I got into a big-little fight-discussion with a good friend yesterday. He claimed that homeschooling yielded kids who aren't properly socialized; it makes for kids who are indoctrinated into religion without having to think, and that it makes for really bad public speakers. .... Well, Touché.
So I've thought through most of these points because the first two are what I normally get hit with from nay-sayers. "Aren't you worried about them socializing?" And I normally say something snarky like, "Yes, I am very worried about them socializing, that's why they are at home."
I wanted to come up with something original to say about my thoughts on this, but I kept coming back to a quote by Mencken. Henry. L. Mencken was one of the most influential journalists in America in the '20s and '30s. He was a bit acerbic; he attacked chiropractors (of all people...?) the KKK, politicians and other journalists. Most of all, he attacked Puritan morality, calling them a religious people who have "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy." And if that doesn't make you snicker, you have no sense of humour. He was by no means a Christian, but I read his quote several years ago, when I was running from this homeschool idea, and couldn't shake it:
I realize Mencken sounds super snide - that was really his schtick - but if we really believe that an education can be doled out by a humanist, secular government without its values informing that education, I fear we are deluded. All education has an agenda and I am not sure that good public speaking is on the board's list of priorities anyway. They are really busy teaching 'the new math' and sex ed.
Here are some photos of Essy's day at forest co-op. I don't know if they did much public speaking or if they were heavily indoctrinated, but they were definitely enraptured: "The heavens declare the glory of God."
So I've thought through most of these points because the first two are what I normally get hit with from nay-sayers. "Aren't you worried about them socializing?" And I normally say something snarky like, "Yes, I am very worried about them socializing, that's why they are at home."
I wanted to come up with something original to say about my thoughts on this, but I kept coming back to a quote by Mencken. Henry. L. Mencken was one of the most influential journalists in America in the '20s and '30s. He was a bit acerbic; he attacked chiropractors (of all people...?) the KKK, politicians and other journalists. Most of all, he attacked Puritan morality, calling them a religious people who have "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy." And if that doesn't make you snicker, you have no sense of humour. He was by no means a Christian, but I read his quote several years ago, when I was running from this homeschool idea, and couldn't shake it:
I realize Mencken sounds super snide - that was really his schtick - but if we really believe that an education can be doled out by a humanist, secular government without its values informing that education, I fear we are deluded. All education has an agenda and I am not sure that good public speaking is on the board's list of priorities anyway. They are really busy teaching 'the new math' and sex ed.
Here are some photos of Essy's day at forest co-op. I don't know if they did much public speaking or if they were heavily indoctrinated, but they were definitely enraptured: "The heavens declare the glory of God."
