Comments on: Testing the Homeschooling System http://www.showmedaily.org/2009/07/testing-the-homeschooling.html Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Thu, 24 May 2012 00:36:33 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Susan Smith http://www.showmedaily.org/2009/07/testing-the-homeschooling.html/comment-page-1#comment-3399 Susan Smith Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:32:46 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=5769#comment-3399 Just a couple of days ago, a case was decided in New Hampshire over the educational decisions of the daughter of a divorced couple. They had a custody arrangement with the court that involved a court appointed mediator to step in when the parents could not come to a decision on an issue regarding their child. In this case, the father wanted his daughter to go to PS even though she had been homeschooled by her mother for years and was doing very well. The mediator felt that the child was too staunch in her religious beliefs and that she needed to be exposed to other ideas. The court ruled that the girl had to attend public school. You see, situations like this will provide precedent for other homeschooling families who end up in court for whatever reason. Now, this really frightens me because it had nothing to do with her academic achievement or her social disposition as she was described as well-rounded by other teachers that she had. It had only to do with her religious convictions and the judge came to the conclusion that the girl spent too much time with her mother. Wow. Just a couple of days ago, a case was decided in New Hampshire over the educational decisions of the daughter of a divorced couple. They had a custody arrangement with the court that involved a court appointed mediator to step in when the parents could not come to a decision on an issue regarding their child. In this case, the father wanted his daughter to go to PS even though she had been homeschooled by her mother for years and was doing very well. The mediator felt that the child was too staunch in her religious beliefs and that she needed to be exposed to other ideas. The court ruled that the girl had to attend public school. You see, situations like this will provide precedent for other homeschooling families who end up in court for whatever reason. Now, this really frightens me because it had nothing to do with her academic achievement or her social disposition as she was described as well-rounded by other teachers that she had. It had only to do with her religious convictions and the judge came to the conclusion that the girl spent too much time with her mother. Wow.

]]> By: Summer http://www.showmedaily.org/2009/07/testing-the-homeschooling.html/comment-page-1#comment-3070 Summer Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:56:23 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=5769#comment-3070 I have to agree with Sarah above. This is a simple divorce case and will have little to do with the homeschooling laws in Missouri. I have to agree with Sarah above. This is a simple divorce case and will have little to do with the homeschooling laws in Missouri.

]]> By: Sarah Brodsky http://www.showmedaily.org/2009/07/testing-the-homeschooling.html/comment-page-1#comment-3061 Sarah Brodsky Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:55:31 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=5769#comment-3061 To me, this case looks more like a typical divorce battle and not a test of Missouri's homeschool policy. (I'm not sure what you mean by "system," since homeschoolers are free to do their own thing and aren't necessarily organized, except when they voluntarily work together.) If one parent wanted the kids in private school and the other wanted them in public school, we wouldn't call that a test of private education, just a disagreement between the parents. I don't mean to dismiss the threats to homeschooling that are out there, but I think we should focus on policy issues that affect everyone rather than on conflicts within families. The Home School Legal Defense Association is wise not to get involved in divorce cases. I would be more alarmed if courts always sided with the parent who opposes homeschooling. I don't think that happens in homeschool-friendly states, though. To me, this case looks more like a typical divorce battle and not a test of Missouri’s homeschool policy. (I’m not sure what you mean by “system,” since homeschoolers are free to do their own thing and aren’t necessarily organized, except when they voluntarily work together.) If one parent wanted the kids in private school and the other wanted them in public school, we wouldn’t call that a test of private education, just a disagreement between the parents.

I don’t mean to dismiss the threats to homeschooling that are out there, but I think we should focus on policy issues that affect everyone rather than on conflicts within families. The Home School Legal Defense Association is wise not to get involved in divorce cases.

I would be more alarmed if courts always sided with the parent who opposes homeschooling. I don’t think that happens in homeschool-friendly states, though.

]]> By: Joe Nonnenkamp http://www.showmedaily.org/2009/07/testing-the-homeschooling.html/comment-page-1#comment-3060 Joe Nonnenkamp Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:33:00 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=5769#comment-3060 Homeschooling does not fit into the government's Prussian education system to indoctrinate children and make them good little products of the state. That's why they don't like it. This should come as no suprise. Homeschooling does not fit into the government’s Prussian education system to indoctrinate children and make them good little products of the state. That’s why they don’t like it. This should come as no suprise.

]]>