Kids less likely to graduate HS than parents (1 in 4 dropping out)

You are absolutely correct. I think if you look at real stats, the graduation rate among certain populations is lower, but heck, the demographics in the US have changed dramatically in the recent past. And as you said, it’s not PC to mention exactly whose NOT graduating. We are gong to PC ourselves into oblivion.

My state, and many others according to my newspaper, are going to insist that all students in the public schools take Algebra I, II, geometry, chemistry and physics. They also plan to raise the school leaving age to 17 or 18. It’s laughable. They think they’re going to stop kids from dropping out. Kids will drop out regardless of the legal age if they are bored, can’t do he work, can do the work but don’t feel like it because it holds no interest, can’t take the indoctrination, or any one of a million reasons — but that’s another story. I’m sure many will wonder why they should break their backs taking such courses in high school and in college when they see their parents’ jobs go overseas and foreigners come into this country on visas to take those jobs for less pay.

Masons, electricians, plumbers — those jobs can’t be transmitted over a telephone wire.

P.S. I have never understood this fascination with prom, as if a child’s childhood will be demented if he doesn’t attend prom. Please. Parents should watch a little MTV or similar to find out what “prom” today actually entails. Such as the movie where the plot line was “should I lose my virginity on prom night or not, my date is not very cute?” I’m not busting on you, meandog, just sayin’, wow, let’s get some perspective on what’s important and what’s shallow in childhood. Besides, there are plenty of “proms” set up for homeschoolers. They usually include all the regular stuff except for the sex, drugs, booze, drunk driving, $1000 dresses and limos, trashed hotel rooms and unintended pregnancies.

Aw, come on, JAG. I'm not saying homeschooling is the ogre of social education but it isn't the oyster either. What teenage beauty doesn't want to be "Homecoming Queen; what H.S. athlete doesn't want to score the winning 3-pointer at the basket against the hometown rival? There are pluses and minuses. I'm a school advocate (private school preferably) where kids also can socially interact but I don't necessarily put down every homeschool experiment. There IS curricula that is extremely applicable to the homeschooled kid, however not every parent makes a great homeschool teacher because there are plenty of horror stories where homeschooling has failed to go along with the many successes cited. I'm just saying it depends upon the circumstances.

I will predict with much sadness that homeschooling will be much frowned upon in the coming Obama presidency (thanks, primarily, to George Bush) and perhaps its days are numbered (as parents will be arrested and fined for breaking public school truancy laws just as they will be for failing to purchase child health care insurance).

And, what are “parents” anyways? That implies a husband and wife. How many families actually consist of such an outdated notion?

Depends on where you live. We were at a birthday party for a friend's son last night. All of the families there were the traditional married mom and dad model- and this is in DC.