Are Parents Boycotting Public Schools?

ifeminists.com ^ | 05-07-02 | Wendy McElroy

[Boonie Rat]

Are Parents Boycotting Public Schools?

May 7, 2002

by Wendy McElroy, mac@ifeminists.com

Take your children out of public schools.

That's what James Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian organization Focus on the Family, told more than five million American listeners in a March 28 broadcast of his daily radio show.

"In the state of California ... I wouldn't put [a] youngster in a public school," Dobson bluntly stated. His words sparked a campaign that reveals the extent of parental discontent with public schools.

Why are they discontented? Some parents worry about the lack of religious or "moral" values; other parents point to low academic standards or bias against male students. (Dobson objected to "homosexual propaganda" that teaches, for example, that "bisexuality is normal.")

The common denominator is that parents wish to choose the values and standards by which their children are educated.

The campaign against public schools snowballed April 9 when the popular radio personality Dr. Laura Schlessinger declared, "I stand with Dr. James Dobson." Indeed, Dr. Laura did not restrict her comments to California.

"Take your kids out of public schools," she advised. The same day, in his Christian talk show Point of View — broadcast over 360 American radio stations — Marlon Maddoux added his agreement.

Marshall Fritz, founder of the Separation of School and State Alliance, described the power of these endorsements in an April 15 press release. SSSA has created an online Proclamation for the Separation of School and State. In the week following the broadcasts, signatures on the proclamation increased from an average of five per day to over 100. Then, on April 23, Fritz circulated an excited memo. An article in WorldNetDaily had reported on the controversy. In one day, the proclamation received over 2,500 new signatures.

The document reads simply, "I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education." But the companion list of ten benefits to "school liberation" states as number one, "Parents will be reinforced ... parents will choose schools where teachers support their values." Other benefits include safety, academic quality, decreased cost, and better schools for poor children. From the list it is clear that the anti-public school movement is pro-education in a grassroots sense that returns responsibility for children from the government to parents.

The backlash against public schools comes in the wake of recent horror stories in the media. Some deal with threats to children's safety — and not merely from fellow students with weapons. ABC News reported on a Head Start program that used cockroaches to discipline children. One boy who was subjected to the cockroach punishment at age five remains so afraid of bugs three years later that he refuses to go outside.

Other reports question academic standards. The April 16 Philadelphia Inquirer reported that, for the first time, Pennsylvania would release test results for math and reading by race, poverty and sex. This sparked fears that the quality of future education a child would receive might hinge on race, poverty and sex. Indeed, since the 2000 publication of Christina Hoff Sommers' The War Against Boys, accusations that boys are second-class citizens within the public schools have become commonplace.

What seems to stir up the most anger, however, is the teaching of politically correct values to children against parental wishes. In January, the Pacific Justice Institute filed a lawsuit on behalf of distressed parents against a California school that conducted allegedly pro-homosexual assemblies without notice or parental consent.

As parents remove their children from the public schools, however, governmental resistance to alternative education will probably increase. The most vulnerable alternative is likely to be homeschooling. Stories such as that of California mom Sandra Sorenson may become more common.

The Sorensons decided to set up their own private school after their 10-year-old son's public school initiated a policy of having fellow students issue suspensions to each other, which teachers would sign. "Children should not have the power over other children," Sandra explained. "Nine and 10-year-olds shouldn't be giving out suspensions. Kids can be mean."

As a result, she is facing a possible jail sentence for "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" and claims to have been harassed severely by school officials.

For example, the California Child Protective Service investigated the family based on a complaint filed by the son's former principal. The complaint alleged that Sorensen did not provide proper medical attention for her son's diagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. A standard treatment recommended by public schools is the powerful and controversial drug, Ritalin. The CPS investigator found the allegations to be unfounded.

Despite such risks, parents seem more likely than ever before to remove their children from "the system." With reports of homeschooled children outperforming those educated by government schools in national spelling bees and on some tests, parents who would never resist authority in any other area seem willing to step forward for the sake of their children's well-being.

Perhaps Marshall Fritz is correct in believing that Dobson's statements could signal the beginning of a revolution.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Bump to leaving government schools.

[EdReform]

"I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education."

And let's end the National Education Association's involvement in education:

Let's Help Nail the Teachers Unions -- It is National FReep Time

[firewalk]

BTTT

[tdadams]

There was a time when it seemed like complaints of public schools indoctrinating kids with politically correct and pro-government ideology was serious tinfoil hat stuff. Now, it seems like anyone who doesn't think that's exactly what public schools are doing, by design, is tragicaly naive.

[Maceman]

Are Parents Boycotting Public Schools?

This one is.

[TomSmedley]

I support the "John Galt" approach to reforming public education.

[BallandPowder]

Powder..Patch..Ball FIRE!
BUMP!

[wwjdn]

When God has no place in Education and a theory (evolution) which has never been proven is considered "sacred", then yes, it's time to keep our children away. As long as hate groups like NEA and GLSEN, to name two, run our schools we will continue to boycott.

[Marie Antoinette]

YES.

[ICE-FLYER]

I have personally boycotted public schools for over 20 years now. The reason I started was due to the fact that I had a terrible time learning because the public school system of Massachusetts failed to educate me with their one-size-fits-all-condition style.

It was not until my parents, at great personal cost, sent me to a small private christian school tat I learned how to learn. They could not afford it for more than one year and I went back to the public indoctrination centers and thus the grades fell and my abilities declined.

I finally broke free from the bondage of unionized government indoctrination and learned how to learn on my own, put myslef through college and am still paying for the 29,000 in loans I took to do it. I was poverty and off my parents taxes for over 5 years but was, in the end, too white and too male for government assistance.

Ever since graduating from university I have been totally against ever sending my children to any public institution run by the government where they will be conditioned to their version of a citizen. Where the social construct is government-nanny based and where individual acheivement is played down to the point of "why even bother." I would never be accepting of a place where my input is not only rejected but fought. Where my children will be forcefully taught and required to accept contrary values to their religion and culture. Where incorrect is "not too bad at all" and absolutes do not exist.

No, not for my children except in my death and I have no ability to say, they shall never be institutionalized like that. We did private school and recognized that even that had its problems, one of classroom size and divided attention. It was a great improvement over any form of public school and they did learn in a qualitative manner, but the problem was the long day to do so, the transportation and a few otherwise small issues.

We now home school. We are amazed that we did not do this earlier. Our 2 older children are leaps and bounds ahead of any public school peer and eve ahead of many private school peers as well. The oldest in 2nd grade outshines most in reading, reasoning, critical thinking, and language arts. The 2nd child went through kindergarten and 1st grade in a single year and begs for more. They love learning and their passion for it is being passed on to the third child who is now in the mix though only 4 years old. They have done major science projects that they would not do until 5th or 6th grade in public school and they understand it. They read and write poetry. They eagerly stand up in front of an audiance and sing with their home school choral groups and have learned instruments as well. They do group outings, travel with mom and dad to exciting places to learn while their public school students sit in class rooms and get the state version of how the world ought to be.

I do not put down th emany in public scholl doing their best to make the best of it all. There are actually many fine teachers and administrators in the country that work hard and have nothing but tied hands everytime they strive to make it better. Some of them win important battles. However, until the state no longer controls and the leftists socialists utopian liberal unions have no power, the only thing that public schoosl will produce with great efficiency is misery and failure on a large scale.

Take your kids out of school. If you can't, I understand and am the type of person that stands with you at the school board meetings to fight for a better school. After all, I may home school and have none of my children in the states hands, but until they stop confiscating money from me to pay for students they do not have in their system, they will hear from me. I am not going away.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Homeschool, Homeschool, Rah Rah Rah:)

Becky

[Jay W]

There was a time when it seemed like complaints of public schools indoctrinating kids with politically correct and pro-government ideology was serious tinfoil hat stuff.

I don't know why it ever "seemed" that way to you. It was never "tin-foil hat stuff." Those of us who've been following the unfolding tragedy and horror of the government school system for years have been well aware of what's going on in there for a long time.

I guess the good news is that you are one more person who finally has awakened to the deep cultural sickness of the government schools.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Here are links to various education threads (also containing numerous helpful links)

FReegards

History of America's Education Part 2: Noah Webster and Early America
Source: Sierra Times; Published: March 27, 2002;
Author: April Shenandoah

How Communist is Public Education?
Source: sierratimes.com; Published:March 22, 2002;
Author: Chuck Morse

History of America's Education Part 1: Johnny is in trouble
Source: Sierra Times; Published: March 20, 2002 ;
Author: April Shenandoah

Audit rips Georgia schools' curriculum
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Published: March 11, 2002;
Author:JAMES SALZER

Why schools fail: Samuel Blumenfeld warns Bush's education legislation is ineffective
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: March 2, 2002;
Author: Samuel Blumenfeld

Public School Isn't Like I Remember It
Too Good Reports; Published: February 28, 2002;
Author: Phyllis Schlafly

What Is Lacking In Our Educational System
Source: Too Good Reports; Published: February 28, 2002;
Author:| Ben Cerruti

The charade of education reform
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: February 2, 2002;
Author: Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld

American public schools: Working just as designed
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: January 21, 2002;
Author: Vox Day

High Schools Fail Thanks To Grade Inflation And Social Promotion
Source: Toogood Reports; Published: December 5, 2001
Author: Vin Suprynowicz

WHY AMERICANS CAN’T READ
Source: Accuracy in Media; Published: December 4, 2001
Author: Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid

The Failing Teacher and the Teachers' Code of Silence
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: December 3, 2001
Author: Glenn Sacks

Time for outrage! Linda Bowles reports latest results in America's public schools
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: November 27, 2001
Author: Linda Bowles

Illiterate in Boston: Samuel Blumenfeld explains U.S.'s ongoing reading problem
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: July 20, 2001
Author:Samuel Blumenfeld

NEA - Let our children go!
Source: WorldNet Daily; Published: June 23. 2001
Author: Linda Harvey

COOKING THE BOOKS AT EDUCATION
Source: Accuracy In Media; Published: June 5, 2001;
Author: Cliff Kincaid

Why Do Schools Play Games With Students' Minds ?
Source: The Detroit News; Published: April 1, 2001
Author: Thomas Sowell

The Public School Nightmare: Why fix a system designed to destroy individual thought?
Source: http://home.talkcity.com/LibraryDr/patt/homeschl.htm
Author: John Taylor Gatto

Dumbing down teachers
Source: USNews.com; Published: February 21, 2001
Author: John Leo

Free Republic links to education related articles (thread#8)
Source: Free Republic; Published: 3-20-2001
Author: Various

Are children deliberately 'dumbed down' in school? {YES!!!}
Source: World Net Daily; Published: May 13, 2001
Author: Geoff Metcalf {Interview}

Could they really have done it on purpose?
Source: THE LIBERTARIAN; Published: 07/28/2000
Author: Vin Suprynowicz

New Book Explores America's Education Catastrophe
Source: Christian Citizen USA; Published: April 2000
Author: William H. Wild

Deliberately dumbing us down (Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt's, "The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America"
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: December 2,1999
Author: Samuel L. Blumenfeld

Deconstructing the Western Mind: Gramscian-Marxist Subversion of Faith and Education
Source: www.petersnet; Published: Winter 1997
Author: Frank Morriss

Littleton Crisis to Government Control

The UN Plan for Your Mental Health

[jlogajan]

Wendy McElroy = long time Libertarian.
Marshall Fritz = long time Libertarian.

[Semi Civil Servant]

The public schools cannot be changed. People have been trying to change the schools for 50 years. It can't be done. Period.

Trying to get phonics in the schools? If you succeed, I guarantee the program will be undermined within two years. Another stealth version of the completely discredited "see-say" method will be quietly introduced. "See-say" has never worked, will never work, and can never work. So why do schools refuse to teach?

1. The teachers are trained at teacher colleges that are very similar throughout the country. Unlike any other profession, teachers are indoctrinated to believe the same things nation wide. There are "rebels", but a large majority of teachers mouth the same pathetic platitudes across the nation. Teachers are not taught how to teach. They are taught how to make the "learning experience" meaningful and uplifting to the student. They are taught how to help students "feel good". They are taught how to indoctrinate their students into liberalism. It's all crap. Deeply engrained crap. The average teacher is delusional about the teaching profession. (I know there are exceptions.)

Read the whole sorry story in Richard Mitchell's "The Graves of Academe", a book that will convince you to just give up on "reforming" the schools -- the complete version is on the web.

2. The administrators are people who hate to teach. But they share the same delusions about "teaching" as the teachers since they also were indoctrinated at the teacher colleges.

3. School district officials have infinite resources to use against would-be reformers and they have no scrupples against lying about what goes on in a classroom. They have an infinite supply of promises they have no intention of keeping.

There is no such thing as public school reform. Parents who want educated children need to figure out how to homeschool or to send their kids to private school. Period.

Public schools: opt out is the only option.

[Capt.YankeeMike]

I have boycotted since 1978. I have never set foot in a public school since, and my two sons, now in 1st and 3rd grade respectively, have never seen the inside of a public scrool classroom, and God willing, they will never have to! Private Christian School Bump. (Its less than $500.00 month for BOTH of them, so dont tell me its too expensive!) whats more important, your kids or that shiny new car in the driveway????

[cruiserman]

Perhaps Marshall Fritz is correct in believing that Dobson's statements could signal the beginning of a revolution.

Hardly the beginning.

[tdadams]

I don't know why it ever "seemed" that way to you.

Because I'm talking about 10 or 15 years ago, when the indoctrination wasn't nearly so pervasive, adamant, and conspicuous. That has only developed in the last 10 years.

[Mike Fieschko]

Wendy McElroy = long time Libertarian.

Who has the gall to quote James Dobson.

See McElroy's A Feminist Defense of Pornography in the Council for Secular Humanism's web site.

Quoting McElroy: "'Pornography benefits women, both personally and politically.' This sentence opens my book XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography, and it constitutes a more extreme defense of pornography than most feminists are comfortable with. I arrived at this position after years of interviewing hundreds of sex workers."