Those Darn Home-schoolers

Don't think that you are making a difference as a home-school family? Or perhaps you don't think you can. Here I have posted an email that I received from a fellow soldier. After you read it you may change your mind, and maybe even smile.

> SONNY SCOTT:Home-schoolers threaten our cultural comfort

6/8/2008 9:39:01 AM> Daily Journal

You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store.> > It's a big family by today's standards - "just> like stair steps," as the old> folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair> and girls with> braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom> through the store as> she fills her no-frills shopping list.> > There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no> threats from mom. The> older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about> her task. > > You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children> being home> schooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their> reputation for> academic achievement has caused colleges to begin> aggressively recruiting> them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are> conservatively> estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high> as $9 billion.> When you consider that these families pay taxes to support> public schools,> but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the> public.> > Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the> norm, and are> more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are> many and varied.> Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse> speech, suggestive> behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular> schools. Others are> concerned for their children's safety. Some want their> children to be> challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public> schools. Concern> for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement.> > Indications are that home schooling is working well for the> kids, and the> parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is> coming under> increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in> California. > > Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?> > Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable> around the home> schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around> the teetotaler. > > Their very existence represents a rejection of our values,> and an indictment> of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render> unto Caesar the> things that Caesar's be, but they draw the line at> their children. Those of> us who have put our trust in the secular state (and> effectively surrendered> our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a> rejection of our> values, and we reject them in return. > > Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of> the king upon> the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state's> bureaucrats on these> "trouble makers." Their implicit rejection of> America's most venerated idol,> Materialism, (a.k.a. "Individualism") spurs us to> heat the furnace and feed> the lions.> > Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to> day care and day> school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The> rationalizations begin. "A> family just can't make it on one income." (Our> parents did.) "It just costs> so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy> brand-name clothing,> pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend> half the cost of> a house on the daughter's wedding, it does.) And so,> the decision is made.> We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children,> as well as the> formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to> strangers. We> compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a> van to carry them> to Little League, a 2,800-square-foot house, an ATV, a> zero-turn Cub Cadet,> and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And> most> significantly, we claim "our right" to pursue a> career for our own > "self-fulfillment."> > Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten> its seed corn. We> lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the> hope of> something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are> tired from working> extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our> 401k's. Credit cards> are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban.> Now the kid is> raising hell again, demanding the latest Play Station as> his price for doing> his school work . and there goes that modest young woman in> the home-made> dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled> children in tow.> Wouldn't you just love to wipe that serene look right> off her smug face?> > Is it any wonder we hate her so?> > Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in> Chickasaw County> and his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com. > > Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily> Journal, 6/8/2008,> section 0 , page 0