where, oh where

Where do people get the fucked up ideas that they have about homeschooling? We have to accept, to some degree, that the fundys have set a pretty bad example of who we are. People too often see the stereotype, the exclusionary tactics of certain people who make statements to the effect that the schools are anti christian, that their children are not allowed to pray or proselytize. They freak out that god is being taken out of the classroom because some of us don't want to pledge "under god" when reciting the pledge of allegiance.

Yes, these few out of many are the ones that get to describe homeschooling. Though so many of us know that this is not what homeschooling really represents, we are still doomed by our undesired representatives.

There should be some way that we can proclaim ourselves to be different, but we end up painted by this christ colored brush all too often. We may not like it, and we may differ greatly in our reasons to homeschool, but too many people hear that single word, homeschool, and they immediately assume all sorts of things about us.

I don't feel like posting the same old post about how it just ain't that way. I shouldn't have to describe all the ways we are different, all the ways that we know exactly what we are doing. I have read enough posts to know that we are not in the minority, yet I look around and find that we are being referenced as this when we are really that.

I'm a fairly anti public school person. I have any number of issues with the beast, and I'm generally happy to rant about the situation. I have pretty much zero experience with public schools having attended the same little christian school all the years I was in school. Momma has plenty of horror stories about her years in the system, and I can easily use Google to find any number of horror stories that back up our decision.

I know that part of the problem is the blanket statements. I know that one single option is never right for all people and families. I know that not all public schools are evil places. I also know the amount of work I'm willing to do for my kids as opposed to the amount of work I'm not willing to do in regard to the public school system in terms of reteaching my kids. If I'm going to have to do the work anyway, I'll just keep them at home and do it right the first time.

What it comes down to is that I'm not willing for them to have my kids. Plenty of kids will leave the system after twelfth grade with a fair education and without having been bullied and misled. Plenty of kids will get a fine education from the system. My kids won't be among those, though they will end up just fine, well educated and well adjusted.

It all ends at the same conclusion. I love my kids and respect their ability to learn. I want them to grow up to be open minded and caring. I want them to develop into who they are as opposed to ending up a clone of their age peers. I want them to learn certain things when they are at an appropriate point in their lives. I want them to learn the truth about certain things that schools, no matter how good particular school systems may be, will never be able to teach well.