November 18 News & Commentary

In This Issue:

HR2732/SB1562 Update
A Call for Vigilance
Good Sports
In the News
Why We Homeschool
The S Question, Round 38 Million
Public Programs for Homeschoolers
Project Literacy Success
Guterson Writes Again
The Homeschooling Example

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HR2732/SB1562 Update
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headline: What You Can Do to Keep Your Freedom
http://www.nheld.com
"The legislation is currently before the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee in the House, and before the Committee on Finance in the Senate.... The following is a brief summary of arguments in opposition to the proposed legislation that readers may want to incorporate in any letters to Congressmen or Senators. However, it is very important that the legislators hear your personal reasons for opposing this bill. Each letter or phone call does count." Eight arguments are summarized, and these are followed by information about how to contact committee members.

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headline: Informational Bulletins 1-4
http://www.cthomeschoolnetwork.org
Each bulletin addresses a particular section of HR2732/SB1562 to clarify and explain the implications.

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headline: Protect Your Educational Rights! Say No to HR 2732!
Target: Marilyn Musgrave Representative House of Representatives
Sponsor: Christina Anderson
http://www.thepetitionsite.com
"Representative Marilyn Muscgrave has proposed new legislation to federally limit and define homeschooling, completely disregarding the constituton. (HR 2732) The Constitution, under the tenth amendment, clearly states Sign to protect your rights. that any powers not specifically delegated to the federal government within the Constitution are reserved to the States and to the people."

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A Call for Vigilance
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headline: Make Home Schooling Safe for Children
New York Times Editorial, November 15
http://www.nytimes.com
"When the authorities in a small New Jersey town discovered four starved boys, so frail that they resembled concentration camp victims from World War II, Americans everywhere wondered how their condition had gone unnoticed by people outside their family for so long. Part of the answer was that they had been home-schooled, and New Jersey is one of a number of states that provide no supervision over parents who decide to keep their offspring out of the public and private school systems."

Ann: Here is one more writer want the easy way out - he suggests regulating homeschooling while gliding right on past the schools that failed to serve this family prior to homeschooling. Using his logic, perhaps the failure of the community, the church, the neighborhood, and everyone who knew this family should be called into question. EVERYONE BUT THE SCHOOLS takes the blame? That makes no sense and neither does calling for regulation of homeschooling based on a single case.

The editorial closes, "The shock over this case will cause New Jersey to revisit its home-schooling law. States with similar laws should do the same."

Ann: I hope homeschoolers everywhere view this case as a call for vigilance in protecting the freedom to educate their children as hard cases cause simplistic thinkers to place homeschooling up for public control.

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headline: Home-Schoolers Must Respond to "Big Media's" Guilt by Association Tactics
The Illinois Leader, Editorial By Fran Eaton, November 17
http://www.illinoisleader.com
"Last Friday, a New York Times editorial entitled "Make Home Schooling Safe for Children," suggested that the state of New Jersey set up government supervision of home schooling families because of a tragic child abuse situation that was discovered.... IÍm growing weary of the attacks of the fat, lazy, big guys who use their clout to defend the status quo at all costs and attack tenacious, determined little guys when they begin to be a threat. And thatÍs what is happening right now."

Ann: This writer calls on homeschoolers "to enter the public forum and tell the world why you chose home education for your children." That might help, and I'd most like to hear from homeschooling families that have adopted, fostered, and otherwise worked with the child welfare system. Anyone in New Jersey or North Carolina want to tell their story?

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Good Sports
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headline: UCLA's Lam Climbing Tennis Rankings
Honolulu Advertiser, Hawai'i, By Brandon Masuoka, November 12
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com
"As The top homegrown tennis players from Hawai'i, Lam has progressed from promising homeschooled teen to NCAA wunderkind as the country's No. 29 singles player at UCLA.... Lam was homeschooled from second to 12th grade by his mother, Patricia. He could not compete in high school tournaments, but he found that homeschooling helped his tennis and academics. 'It was actually good for me because it left me with a lot of time to practice when a lot of other people were in school,' Lam said. 'It prepared me pretty well for college. I've been doing well academically at UCLA also.'"

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headline: LCC to Host Homeschool Tournament
The Courier, Lincoln, Illinois, November 13
http://www.lincolncourier.com
"Beginning today, Lincoln Christian College will host its first preseason homeschool basketball tournament at the Laughlin Center. A total of 13 teams (nine boys teams and four girls teams) from seven states will take part in the three-day tournament that wraps up with a championship game on Saturday."

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In the News
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headline: Home Schoolers Find Transition Easy
The Daily Princetonian, By Zack Surak, November 14
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com
"The University might be alien and intimidating to most freshmen first setting foot on campus, and one might guess that, for home-schooled students who have never spent a day in a classroom, the experience seems earth-shattering. But the change in lifestyle for the home schooled is not noticeably turbulent, many former home-schoolers say.... 'People who have never home schooled somehow think we're unsocial „ people who live in a dark corners,' Shawruss said. 'In fact, I believe that as a home schooler, I was able to become more socialized than I would have otherwise because I wasn't forced to be confined with one particular artificially constructed group for all my activities and time.'"

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headline: Son, 14, Charged in Mother's Slaying
TheState.com, South Carolina, By Monique Angle, November 14
http://www.thestate.com
"Clayton, 33, home-schooled her five biological and three adopted Guatemalan children at the two-story family home...has been well-known within the home schooling community for 'quite some while,' said president Kathleen Carper. 'It comes as a real shock. She was a lovely, lovely person.'"

Ann: Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Clayton family.

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headline: Open Hearts Already a Big Family, the Clan Makes Room for a Few More
Times-Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, by Bill Lohmann, November 16
http://www.timesdispatch.com
"It would be enough trying to raise all of those children - they range in age from 28 years to 8 months, and 11 of them still live at home - and attempting to meet the challenges of having three with Down syndrome. But Bill and Sharon Edwards choose to do more. They home-school their school-age kids. They tote them to a seemingly endless schedule of speech, physical and occupational therapy sessions, as well as extracurricular activities such as gymnastics, dance and piano lessons. They teach them self-sufficiency, proper manners and good humor. They love and nurture them. They take them out for heart-to-heart talks and bagels."

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headline: Homeschooler Has Designs on Ring
The Patriot News, Pennsylvania, By Al Winn, November 17
http://www.pennlive.com
MYERSTOWN - "Denise Kramer is in a class all her own, which is why her class ring is unique. Denise, 17, has been homeschooled since first grade. She is one of a small but growing number of homeschooled students wearing a class ring.... "I thought it would be neat to design my own ring," she said.... Spokesmen for ArtCarved and Jostens Inc. of Minneapolis said homeschoolers represent only a small part of their total business. But they're an increasing share. ArtCarved's sales to homeschoolers increased 25 percent in the past three years."

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headline: Latin Classes Welcome All Comers at St. Mary's
Wausau Daily Herald, Wisconsin, By Keith Uhlig, November 17
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com
"Free sessions attract mainly Catholic home-schoolers.... Ivitza Connolly was home-schooled and plans to enroll in the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. John Connolly is finishing his education, also at home, and the Latin helps him hone his thinking, he said. But is it fun?
John Connolly had to think about that for a minute. 'I enjoy most of it,' he said."

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headline: 29,000 N.C. Families Home-school Children
News 14 Carolina, Associated Press, November 17
http://rdu.news14.com
Greenville -- "The Division of Non-Public Education says that in the past seven years, the number of students who are home-schooled in the state has increased by more than 18,000. That means that more than 29,000 families in North Carolina home school their children. Home-school advocates and parents say that's due to growing dissatisfaction with public education..."

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headline: Families Turn to Cooperative for Help
Garden City Telegram, Kansas, By Sara Kincaid, November 17
http://www.gctelegram.com
" Home-school mother Whitney Wytko of Ingalls joined the cooperative three years ago when she lived in Garden City.... She likes the cooperative for the contact it gives her with other home-school parents.... The cooperative allows her to share ideas with other home-school parents. It also helps her learn about teaching subjects she may not feels as adept at teaching."

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Why We Homeschool
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headline: Our Beautiful Daughter, Cassandra
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org
"In her kindergarten year at school the teacher isolated her as she said she was "disruptive" and 'inattentive'. We withdrew Cassandra from the public school system and began homeschooling her...Homeschooling has allowed us to make an adventure out of both schooling and epilepsy in general."

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headline: Home School Versus Home Room: The Education Debate
WAFF 48, Alabama, By Jason Gaston, November 13
http://www.waff.com
"It's The fastest growing forms of education in the Heart of the Valley. But what really appeals to families when it comes to homeschooling? Is public education really that bad? Reporter Jason Gaston set out to separate myth from reality....Two forms of education with one simple, common goal." Gaston goes on to compare two successful families, one that homeschools and one that public schools.

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headline: Should the Government Force Drugs on Kids?
WorldNetDaily.com, By Samuel Blumenfeld, November 15
http://worldnetdaily.com
"There are between 4 and 6 million schoolchildren now taking psychotropic drugs daily so that they can attend school. There must be something wrong with an education system that requires so many children to be drugged just to attend school."

Ann: This is not a homeschooling article, but it does point to one reason that many parents opt for homeschooling - to avoid putting their child on Ritalin.

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headline: Request Denied to Monitor Handicapped Student
Daily Telegram, Michigan, By Dennis Pelham, November 15
http://www.lenconnect.com
"...Ignacio Joseph Romero, 9, suffered two broken front teeth and cuts and bruises to his face when he fell to the floor from a chair while not strapped in. The boy suffers from cerebral palsy and has been blind since birth. He is unable to walk, talk or maintain his balance. Gomez said she would feel confident in sending her son back to school only if she could monitor the classroom from her home computer. She said she is instead preparing to home-school her son after no agreements were reached Monday."

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headline: Home Schooling Parents in Greenville Pleased with Their Efforts
Wilmington Star, North Carolina, By Kelly Soderlund, November 15
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com
"Growing dissatisfaction with public education is contributing to the trend, home school advocates and parents said. Families believe they can teach their children better, provide a safer, more nurturing atmosphere, create a stronger family unit and allow children to practice their religious beliefs more freely."

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headline: More Central Maine Families Choosing Home Schooling Option
Kennebec Journal Online, Maine, By Chuin-Wei Yap, November 17
http://www.centralmaine.com
"People always ask: What about socialization?" said Peckham. "That's funny, because socialization is The main reasons (for home schooling). In school, you're all the same age. Sometimes, you're separated into ability groups, and that's very artificial. Our children are actually out and about in society more. I see a school as a very artificial society."

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The S Question, Round 38 Million
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headline: Making the Grade Socially
Volunteer TV, Knoxville, Tennessee, By Kelli Parker, November 11
http://www.volunteertv.com
"'Having exposure to cultural, racial and even age differences is a concern,' said University of Tennessee psychology professor Teresa Hutchins. She said that homeschooling parents who pull children from public or private classrooms could be making a big mistake. 'Individuals who haven't had the opportunity to interact tend to be more reticent and have more difficulty in their adjustment,' she said."

Ann: The parents in this story love the social side of homeschooling. Only the professor expresses reservations - she is probably laboring under the stereotype that homeschoolers stay home all the time. Add another expert to the list of those who "just don't get it."

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Public Programs for Homeschoolers
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headline: Why Bowen Went to New West for a School
Vancouver Sun, BC Canada, By Janet Steffenhagen, November 13
http://www.canada.com
"The New Westminster school board has taken an unprecedented step to provide choice in public education, moving beyond its boundaries to open a school on Bowen Island after parents complained that West Vancouver school officials were ignoring their needs. The tiny school, located in a church hall, serves about two dozen home-schooled children, who had previously been outside the public system. The students, from kindergarten to Grade 7, now have a full-time teacher, access to publicly funded resources and a place where they can meet for group learning."

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Project Literacy Success
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headline: Grant Allows Home Schooling by Request
Coachella joins effort to strengthen pre-K learning
The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, California, By Mike Perrault, November 18
http://www.thedesertsun.com/
"The home visits are one facet of an extensively researched program that aims to demonstrate ... how children from very low-income families and with limited English-speaking abilities can achieve at the same level or above their peers. The school district was one of only 30 nationwide to land a major federal Project Literacy Success grant...teachers will employ a variety of methods to accelerate kidsÍ cognitive and language development, including working with parents at home."

Ann: Must EVERYTHING be called homeschooling?

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Guterson Writes Again
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headline: David Guterson Wrestles with Spiritual Questions
Courier & Press, Indiana, By Erin Van Bronkhorst, November 16
http://www.courierpress.com
Seattle - "...'Our Lady of the Forest,' his third novel. The 16-year-old runaway's visions bring a kind of salvation to a rain-drenched lumber town in western Washington.... Guterson also wrote 'Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense,' published in 1992."

Ann: Guterson's "Family Matters" is still a good homeschool read - especially for those with family members who express doubts. It is nice to be reminded of Guterson's homeschooling book with the announcement of his latest novel.

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The Homeschooling Example
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headline: Fathers Protest Unjust Custody Laws
Fox News Channel, By Wendy McElroy, November 17
http://www.foxnews.com
"... a question: at what point do you give up working within "the system" and step outside of it to achieve change...to demand justice?... Other rebels are luckier. They are able to withdraw from the system and provide for their own needs. Homeschooling parents remove their children from what they view as a hopeless educational system even though they are forced to continue paying for it in taxes."

Ann: This story about child custody issues arising from divorce mentions homeschooling as an example of a way to withdraw from a system when it does not work.

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Final Words
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Always keep me in mind as you find and make the news. Thanks to all who contributed to this and past issues.

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HEM News & Commentary is a weekly report on what's happening in the world of homeschooling. Gleanings from the news media, accolades and pans, hot discussions, legal and legislative successes and problems - all are fair game, and gathered in one column for your convenience.

And just in case you don't have the time to read every word in print, we will summarize and discuss key news and trends that we think are the most provocative or that may have the greatest impact on the future of homeschooling.

This service is available free. Archives can be accessed at http://www.homeedmag.com/nc/newscommentary.html

The weekly updates will be announced on HEM's discussion lists. You'll find a print version - the highlights of these reports - in a column by the same name in Home Education Magazine.