<p>@romanigypsyeyes: If the parents belive that other religions are wrong, and that beliving them would harm the child, then I would not expect the parents to “throw them to the wolves” at an age where they really aren’t old enough to judge things for themselves.</p>
<p>^ You’re right. It’s best to shelter them from reality and let them grow up in a bubble.</p>
<p>^Ahem. There is a chance that “reality” is the worldview the parents are teaching and the other views are wrong. In which case parents are certainly responsible for teaching their kids the truth.</p>
<p>^ Truth is irrelevant. The TRUTH is that they will encounter others with vastly different viewpoints when they leave the nest. Sheltering them from these is DEFINITELY the best way to prepare children for the world :rolleyes:</p>
<p>^ Naturally if parents do a bad job preparing their children for life, then the children will not be well prepared. That has nothing to do with public school vs homeschool. I will agree that a poor homeschool education is worse than an exellent public school one. One of the things a parent needs to do is make sure their kids are aware of others’ viewpoints.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This pretty much explains why I’m anti-religious. There. I admit it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Those parents, hypothetical I’m sure, sound quite paranoid and out of touch with reality.</p>
<p>^Why? Do you think the number of pregnant teenage girls is a good thing? How about the drug problam? How about the shocking lack of a basic understanding of history? Is the current average public school kid really your ideal of exellence?</p>
<p>^ Because those with religious parents NEVER have pregnant teenagers or druggies. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Guess what? That is REALITY. Can’t hide from it forever. </p>
<p>And you have a very poor vision of most public schools. There are a minority of kids that are pregnant and/or use drugs, but guess what? You have the CHOICE not to hang out with them.</p>
<p>^ If REALITY was that people are never going to stop polluting until the planet dies, would that be a reason to join in? I’m pretty sure that statistically kids in average christian homeschool programs are less likely to have any of those problems than kids in an average public school. But regardless, I know from experience that homeschooling can and often does have a positive effect on a person. I think it is a parents right to do what is best for their children.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Wait, so these are direct consequences of interaction with people of other religions?</p>
<p>Or was this just a non-sequitur?</p>
<p>^ Not different religions, but different morals, yes.</p>
<p>^Yeah, this is like Keith Moon blowing up his drums.</p>
<p>Mosby, thanks for showing us exactly what’s wrong with homeschooling. You’ve been a big help for my side of the argument :D.</p>
<p>Ok, you’re welcome! I’ll get back with you in 30 years and see who is happier.</p>
<p>Oh and Mosby of course those kids are less likely to do those things- it’s what naturally happens when you’re kept in a bubble. Now see what happens when those kids go to college- they don’t know how to handle things and go wild (many do). Unless of course mom and dad make you go to the local CC so you can never leave home.</p>
<p>Mosby, I’m very happy with life. I’m 19, engaged, in honors classes, high GPA in college, going to study abroad this summer, run a charity organization, an amazing group of friends, a wonderful job, a wonderful internship waiting for me, etc. I don’t foresee my life being worse than anyone else’s in 30 years.</p>
<p>Good for you. As long as nobody outlaws homeschooling I’ll be happy as well.</p>
<p>No one on here has suggested that.</p>
<p>I’m “Homeschoolingmom’s” 16-year-old daughter. I attended a private school until the 5th grade, was homeschooled ever since, and am now attending college as a dual-enrollment student. I’d like to share some of my experiences.</p>
<p>In May 2007 I competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. A multitude of different religions, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds were represented and the level of competition has been described in newspaper articles as “brutal”. Isn’t is sad how homeschoolers are sheltered from diversity and never exposed to healthy academic competition that is to be found within the highschool classroom?</p>
<p>In November 2007 I travelled to China with my family to adopt my little sister. Obviously, homeschoolers are always stuck at home and never experience other cultures. Let’s put them into a classroom with a bunch of kids the same age, from the same town, learning (or not) the same things, so they can learn to interact with a diverse population.</p>
<p>In Januray of 2008 I trailered my horse to MI State U vet hospital in the desperate hope that the vets could save my horse’s eye, which had been severely injured and diagnosed with retinal detachment, which results in permanent blindness. Apparently homeschoolers never learn to cope with stressful situations.</p>
<p>In fall of 2009 I began my first online college class at Cedarville University, which I passed with a GPA of 4.0. It’s heartrending to watch highschoolers that could be getting a perfectly good education in a public school flounder in a homeschooling environment.</p>
<p>In January of 2010 I began my first on-campus college class at a local university. Isn’t it unfortunate how homeschoolers are unprepared for a college environment?</p>
<p>Around the same time I became president of the local chapter of the Homeschool Honor Society. Obviously homeschoolers are never challenged or encouraged to fulfill their potential.</p>
<p>In February of 2010 I travelled to a foreign country without my parents or any other member of my family. I went to Costa Rica for a 10-day mission trip for the purpose of constructing a Christian school there, and I also spent several days tutoring English to struggling students. Socialization for homeschoolers? Exposure to diversity? No way.</p>
<p>Hopefully by now you can see my point. It never ceases to amaze me how people can assume that students receive a better education, more exposure to diversity, develop better stress-management skills and independence, are better prepared for college life, receive better social interaction, etc., when they’re stuck in a classroom with other students the same age and have their schedule dictated to them by a teacher every day. </p>
<p>By the way, I’ve been told that sarcasm is one of my most endearing qualities. : )</p>