Apparently, homeschooling in Missouri has some people antsy.
Home schooling operates on ‘honor system,’ 28 September 2008, Columbia Missourian, Columbia, Missouri
The selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the GOP vice presidential candidate has brought national attention to the issue of home schooling, which Palin has championed.
“Issue?” Homeschooling is an “issue?”
6 a: a matter that is in dispute between two or more parties b (1): a vital or unsettled matter <economic issues> (2): concern , problem <I have issues with his behavior> c: the point at which an unsettled matter is ready for a decision <brought the matter to an issue>
As far as I can tell from reading the Kansas City Star everyday for the past nine years, Missouri has no public disputes, unsettled economic matters, or problems that need deciding concerning homeschooling. What “issue” is the writer talking about?
From the tone of the article, it looks as if the “issue” is that someone doesn’t like it that parents don’t have to use the public school service, despite the apparent lack of homeschooling problems. We got your murder rates, your public school bureaucracy problems, a decade of light rail commotion from a guy in Virginia and the Kansas City mayor’s chief of staff stepping down, but we don’t have any statewide mention of homeschooling as an “issue.”
Readers can consider a word and phrase list comparison to see that either the intent of the piece or the mood of the writer or editor is negatively slanted concerning homeschooling.
- issue of home schooling
- state does not ensure
- educational neglect
- records do not need to be submitted
- someone wanted to investigate
- do not oversee homeschooling
- opposition
- very, very lenient (followed by)
- … probably not good
- regulate
- monitor
- impose
- burdens
- truant
- suspicions
- poor
- neglect
- competent
- resistant to government intervention
- stringent
- investigate
- falling through cracks
And as for recommending that the Missouri legislature look into “non-legitimate” homeschooling, perhaps the legislators should help St. Louis and Kansas City get their public school woes straightened out first.
Posted by Valerie
Articles About Homeschooling, Language Police, Regulations, State News
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We have all sorts of good examples these days of the trouble individuals could face after government decides to stick their hand in a family’s private affairs. Thanks for pointing to this one as well.
I keep trying to document that Palin supports independent homeschooling? I’ve read that she plans to use the public homeschool program, IDEA, but I haven’t seen any specific statements.
Susan Ryan has some good comments on her blog about a questionable statement in the article concerning Illinois here. http://www.eduwrit.com/blog/?p=1205
Thanks Mary. I just linked to Valerie.
So homeschoolers use the “Honor System”, which is different than the Tax System for public schools. Very different in so many ways, and honor doesn’t seem involved in kids’ well being in the schools many times. Some teachers I had were very honorable. Other shenanigans that went on and still do in the schools….I’d put a dis- in front of honor and it’d be appropriate.
Wheww…I must be having flashbacks today.