In this piece, Perrault alludes to other options, then writes the story as if all homeschooled students are enrolled in independent study programs, which WE know is not true, but do all Palm Springs readers? The only California home-schooled kids subject to NCLB are the ones that are enrolled in public independent study programs.
California has interesting and complex attitudes to homeschooling and reporters have a duty to present as complete a picture as possible. Maybe concerned California homeschooling parents will pressure California reporters to represent ALL the options accurately.
***
headline: Homeschooling is Legal in California
http://californiahomeschool.net
Ann: The miscommunication of the previous two stories must be commonplace in California. Here is a brief quote from The California Homeschool Network's website.
"It is not unusual for local or state school officials to say that homeschooling, except through a public school district independent study program (ISP), is illegal. Their statements are misinformed, represent personal opinions, and therefore carry no legal weight. In fact there are three legal private alternatives for homeschooling children under California law: by establishing a home-based private school, by enrolling in a private school independent study program, and by tutoring."
Ann: Ahh, I now see. The reporters probably got their information from local officials. Wish I had the time to hound reporters who perpetuate misinformation and present just one side of the story - any California readers up to the task?
***
headline: Home-schooling Programs and Resources
http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwsource.com
"Thousands of Washington children are home-schooled each year, and many of them also are enrolled as public-school students so they can take advantage of the hybrid home-school and Internet-based programs offered by many school districts. In 2002-03, 19,554 students statewide were registered with the state as home-schoolers..."
Ann: The piece then goes on to describe the Washington home-based instruction (homeschool) law, following that with a list of 20 plus Seattle area public home-based alternative education programs. Call me picky, but this really bugs me and here's just one reason why.
The writer has jumbled both models together, but cites the statistics of just one model. Those statistics the writer cites may be viewed here:
http://www.k12.wa.us/PrivateEd/HomeBasedEd/HBAnnualReports/hb2002-2003.pdf
Sigh. The report is certainly misleading. Washington State's parents manage to navigate the nuances of these laws and we should expect no less of Washington State's journalists.
For help sorting out the legal nuances of homeschooling enrollment in Washington state, visit the Washington Homeschool Organization website http://www.washhomeschool.org/whoAltEd.html.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Child Abuse and Homeschooling
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Homeschooling and Child Abuse: A Response to Recent Media Reports
Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts, January 2004
http://www.ahem.info
Ann: In response to CBS's"The Dark Side of Homeschooling" and the NY Times editorial, "Make Homeschooling Safe for Children," AHEM offers helpful analysis and suggestions.
From the article, "After examining the relevant issues and facts, a question remains. Why did reputable news organizations like CBS and The Times, in their editorializing about the issue, choose to exclude well-known and extremely pertinent facts about the cases in New Jersey and North Carolina? Had these relevant facts been included, the sensationalistic leap that these families were "hiding," and the subsequent allegation that all homeschooling children may be in danger, could not have been made. Is the abuse non-issue a ruse to regulate homeschooling for other reasons? Where might this pressure for increased regulation be coming from, and where might it lead?"
***
headline: Suspect Arrested in Death of Girl, 12
Houston Chronicle, By Ruth Rendon, January 03
http://www.chron.com
"Twelve-year-old Anna Farmer was found dead on her bedroom floor when emergency medical personnel arrived at the family's home on County Road 879B early Monday. Her death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy by the Galveston County medical examiner's office showed that she died from internal injuries. The girl, who was home-schooled, also was severely malnourished and underweight and had scars from previous injuries, according to the autopsy report."
Ann: The suspect Yost was Anna's mother's boyfriend. Her mother has not been charged. CPS has been involved with the family since May 2001. It remains to be seen whether authorities and/or the press will attempt to implicate homeschooling.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
King County (Seattle) Highlights Homeschooling
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ann: Nora Doyle has put together an extensive and positive series of articles, published in three parts. If you like it, why not let the writer know?
headline: Home Schooling Goes Mainstream - Nearly 20,000 Students Home-schooled in State
King County Journal, WA, by Nora Doyle nora.doyle@kingcountyjournal.com January 04
http://www.kingcountyjournal.com
In this article, the writer takes a stab at breaking up homeschooling stereotypes. "No longer are the parents who home-school their kids assumed to be ultraconservative Christians who are suspicious of government and attempting to isolate their children from popular culture, which were long-held beliefs by some. And the children are not immediately perceived as under-performing and socially inept."
***
headline: Home Schooling is Full-time Job for Family
King County Journal, WA, by Nora Doyle nora.doyle@kingcountyjournal.com January 05
http://www.kingcountyjournal.com
Besides showcasing the Cline family approach to homeschooling, a portion of this article explains the history of homeschooling in Washington.
***
headline: Home-school 'Grad' Works for Microsoft
King County Journal, WA, by Nora Doyle nora.doyle@kingcountyjournal.com January 04
http://www.kingcountyjournal.com
"At 22, David Carlton is a software engineer for Microsoft. Growing up in Kent, he was home-schooled for almost his entire education by his mother, taking only one class in his local school district...."
***
headline: Auburn Family Has Classes at Kitchen Table
King County Journal, WA, by Nora Doyle nora.doyle@kingcountyjournal.com January 04
http://www.kingcountyjournal.com
"It was just another day of school as Helena McCullough and her three children gathered at the kitchen table."
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Private School Goes Home
++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Former Gloster Private School Reopens As Christian School
Sun Herald, Mississippi, By Ernest Herndon, Associated Press, December 28
http://www.sunherald.com
GLOSTER, Miss. - "Visit Pine Hills Academy today and it's hard to believe this is the school that folded from lack of support just one month ago. Actually, it's not. It's now Pine Hills Christian Academy, and it provides 'home schooling in a school atmosphere,' said the Rev. David Brooks, principal. [...] "Many parents sent their children to other area schools, but quite a few weren't willing to do that. So they decided to reopen Pine Hills with a home school curriculum."
+++++++++++++++
Charter Schools
+++++++++++++++
headline: District Eyes Own Charter School Plan
Seacoast Online, Exeter, New Hampshire, By Kathleen D. Bailey, kbailey@seacoastonline.com
January 02
http://www.seacoastonline.com
This article about a proposed charter school begins like any other. "The Exeter Region Cooperative School District is investigating the possibility of its own charter school for young teens who could otherwise fall through the cracks. The program would serve underachieving eighth-, ninth- and 10th-graders, according to Superintendent Dr. Arthur Hanson. He calls it a
'virtual' charter school because it will make a strong use of technology."
Later on, Hanson makes an important distinction. "'However,' he emphasized, ''virtual' does not mean home schooling." And again, "We do have choice of a sort in this area," [Hanson] said. "We have private schools, home schooling. One size really doesnät fit all."
Ann: It is downright refreshing to hear a school superintendent speak plainly about how his proposed charter school, private schools, and homeschooling are all needed options to suit different learning needs. Clone that man!
***
headline: Officials Try to Stiffen Correspondence School Rules
Anchorage Daily News, By Katie Pesznecker, December 29
http://www.adn.com
"Faced with complaints that families with children in private schools are getting state education money to pay for vacations, horseback riding lessons and gym memberships, Alaska school officials are moving to toughen rules over correspondence schools.... [The Denali Borough School District's Personalized Education for Alaskan Kids, or PEAK, and Craig City School's Personal Alternative Choices in Education, known as PACE], funded with state education money, offer support to families who home-school their children, as do a growing number of similar programs around Alaska. But critics assert that the two districts are taking advantage of a loophole in state law that allows students enrolled full time in private schools to also qualify for full state funding at public correspondence schools."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Homeschoolers in the News
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Congratulations to the students, families, and community members who make these stories so interesting - you rock!
headline: Cover Story- Home For the Holidays: And Every Other Day, Too
The Hook, issue #0250, Charlottesville, Virginia, By Erika Raskin ericabay@aol.com December 18
http://www.readthehook.com
"In fact, the U.S. Department of Education estimates that 1.7 percent of all students are now home-schooled. That means growing numbers of parents including atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims-- as well as the Christians who have long held the home-schooling spotlight-- are choosing this route."
Ann: This homeschooling cover story discusses many truths about homeschooling, including the fact that unschooling is do-able, though not for the "faint of heart," according to this writer. Unschooling certainly isn't THAT scary, but otherwise the story is a most refreshing read, spotlighting several Virginia families.
***
headline: Cover Sidebar- Extra-curricular: 'School' Didn't Keep Waldo Home
The Hook, issue #0250, Charlottesville, Virginia, By Hawes Spenser ditor@readthehook.com December 18
http://www.readthehook.com
"Where's Waldo? As noted in a recent Hook story, Charlottesville's most famous ex-home-schooled child is now a 25-year-old man studying at Virginia Tech. But in the many years that preceded Jaquith's move to Blacksburg, he sued the City, nearly won a seat on Council, hiked the Appalachian Trail, won two VH1 awards and-- revealed now for the first time publicly-- was once described by UVA's president as The university's "best students"-- despite never having been enrolled! How were such accomplishments possible? Jaquith credits his family's in-home teaching."
***
headline: Homeschooled Teen Entrepreneur
http://www.dailypress.com
www.contraststudio.com
"Teen entrepreneur, Blake Bess, opened his graphic design studio, Contrast, at the tender age of 13! He hasnät mastered algebra yet, but this young graphic artist handles Photoshop, Pagemaker, Dreamweaver, and Flash like a pro."
***
headline: Unschooling: No Rules For Free-Form Education
NewsDay.com, Hackensack, New Jersey, The Associated Press, December 22
http://www.newsday.com
"Timothy Haas, an unschooler and founding member of the New Jersey Homeschool Association, acknowledges the concept of unschooling 'can freak people out when they first hear about it.'...
Home education is 'self-correcting,' he says. 'If either the kids don't want it or the parents aren't up to it, they revert to public school.'"
***
headline: Starting Anew
The Arizona Republic, By Carol Sowers, December 28
http://www.azcentral.com
This heartwarming story about a homeschooling family that fell on hard times following the father's work-related accident includes this: "Six years after trying to build a life in Phoenix, they moved into family homes at Vista de Colinas, a CASS housing facility in Sunnyslope. 'It was better than living on the streets,' said Kim, Jeff's wife, who home-schooled their children, now ages 23 to 11. Instead of forcing the Sparks children to attend the Thomas J. Pappas School for Homeless Children, CASS officials allowed Kim to continue home-schooling them, keeping them enrolled in special programs."
Ann: Bad times can come to anyone, anytime. I am so grateful that officials were sensitive to this family's true needs, in this case their commitment to a homeschooling lifestyle. The family is getting back on their feet again and we wish them all the best.
***
headline: School Bells in More Homes
The Boston Globe, Massachusetts, By Peter Schworm schworm@globe.com December 28
http://www.boston.com
"Tammy Rosenblatt runs the Family Resource Center in Salem, which organizes field trips for home-schooling families. She sees 100 new families a month, four times as many as three years ago. 'It's just an educational option that people consider right away now,' she said. 'They think public school, private school, and home-schooling.'"
***
headline: W. Valley Kids Ein Aerospace Trials
The Arizona Republic, By Anne Ryman anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com January 01
http://www.azcentral.com
"A group of four home-schooled children [Westside Home Educators Homeschool Support Group] won top honors Tuesday in the annual Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge Finals sponsored by Honeywell.... The other four semifinalists included students from ... Valley-wide Home Schoolers from Phoenix."
***
headline: Down on The Farm School
The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington, By Kathie Durbin, January 03
http://www.columbian.com
"Through her involvement in the farming community, Sanders met parents who were home-schooling their children and who wanted them to experience farm life. Now Chavriole Farm regularly hosts a core group of Clark County home-schooled kids, from a half-dozen in winter to 30 or so at a time in summer, ranging in age from preschool to adolescents. They help her mend fences, tend vegetables and care for her menagerie of farm animals, including Dolly the llama and Tinker the miniature donkey."
***
headline: Homeschooled Students Make the Grade at BU
Bostonia, the Alumni Quarterly of BU, Massachusetts, by Cynthia K. Buccini, Winter 2003
http://www.bu.edu
"It's an increasingly popular alternative to public and private education across the country, but homeschooling still isn't exactly mainstream. Four BU students talk about their experiences, and the lessons they learned." Four BU students, Emily Murphy, David Aron, Dwight Biddle, and Stacey Hughes are spotlighted (including photos) in a most positive story about homeschooling success.
***
headline: She Makes It Seam Sew Easy
News Courier, By Tanjie Nash, anclife@pclnet.net January 05
http://www.enewscourier.com
[Melody Kiyak] "...created costumes for herself, several members of her family and several friends to wear on opening night of the third installment of the 'Lord of the Rings' movie trilogy, 'Return of the King.' ...Kiyak, the daughter of Gregory and Pamela Kiyak, was homeschooled along with her three younger brothers, Zachary, 17, David, 13, and Joel, 12. Both Zachary and Melody are college students now while David and Joel continue as homeschoolers."
***
headline: Spearfish, Pierre Women Take Local Pageant Titles
Rapid City Journal, South Dakota, January 05
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
"Aja Kessler won the Miss Rapid City Teen title which was open to girls ages 13-17. Kessler, a ninth-grade Rapid City homeschooler, is the daughter of Kenny and Renee Mesteth of Rapid City."
+++++++++++++++++++++
NEA and Homeschooling
+++++++++++++++++++++
headline: A Few Ambitious Resolutions
Naples Daily News, Florida, By Linda Seebach, seebach@rockymountainnews.com January 03
http://www.naplesnews.com
"This is the time of year for resolutions, so let's take a look at a few of the many that the National Education Association passed this year." Seebach takes a few pot shots at the National Education Association, including accusing them of seeking to fill the union ranks by returning all homeschooled students to public school. "But the NEA, having failed to stop the growth of home-schooling, still hopes to cripple it."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Homeschoolers Give Homework Advice
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Coping With Homework Woes
Morgan Hill Times, California, January 02
http://morganhilltimes.com
"Homeschoolers are often asked how they keep their children motivated to learn and how they get these children to cooperate in accomplishing learning goals. Some of the strategies used by successful homeschoolers could help traditionally schooled families cope with their childrenäs homework problems. Whether you are doing homeschool or homework, the following recommendations may help your child succeed."
Ann: The homework tips were provided by the California Homeschool Network, CaliforniaHomeschool.net Homeschoolers giving back to the community -- very cool.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dropping Out, Dropping In
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Confessions of a High-School Dropout
World Net Daily, Editorial by Kyle Williams, January 03
http://worldnetdaily.com
Tongue planted firmly in cheek, Kyle admits the truth about his recent public school experience: "I won't be returning to the government schooling system. Why? Because I'm a failure.....I'm what everyone hopes to avoid, I'm what countless ad campaigns hope to stop, and I'm what numerous organizations work to prevent ù I'm a high-school dropout."
Ann: Welcome back, Kyle.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Follow-Up on Previous Stories
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ann: In December 02 News & Commentary, I cited an Arkansas school superintendent who was understandably confused about homeschooling and No Child Left Behind law. Attorney Deborah Stevenson explains how this kind of confusion has come about and what can be done.
headline: Bulletin #19 An Interpretation Problem with No Child Left Behind and Homeschoolers
National Home Education Legal Defense, By Executive Director Attorney Deborah Stevenson info@nheld.com
http://www.nheld.com
"This is an example of how statutes may be misinterpreted and how the misinterpretation could lead to still more unnecessary legislation. No Child Left Behind was enacted to improve the public school system. As such, it needed no clarification exempting homeschooled students. Homeschooled students are not part of the public school system. Yet, at the request of HSLDA, nonetheless an exemption for homeschoolers was included."
Ann: The bulletin goes on to explain that clarification could result from "...an explanatory or advisory letter from the Arkansas Education Department. In other words, correction of a misinterpretation of the law may result in the elimination of a perceived problem and the avoidance of further unnecessary legislation."
****
headline: Home-Schooled Teenager's Novel Now #2 on NY Times Bestseller List
Jewish World Review, December 2003
http://www.jewishworldreview.com
"The latest wunderkind of home schooling, Christopher Paolini, grew up by a river in rural Montana and wrote the hit fantasy novel "Eragon" when he was 15. In October, soon after Alfred A. Knopf published the magical thriller, it jumped to No. 3 on The New York Times bestseller list for hardcover children's chapter books. This month it hit No. 2, outstripping four of the five Harry Potters."
+++++++++++
Final Words
+++++++++++
E-mail addresses of reporters are now included with their stories when available. Please send feedback to reporters who make you think, who tell a great story, or who have wrong information. A pat on the back or a respectful correction is usually appreciated. As always, keep me in mind as you find and make the news. Thanks to all who contributed to this and past issues.
Ann Lahrson Fisher
News and Commentary Email
top index
|
