|
News & Commentary February 10, 2004
In This Issue:
Testing Oversight Proposed in South Dakota
Virginia Legislation and Journalistic Slant
Mississippi Considers Dual Enrollment
North Carolina Bid for Sports
Why We Homeschool - Part 1 "To Remind Myself and My Children Just How Big the World Is"
What Do Mr. and Mrs. Joe America Believe?
Why We Homeschool - Part 2 "Taking Complete Self-Ownership"
Mixing Issues
Military Homeschooling: DoDEA and DoDDS Handbook Corrected
Homeschooling Students in the News
UK - The Feasibility of Home Education
Final Words
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Testing Oversight Proposed in South Dakota
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: School Districts Could Have to Monitor Home-school Tests
Aberdeen News, South Dakota, By Andrea Domaskin letters@aberdeennews.com February 04
http://www.aberdeennews.com
"PIERRE, S.D. - Home-schooled students taking achievement tests would have to be monitored by school district officials under a bill considered Tuesday by the Senate Education Committee.
The committee set SB156 aside until Thursday after hearing from supporters and opponents. The measure would require superintendents or other school officials to monitor standardized tests given to students who are taught in alternative settings....Mark DeVries, a lobbyist for the Alternative Instruction Association, said it would be unfair to require students to leave their usual haunts to take the tests."
Ann: You are right, Mr. DeVries. This bill is inherently unfair to homeschooled students and it should be tossed out. Homeschooled children should be tested in their normal learning environment (home) or in an environment chosen by their teacher (parent), just as public and private school children are tested in their normal learning environments (schools). Who dreamed this one up?
Visit the Alternative Instruction Association of South Dakota
http://www.geocities.com/aia_cc/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Virginia Legislation and Journalistic Slant
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Home School Legislation Advances Through House
Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Virginia By Bob Gibson bgibson@dailyprogress.com February 02
http://www.dailyprogress.com
"RICHMOND - The House of Delegates is preparing to decide today whether Virginia should allow parents with a high school diploma but no college degree to home school their children."
***
headline: House Eases Home-school Rules
The Washington Times, DC, From Combined Dispatches, February 04
http://washingtontimes.com
"RICHMOND ~ The House yesterday passed legislation relaxing the academic qualifications required of parents who teach their children at home. Delegate Rob B. Bell III's bill would require parents to have only a high school diploma to home-school their children."
Ann: This legislation, a step in the right direction for Virginia homeschoolers, is widely misinterpreted in the media as relaxing standards for homeschooling. This is not true. Non-degreed parents have homeschooled legally for years by submitting information about the planned program each year. The reports have also misrepresented certain statistics to suggest that non-degreed homeschooling parents are poorly qualified. Several Virginia homeschoolers have written to the papers to point out the errors. Great job - keep those reporters in line with the facts, Virginians.
For information about Virginia laws:
http://www.vhea.org/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mississippi Considers Dual Enrollment
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Bill Would Open Public School Classes, Activities to Home Schoolers
Sun-Herald, South Mississippi, By Emily Wagster Pettus, February 08
http://www.sunherald.com
"Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, has filed a bill that would require all public schools to give home-schooled students the option of 'dual enrollment.' [Senate Bill 2056] would still let children take most of their classes at home. But they could go to public schools for classes that might be difficult to teach at home, such as chemistry lab or foreign languages....[If the bill passes] High School Activities Association would pass regulations - including requiring home-schooled students to go onto public school campuses and take the same achievement tests that public school students have to take under the federal No Child Left Behind law."
Ann: Part time school enrollment in exchange for NCLB testing? Is this what Mississippi homeschoolers are asking for or is this yet another homeschooler retrieval plan?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
North Carolina Bid for Sports
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Parent Appeals for School Team for Home-Schooled Son
BY CAROLYN NORTON : The Herald-Sun, North Carolina, By Carolyn Norton cnorton@heraldsun.com
February 04
http://www.herald-sun.com
"CHAPEL HILL -- After learning that district officials believe her son is ineligible to play on McDougle Middle School's baseball team, a home-schooling parent plans to plead with the school board tonight -- for the second time -- to consider the idea.... But Evans insists that there's nothing on the lawbooks preventing her son from playing on the team."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Why We Homeschool - Part 1
"To Remind Myself and My Children
Just How Big the World Is"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Missing School for a Vacation
NY Times, By Wendy Knight, February 8
http://www.nytimes.com
"Mr. Burton, the co-founder of Burton Snowboards, was explaining his decision to take an epic 10-month, round-the-world snowboarding trip with his wife, Donna, three sons (ages 14, 10, 7), a 15-year-old niece and two tutors."
Ann: The Burtons will comply with the homeschooling rules of their home state while they travel. Quite amazingly, most of the article goes on about how hard removing children from school for a vacation is on children and teachers, what with the makeup work and all. Call me radical, but I am of the opinion that these schools and teachers are seriously out of touch with real learning.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What Do Mr. and Mrs. Joe America Believe?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ann: The two reports that follow highlight some shady doings in certain virtual schools and voucher programs in Arkansas and Florida. Though a little long, I hope these quotes suggest the tThe articles.
headline: Veto Override Stops Virtual Charter School
Arkansas News Bureau, By Doug Thompson dthompson@arkansasnews.com February 07
http://www.arkansasnews.com
LITTLE ROCK - "The Legislature overrode a veto from Gov. Mike Huckabee Friday, an override that will stop expansion of an online charter school that supporters called a major innovation and critics called taxpayer-supported home schooling....Whatever merit the Arkansas Virtual Charter School may have, the case of supporter was severely undercut by a "director who makes Nick Wilson look like an amateur," Malone said. Wilson is a former state senator who was convicted and sent to federal prison for misuse of state money. Malone went on to criticize the after-hours signing of a contract between the academy and the state Board of Education and said information provided about how many students of the academy were previously home-schooled was misleading."
***
headline: Further Denigration of Public Education--Funding Homeschooling
The People for the American Way website, Dereliction of Duty Report
http://www.pfaw.org
"Typically, parents who homeschool their children do not receive state funding to homeschool. However, Florida,s Department of Education is spending more than $2.3 million in public taxpayer funds to support students who are being homeschooled either full-time or part-time." The report shows facts and figures that support the claim, including a charge of cronyism: "State Representative Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood) asks: 'Why were Bennett and the Sylvan Corp. awarded such lucrative contracts when our public schools are crying for more funding... This is about cronyism and not about what is best for our kids.'" The report closes: "Given that Florida,s voucher programs are virtually unregulated, homeschoolers benefit from state funding without any of the accountability required of public schools."
Ann: What troubles me about these reports and others like them is this. I know, and you know, and most private homeschoolers know, in fact, that these programs are not what the vast majority of homeschooling families really want. But what do Mr. and Mrs. Joe America - whose 2.1 children thrive in public schools - know about homeschooling? They "know" only what they hear in the media. What they are hearing these days is that homeschoolers are all eager to feed at the public trough without accountability.
Mr. and Mrs. America deserve the truth. How can "mainstream homeschoolers" (gotta love THAT expression!) distance themselves from media negativity? For a start, they can refer interested parties to clarifying documents, such as the "We Stand For Homeschooling" petition. If you haven't read or signed the petition, go to:
http://westandforhomeschooling.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Why We Homeschool - Part 2
"Taking Complete Self-Ownership"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Teaching at Home 'A Way of Life'
News Journal, Ohio, By Megan Minniear, February 08
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com
"'Home schooling is a way of life,' Brad Thompson said. 'It's gratifying because we are taking complete self ownership in the intellectual and moral education of our children.'"
+++++++++++++
Mixing Issues
+++++++++++++
headline: Conservatives Use Gay Union as Rallying Cry
The Ledger, Lakeland, Florida, By David D. Kirkpatrick of The New York Times, February 08
http://www.theledger.com
Ann: This article is a fascinating recap of political activities among national conservative groups over the past year. Homeschoolers will recognize several names, including Marilyn Musgrave (CO) who sponsored the now-defunct HoNDA legislation last summer, and Michael Farris is quoted:
"Most of the others considered [a compromise statement] far too permissive. 'I don't care if you call it civil unions,' Michael P. Farris, chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association, said last week. 'I don't care if you call it domestic partnership, I don't care if you call it cantaloupe soup, if you are legally spouses at the end of the day, I am not willing to do that.' Just as important, Mr. Farris said, the 81,500 home-schooling families who belong to his organization and who each pay at least $85 a year in dues were against it."
Ann: Is it any wonder the public is confused about the nature of homeschooling, when organizations with "home schooling" in their name so freely mix their agendas?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++
Military Homeschooling: DoDEA and DoDDS Handbook Corrected
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Calling Families to Account? Update
http://www.militaryhomeschoolers.com
Valerie Moon writes at her website: "Concerning the paragraph in the 2003/2004 Student Eligibility Enrollment Data Handbook noted under 'Calling Families to Account?' stating that an overseas installation commander could 'require attendance in DoDDS, an alternative school approved by DoDDS, or some alternative program acceptable to the commander as a condition of continued command sponsorship.' DoDDS has advised [Valerie] that the paragraph has been superceded and will be replaced by an excerpt from the current DoDEA policy letter on homeschooling."
Ann: Wonderful news! Thank you, Valerie, for your watchdog eye and your willingness to speak out.
+++++++++++
In the News
+++++++++++
"Watching my child learn;" attending Ole Miss; a decrease in homeschooling; homeschooling has a steady spot in the news these days.
headline: Home Schooling on The Rise - Requirements Differ with Each State
The Daily Mississippian, By Ben Beitzel citynews@thedmonline.com February 06
http://www.thedmonline.com
This is a nice informative story that centers on one homeschooling family, the Burandts. Listen to how she decided to homeschool. "'I met some people who were home schooling and I liked the concept of watching my child learn,' Burandt said. Though the number of home schooling families in the United States is hard to determine because different states treat the issue differently, Laura Derrick, president of the National Home Education Network, said the numbers have been on the rise."
***
headline: UM Treats All Applicants Similar
The Daily Mississippian, By Kim Breaux kbreaux@thedmonline.com February 06
http://www.thedmonline.com
"Home-schooled students face few challenges upon admittance into Ole Miss... Beckett Howorth, director of admissions, said that while the admissions process for students who were home schooled is identical to that of high school graduates, the documentation needed is different."
***
headline: School Administrators Tackle Problem of Keeping Kids in School
Harrison Daily Times, Arkansas, By Cindi Elli, February 06
http://www.zwire.com
This article is a discussion about students dropping out of school when they can do so legally, at age sixteen. The point is made that students may "drop out" to homeschool, although those who do so are not counted in the dropout statistics. The most interesting homeschooling bit in the article, though, is almost an afterthought. When the reporter asked if dropping out to homeschool was a growing trend, we learn that homeschooling is decreasing in one region. "...the fall of 2002, Seymour High School actually had a reverse trend, with more kids coming back to school after being home schooled, than dropping out for that reason... the parents of these kids 'had done a wonderful job' home schooling their children."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Homeschooling Students in the News
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ann: Spelling bees and gymnasts, golfers and science shows, chess champs and mushing dogs! Congratulations to these and all homeschooled students who follow their passions.
headline: Freshman Orientation
Albany Democrat-Herald, Oregon, By Kevin Hampton,February 05
http://www.dhonline.com
"Chelsea Plourde...[h]ome schooled from kindergarten through her senior year of high school...had gotten the attention of nearly every top gymnastics program in the country... Plourde has made a big impact on the Beavers [Oregon State University] in little more than a month. While the team entered the season without three athletes, Plourde stepped in and has won three all-around titles in four meets."
***
headline: Vine Grove Hosts Some Friendly C-O-M-P-E-T-I-T-I-O-N
The News-Enterprise, Hardin County, Kentucky, By Erica Walsh, erica@mail.the-ne.com February 06
http://www.newsenterpriseonline.com
"'C-O-U-R-A-G-E. Courage.' With that, the sixth-grader took first place in the upper division of the second annual Hardin County Home-school Spelling Bee on Thursday at Valley View Baptist Church in Vine Grove. Families Acquiring Instruction Through Home-schooling (FAITH) sponsored the contest. About 40 students took the stage for the spelling bee."
***
headline: Hooked on Mushing
The Barre Montpelier Times Argus, By Cassandra Hemenway Brush, February 07
http://timesargus.com
"'We're crazy - that's what makes us do it,' joked Mary Persons. She trains for dog sled races across New England, along with husband Russell, 49, and sons Aaron, 20, Daniel, 22, and Samuel, 17....While the boys get their thrills speeding around sharp turns deep in the forest, Mary Persons gets considerable satisfaction watching her family operate as a unit. Although she cleans houses for a living, she considers home-schooling her boys her main occupation. She delights in supporting their passion, and the discipline, responsibility and dedication mushing requires of them. From the beginning, she's been an integral part of the project."
***
headline: Home-school Students Show Science Smarts
Fairbanks News-Miner, Alaska, By Dan Rice, drice@newsminer.com February 08
http://www.news-miner.com
"From dog care to underwater remote control vehicles, Saturday's Home School Science Fair featured about 70 entries from area students ranging from preschoolers to high school seniors.
'We grow about 5 to 8 percent a year,' said home-schooling parent and fair coordinator Theresa Chrisman."
***
headline: Golfing Brothers on Right Course
News-Press, Southwest Florida, By Chris Umpierre, cumpierre@news-press.com
http://www.news-press.com
"Matthew [Hannaford] 11, is Florida,s top-ranked player and No. 3 in the world in his graduation class. Michael [Hannaford], 13, is No. 15 in Florida and No. 125 in Florida. The Hannafords reached their sport,s pinnacle by sheer will. They have only taken three golf lessons. They learned the sport by watching The Golf Channel and reading Tiger Woods, 'How I Play Golf.'...The boys, who are home-schooled, became best friends..."
***
headline: Big Isle Youth Chess Champions Crowned
West Hawaii Today, By Tiffany Edwards wht_hilo@hotmail.com February 08
http://www.westhawaiitoday.com
HILO - "Lance Desmither, a 16-year-old home-schooler, won the high school division of the Big Island Championships on Saturday, with what his father described as a brilliant move - 'sacrificing his queen.'... Lance appeared to be chewing on collar of his T - shirt but said he was "cleaning (his) teeth" during his lengthy duel with Ralph Miller, a 17-year-old fellow home-schooler."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK - The Feasibility of Home Education
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
headline: Parents to Demand Home Schooling if Council Closures Agreed
The Scotsman.com, UK, By William Chisholm, February 06
http://news.scotsman.com
There is growing opposition to the threatened closures which opponents say will leave large areas of the county with no small schools, forcing young families to leave... Aileen Orr, who chairs Hutton School Board, said: 'We are examining the feasibility of home education, or using the school or the village hall as a telecottage where children could be educated together.'"
+++++++++++
Final Words
+++++++++++
E-mail addresses of reporters or their editors 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, and do let me know if I may quote you. Thanks to all who contributed to this and past issues.
Ann Lahrson Fisher
News and Commentary Email
top index
|
