[Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Politics & Education

[Robert Skinner]

Yeah.  I did my time, loved it, and got 
out before the dream died - went into 
the business world to really fly...

And wound up teaching in that environment
as well.  I love to wake up minds.

/Robert
----------------------------------------
elle wrote:
> 
> Robert,
> 
> Reread previous post re: Utopia.
> 
> This is educational Utopia...oh, 'twere it true....I'd
> still be gnawing chalk....
> 
> elle
> 
> --- Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com> wrote:
> 
> > Brad, et al.
> >
> > I wound up teaching without any of the usual courses
> >
> > and certifications.  (Don't ask how this miracle
> > occurred.)  After sitting in on some of my
> > credentialed colleagues' classes, I came to regard
> > many of their methodologies as questionable or
> > outright
> > unproductive, as did some of the students who
> > brought
> > their concerns to me.  As a result, when I compare
> > the way teaching is handled in business vs. in the
> > public schools, I see the business model as clearly
> > superior to the PS model on many, if not most,
> > areas.
> >
> > The major differences (Robert's 3 "R"s):
> >
> > 1.  Responsibility - the student is responsible for
> > learning, and the teacher is responsible for
> > presenting material in a learnable structure.
> >
> > 2.  Respect - the teacher respects the student's
> > achievements, and the student respects the teacher's
> >
> > knowledge and effective presentation of it.
> >
> > 3.  Results - both teacher and student are working
> > toward making the student more effective in
> > practicing or using the art or science that is being
> >
> > conveyed.
> >
> > With luck, the discipline of the immediate subject
> > spills over into competencies in tangential areas of
> >
> > endeavor.
> >
> > Learning how to learn is at least as important as
> > mastering the specific topic at hand.
> >
> > /Robert
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------
> > Brad Haslett wrote:
> > >
> > > Home schooling is not my thing but a good number
> > of my co-workers home
> > > school.  Some do it for religious reasons but most
> > do it because they're fed
> > > up with the public school monopoly and don't want
> > to spend $10,000+ per
> > > child for private schools.  Most of their kids
> > have performed well on
> > > standardized tests and get into good colleges.
> > That won't be a choice if
> > > California gets their way.  What is it that makes
> > people want a government
> > > that controls every aspect of their lives?  I just
> > don't get it!  What is so
> > > special about a teaching credential?  Most
> > education textbooks are pure BS.
> > > Note that the LA Times goes heavy into the
> > religion aspect.  That's not the
> > > primary issue with most of the people I know who
> > home school.  Brad
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > >
> > > Ruling seen as a threat to many home-schooling
> > families State appellate
> > > court says those who teach children in private
> > must have a credential.
> > > By Seema Mehta and Mitchell Landsberg
> > > Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
> > >
> > > March 6, 2008
> > >
> > > Parents who lack teaching credentials cannot
> > educate their children at home,
> > > according to a state appellate court ruling that
> > is sending waves of fear
> > > through California's home schooling families.
> > >
> > > Advocates for the families vowed to appeal the
> > decision to the state Supreme
> > > Court. Enforcement until then appears unlikely,
> > but if the ruling stands,
> > > home-schooling supporters say California will have
> > the most regressive law
> > > in the nation.
> > >
> > > "This decision is a direct hit against every home
> > schooler in California,"
> > > said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice
> > Institute, which
> > > represents the Sunland Christian School, which
> > specializes in religious home
> > > schooling. "If the state Supreme Court does not
> > reverse this . . . there
> > > will be nothing to prevent home-school witch hunts
> > from being implemented in
> > > every corner of the state of California."
> > >
> > > The institute estimates there are as many as
> > 166,000 California students who
> > > are home schooled. State Department of Education
> > officials say there is no
> > > way to know the true number.
> > >
> > > Unlike at least 30 other states, home schooling is
> > not specifically
> > > addressed in California law. Under the state
> > education code, students must
> > > be enrolled in a public or private school, or can
> > be taught at home by a
> > > credentialed tutor.
> > >
> > > The California Department of Education currently
> > allows home schooling as
> > > long as parents file paperwork with the state
> > establishing themselves as
> > > small private schools, hire credentialed tutors or
> > enroll their children in
> > > independent study programs run by charter or
> > private schools or public
> > > school districts while still teaching at home.
> > >
> > > California does little to enforce those provisions
> > and insists it is the
> > > local school districts' responsibility. In
> > addition, state education
> > > officials say some parents home school their
> > children without the knowledge
> > > of any entity.
> > >
> > > Home schoolers and government officials have
> > largely accepted this murky
> > > arrangement.
> > >
> > > "This works so well, I don't see any reason to
> > change it," said J. Michael
> > > Smith, president of the Virginia-based Home School
> > Legal Defense Assn.
> > >
> > > The appellate court ruling stems from a case
> > involving Lynwood parents
> > > Phillip and Mary Long, who were repeatedly
> > referred to the Los Angeles
> > > County Department of Children and Family Services
> > over various allegations,
> > > including claims of physical abuse, involving some
> > of their eight children.
> > >
> > > All of the children are currently or had been
> > enrolled in Sunland Christian
> > > School, where they would occasionally take tests,
> > but were educated in their
> > > home by their mother, Phillip Long said.
> > >
> > > A lawyer appointed to represent two of the Long's
> > young children requested
> > > that the court require them to physically attend a
> > public or private school
> > > where adults could monitor their well-being. A
> > trial court disagreed, but
> > > the children's lawyer appealed to the 2nd District
> > Court of Appeal, which
> > > has jurisdiction over Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa
> > Barbara and San Luis
> > > Obispo counties.
> > >
> > > The appellate panel ruled that Sunland officials'
> > occasional monitoring of
> > > the Longs' home schooling -- with the children
> > taking some tests at the
> > > school -- is insufficient to qualify as being
> > enrolled in a private school.
> > > Since Mary Long does not have a teaching
> > credential, the family is violating
> > > state laws, the ruling said.
> > >
> > > "Parents do not have a constitutional right to
> > home school their children,"
> > > wrote Justice H. Walter Croskey in a Feb. 28
> > opinion signed by the two other
> > > members of the district court. "Parents who fail
> > to [comply with school
> > > enrollment laws] may be subject to a criminal
> > complaint against them, found
> > > guilty of an infraction, and subject to imposition
> > of fines or an order to
> > > complete a parent education and counseling
> > program."
> > >
> > > Phillip Long said he believes the ruling stems
> > from hostility against
> > > Christians and vowed to appeal to the state
> > Supreme Court.
> > >
> > > "I have sincerely held religious beliefs," he
> > said. "Public schools conflict
> > > with that. I have to go with what my conscience
> > requires me."
> > >
> > > Public schools teach such topics as evolution,
> > which Long said he doesn't
> > > believe in. He said his wife spends six hours each
> > day teaching their
> > > children reading, writing, math, science, health,
> > physical education, Bible
> > > and social studies. Court papers say Mary Long's
> > education ended at 11th
> > > grade.
> > >
> > > It's unclear if the ruling will be enforced, given
> > the likely appeals.
> > > Typically, these rulings take effect 30 days after
> > they are issued.
> > >
> > > Other organizations that plan to get involved
> > include the Pacific Justice
> > > Institute, Home School Legal Defense Assn. and the
> > Home School Assn. of
> > > California.
> > >
> > > Meanwhile, state Department of Education's
> > attorneys are reviewing the
> > > ruling.
> > >
> > > Teachers union officials will also be closely
> > monitoring the appeal. A.J.
> > > Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles,
> > said he agrees with the
> > > ruling.
> > >
> > > "What's best for a child is to be taught by a
> > credentialed teacher," he
> > > said.
> > >
> > > While many educators and officials remained
> > unfamiliar with the ruling
> > > Tuesday, news about it has been sweeping websites
> > and blogs devoted to home
> > > schooling. Organizations have been getting tense
> > phone calls from parents
> > > worried that they will be targeted.
> > >
> > > Families who home school includethose whose
> > religious beliefs conflict with
> > > public schools and those whose children are in the
> > entertainment industry or
> > > have other time-consuming activities that require
> > them to study at an
> > > individualized pace.
> > >
> > > Glenn and Kathleen, a Sacramento-area couple who
> > requested that their last
> > > name not be used for fear of prosecution, home
> > school their 9-year-old son
> > > Hunter because their Christian beliefs would be
> > contradicted in a public
> > > school setting, Glenn said. He is troubled by the
> > idea that his son would be
> > > exposed to teachings about evolution,
> > homosexuality, same-sex marriage and
> > > sex education .
> > >
> > > "I want to have control over what goes in my son's
> > head, not what's put in
> > > there by people who might be on the far left who
> > have their own ideas about
> > > indoctrinating kids," he said.
> > >
> > > If the ruling takes effect, Glenn vowed to move
> > his family out of state. "If
> > > I can't home school my son in California, we're
> > going to have to end up
> > > leaving California. That's how important it is to
> > me."
> > >
> > > seema.mehta at latimes.com
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> > www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> > --
> > Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven"
> > Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
> > s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> > www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> 
> We can't change the angle of the wind....but we can adjust our sails.
> 
>  1992 Rhodes 22   Recyc '06  "WaterMusic"   (Lady in Red)
> 
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-- 
Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven" 
Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."