Blacks turn to home-schooling

The Washington Times ^ | February 9, 2003 | Ellen Sorokin

[xsysmgr]

An increasing number of black families nationwide are choosing to home-school their children as they become fed up with what they call the country's "inadequate" public school system.

Blacks now make up nearly 5 percent of the estimated 1.7 million children who were home-schooled last year, according to estimates by the National Home Educators Research Institute in Oregon, a non-profit organization devoted to research on home-based education.

[RepubMommy]

If it works, more power to them. It shows that if they are not happy with the current situation, they are taking matters into their own hands to change the outcome rather then stating the race factor is the culprit.

[Fzob]

This is great news.

It will also bring increased pressure on all home-schoolers. Having blacks leave the liberal plantation in increasing numbers will only be permitted for so long and the anointed will figure out new ways to make it illegal for parents to educate their children as they seem fit.

[mhking]

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[ladylib]

I don't believe that is going to be the case. Homeschool families are very vocal about their rights (they also vote) and they make sure their elected officials know exactly how they feel.

HSLDA.org does a very good job of rebuffing dangerous homeschooling legislation.

One assemblywoman in Kentucky who constantly proposed insulting and dangerous homeschooling legislation found out the hard way.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

You are right about that...some way the the public school honchos will find a way to criminalize home schooling.

I think, more important than vouchers, there needs to be legislation to protect home schooling...to keep it out of the clutches of government.

One way the home schoolers are making it tougher for the public school facists.....they are setting up something like "co-op's" where home school educators combine in groups and set up, basically, their own private school. Through this set up.....they can also have more variety of classes..and even hire teachers to teach subjects the home school teachers may not be as efficient in.

Good to see black families finally realizing how bad public schools are

[ClearCase_guy]

Wow. I bet these families would really like vouchers to help them in their efforts. Do they know that the Democrats will never support vouchers? Hope these families vote Republican.

[ladylib]

There was a representative of the federal government's DOE in Newark, NJ, last week who basically told Newark school officials to straighten out their mess or there would be vouchers in their future.

Public schools are going to go through a chaotic time in the next few years because they are going to have to reach a certain standard (and some say it's an unfair standard, especially in regard to special education students). If they don't reach those standards the school can be privatized, closed, or turned into a charter school. But make no mistake about it, vouchers will definitely loom in the picture if nothing else works.

The federal government is not fooling around, and it's starting to dawn on public school officials who think that they can use any excuse to circumvent the law that it won't be tolerated.

[ClearCase_guy]

they are going to have to reach a certain standard (and some say it's an unfair standard, especially in regard to special education students).

Of course, it's a whole other topic, but I disagree with the entire "mainstreaming" movement. Either a kid can function in a school (and does not make it harder for the school to reach a mandated standard), or else the kid needs to go to a special institution. I do not oppose (some) government funding for schools for these children.

[ladylib]

I believe states who accept federal money are required to educate special ed kids. In my state, the state requires it. The state also pays for the education of kids who have been expelled.

In NJ, we have many private schools which are paid for by the public school district for those who can't function in a public school classroom.

A friend of my brother's has a Downs Syndrom child who was not getting help in his classroom. The mother threatened to put him in a private school paid for by the district. The public school was still unhelpful. So, guess what? The taxpayer is paying for his education in this private school and the cost is WAY over what is alloted to a public school student.

[mhking]

D'oh! Wrong list first time; sorry! (I'm just now drinking my first cuppa joe!)

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[petuniasevan]

And I had just freepmailed you about that... ;-D

[eno_]

We will inevitably see scare stories about black separatists, etc. homeschooling their kids. Don't worry. Even the most loony parents could do no worse than the inner-city schools.

[FreedomPoster]

There was a story on this exact topic in the last month, from the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, that was posted here on FreeRepublic. Perhaps someone can produce a link.

[A_perfect_lady]

BUMP! This is AWESOME. I can't wait to bring this up in my EDUC 311 School & Society class next Tuesday night. (Also known as "The Commie Class")

[xJones]

This is such good news. Let's see a black home-schooled kid make 1600 on the SAT and win the national spelling bee. Motivated parents working within all the national home-schooling movement are the best, followed only by private schools. Inner-city public schools are the pits of hell and no child has a chance. Go home schoolers!

[ladylib]

Not all inner-city schools are the pits of hell. A couple of schools in Paterson, NJ, did very well on their state-mandated tests, better than some suburban districts. Somebody is doing something right in those schools. It can be done.

[Balding_Eagle]

the anointed will figure out new ways to make it illegal for parents to educate their children as they seem fit.

Don't fear it, welcome it. It is exactly that type of situation which caused the colonists to form the United States way back in the 1700's.

Homeschooling parents are resourceful, and brave. The harder the anointeds push, the greater and more inventive the resistance will be from homeschoolers. I predict many good things will come from this 'trial by fire'.

[knarf]

"Public schools are going to go through a chaotic time in the next few years because they are going to have to reach a certain standard ... "

I disagree.

The standard was drawn up a long time ago (the 1920's and before, but the 20's is all I can account for) when America came under the more pronounced attack by the Socialists.

The public school system (note .. system) has developed programs (same note .. programs) to develope good little commies and they will not give that up.

A tax war is a brewin' and I relish the fight.

(Home school husband of the Ma'arm (my wife), schoolin' for 11 or 12 years)

Here in PA, property taxes are based in part on school enrolment.

[RWG]

5 percent of the estimated 1.7 million children who were home-schooled last year were black...so that means we need affirmative action in home schooling.