To Public School or Home School....

I might not have a voice here since I don't have kids and only attended public school for two years because I went to a private school the other 10 but...

My view of children who are home schooled and the parents who home school are outcasts, social rejects or are incapable of dealing with the real world. I had a friend, my next door neighbor who was home schooled. She was home schooled because she was a Jehovah's Witness. If you don't know much about the Jehovah's Witness religion, some would liken it to a cult. Witnesses don't celebrate any holidays including their own birthdays, don't salute the flag, they don't take or give blood, if you marry someone outside of the Witness circle you are removed from the congregation and I don't think they are allowed in any other religious buildings other than their Kingdom Halls. I have known my friend for over 30 years and even now when I see her she asks if I want to have a Bible study and because I am not married she will inquire of my sex life, because premarital sex is a no-no as well. But you get the idea right? She was a little weird because of her religion so she was home schooled which in turn made her a bit of a social reject. She married at 18 years old to man in her congregation and then she had an extra marital affair with her father in law (not a witness) who was 40 years her senior. She later married him, had a kid who is also home schooled. She was kicked out of her congregation because of the affair but "studied" so she could return to it and also "turned" her husband onto the ways of the Witness religion. Beyond me, she has no friends or outside life that involves non-Witnesses. Never had a real job. I believe she makes crafts and cleans houses (not that either of those are any less important). My point is, if she had been left in a "real" school her circumstances would have possibly been different.

I have noticed that home schooling parents are odd birds to begin with ie. the Duggars. The mother almost always dons an outdated hairstyle. The dad is never cool or hip. There is an over crazed view of religion. The kids themselves look unkempt. But none of that matters, really. By the way, the last time I saw my friend, she had hair clips all over her hair. Those hair clips are not intended for women her age...she is older than I.

I support public schools 100%. The teachers are trained in education where they have earned their teaching certificate. Children in public schools learn to interact socially in a diverse setting. Structure and goals are set and met daily. Some pose the statement that public schools aren't safe. The safety that is spoken of usually refers to Columbine or any other school shooting. How man public schools are in the USA - 125,000? That would equal 2500 schools per state. Out of those 125,000 public schools how many Columbine incidents are you aware of? 10? 15? While I realize that one incident is far too many the ratio speaks for itself. No place is immune to anyone walking in and unloading bullets - banks, churches, convenience stores, homes, sidewalks have all seen their share of fatalities. Again, you can't protect someone from everything even when your best intentions are in place.

Home schooling to me seems like no schooling. It is the parent's job to teach values, morals and life's lessons. It is the public teachers job to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, history, physical education and some more life lessons.

If you home school there are no proms, no sports, no SGA elections, no Valedictorians, no senior class trip, no high school sweethearts, no awful cafeteria food and no chance for making life long friends beginning in the first grade. What girl doesn't want to attend her high school prom or be voted for homecoming queen? What boy doesn't dream of being the star athlete or being a voice of the SGA?

Yes, I rambled and I am proud of it.