New Nationwide Study Confirms Homeschool Academic Achievement

HSLDA ^ | August 10, 2009 | Ian Slater

[RFEngineer]

“Homeschooling allows for the development of moral character and the passing on of values and ideology that no amount of deprogramming at the end of every school day can counteract.”

That’s called “parenting”.

[TomOnTheRun]

Education happened before it was mandated by the federal government and literacy rates were higher then.

Incorrect. Historical statistics are here. Yes, it's from the DOE but these numbers are verifiable from a wide variety of other sources that corroborate that data. In 1870, 20 percent of the entire adult population was illiterate, and 80 percent of the black population was illiterate. By 1980 those figures had dropped to 0.6 and 1.6% respectively. They have not shifted appreciably up or down since then.

That's not enough justification to support the education system we have by the coercion that's used to support it.

Nothing said here today has convinced me that the taxes used to pay for education are any more onerous in either their collection or application than any other taxes that are collected for the general welfare. I consider the minimal levels of education obtained from this worth that cost and justified under the general welfare clause. I understand you do not feel this way but you haven't actually said anything to attempt to persuade me. You've just restated an assertion that "That's not enough justification to support...." without providing ANY persuasive reasoning. In earlier comments I provided specific reasons why I thought it was justified and the benefits that ALL citizens reap as a result of the system.

[TomOnTheRun]

The only reason it works to that level, is because of how easy it is to do.

First of all - teaching children isn't as easy as all that. The information you are passing along may (literally) be childs play to you but that doesn't mean that it can't be hard work. I'd wager most of the homeschooling parents here would agree with me when I say that while teaching children is not the impossible brain surgery that the NEA would have you believe it is it's also certainly not something done without skill. It requires hard work & dedication - it's not an easy job that you toss off. Secondly - when I say it's one of the best up to the 5th level I mean on a global basis. Most education systems in the world suck at our dust for sound Three R's and basic reasoning up to the 5th level. This would seem to indicate that something changes at 5th level rather than indicating that the entire system is horribly horribly flawed from inception.

[TomOnTheRun]

Also..Why do you think that my motive is to change your beliefs? I am not posting for your benefit. I post for other conservatives. I also read Free Republic so that I can pick up their fresh new ideas and clever ways of expressing them. ( Please see my tag line.)

I don't believe that is your goal. *I* treat online posting as a means of exchanging ideas (possibly persuasive) rather than changing beliefs. However, I've also explicitly stated that, based on my direct personal experience, I'm not particularly approachable from some directions and statements. (I'm honest and upfront about that.) I informed you of this so that you might try a different approach IF you were actually interested in exchanging ideas in some possibly persuasive fashion. Since you chose not to do that I said "I think that is the friendliest parting of the ways that can be managed..." That is... It seems as if we would be talking at cross purposes and neither one would be getting what they wanted. So I put you on the plonk list. Have a good day. =D

[metmom]

I consider the minimal levels of education obtained from this worth that cost and justified under the general welfare clause.

Have you seen the dropout rates in cities like Detroit?

Have you seen the abysmal literacy rates that are inversely proportionate to the amount of money spent per pupil?

The state of education today absolutely does not justify the amount of money spent on it.

There are other statistics that contradict yours on supposed literacy rates you posted.

Are you an educator?

[metmom]

First of all - teaching children isn't as easy as all that. The information you are passing along may (literally) be childs play to you but that doesn't mean that it can't be hard work. I'd wager most of the homeschooling parents here would agree with me when I say that while teaching children is not the impossible brain surgery that the NEA would have you believe it is it's also certainly not something done without skill. It requires hard work & dedication - it's not an easy job that you toss off.

Look, noob, why don't you read and learn before you go lecturing homeschoolers about homeschooling. You haven't been on the forum long enough to know the people you're posting to.

[TomOnTheRun]

Look, noob, why don't you read and learn before you go lecturing homeschoolers about homeschooling. You haven't been on the forum long enough to know the people you're posting to.

Ok then. You've put me in my place. Now respond to the real point. Most education systems in the world suck at our dust for sound Three R's and basic reasoning up to the 5th level. This would seem to indicate that something changes at 5th level rather than indicating that the entire system is horribly horribly flawed from inception.

[TomOnTheRun]

There are other statistics that contradict yours on supposed literacy rates you posted.

Ok. Dig 'em up and share them. Until then I'll stand by the generally available and easily verifiable ones used for most reputable scholarship.

The state of education today absolutely does not justify the amount of money spent on it.

So throw it all away?! That infrastructure? Those networks? The time/money/resources invested? (I do see it as an investment in the future of our nation.) We just wad up the towel and toss it away? Again - I believe that exceptional performance at lower levels indicates a need for reform at higher levels rather than fundamental flaws that mean we should wipe the slate clean.

By all means... remove your children from the public school system if you want. Others cannot or will not and should strive to improve it.

Are you an educator?

Not any more. I was attached to teach basic moral theology to teenagers for a time. Loathed it and loved it. I'm told the frustrations I had were not atypical for people teaching children of that age range. This is also not relevant to most of what I've said here.

[wintertime]

I've also explicitly stated that, based on my direct personal experience, I'm not particularly approachable from some directions and statements

I really don't give a twit about any government school defender's "direction". I am not posting for their benefit. I see their posts as a whetting stone upon which to sharpen conservative arguments.

If you do not find the above satisfying, then a parting of the ways is likely best for you.

[TomOnTheRun]

then a parting of the ways is likely best for you.

It can be taught! (If you explicitly repeat yourself. Almost verbatim. A minimum of three times.)