Fundie Finishing School?

[GenerationCedarchip]

One of my childhood church friends (who is very fundie) sent me an email talking about how excited she was to start her 13 year old daughter on this curriculum:

www.homeschoolradioshows.com/FarAboveRubies/

I know they admit some science would have to be added to make this college prep-worthy, but even so I find it a little sad. Granted, I haven't read this thing, but from the description, it doesn't sound academically rigorous at all. It just looks like SAHD training. If that was my entire education, I think the life would have been sucked out of my by age 18.

[tinuviel]

"[...]making her family her number one Earthly priority[...]" Why the hell is "Earthly" capitalized? And why do they put apparently random quotation marks around "pick and choose"? The stupid...it burns! Yeah, totally want to buy HS curriculum from them!

Note to fundies--you aren't supposed to capitalize words just because you think they're important or special!

[demgirl]

These are some of the units --

How to be a godly wife

Rocks, minerals and ore (so that you can learn the true value of a ruby -- seriously)

Creationsim

History of Old Testament Times (based mostly on scripture rather than other history books)

What a fucking joke. Seriously. A joke. Why do we allow parents to do this to their children?

[clibbyjo]

Geez, sounds like my girl is missing out. All my poor 12 year old will be doing tomorrow is reading about ancient Rome and assembling and calibrating an elegant terracotta water clock. OH, and designing an early-Roman-style lunar calendar.But, I am sure the Far Above Rubies kit is way better though.

[Joykins]

"Math and Personal Finance - review of arithmetic basics for those who

need them, as well as activities in bookkeeping, accounting,

statistics, graphing, consumer math, basic algebra and geometry,

and some opportunities to study more advanced math for those

who wish to do so"

Well, THAT would have got me through 8th grade!

The only literature worth speaking of in that curriculum is Austen and the Bronte sisters! And maybe the de Maupassant short story.

"To better understand what we must refute, read and discuss Darwin's Origin of Species, the book in which he laid out his theory of

origins. Find arguments from Scripture to refute each point he makes." -- I guess that shows HIM then!

" Using a good Jewish cookbook, learn to cook one or more kosher dishes that your family does not normally eat. " -- but we regret to inform you that this will probably involve obtaining all new kitchenware, at least.

But it is all about the bing, I see. Nice.

[Burris]

The first unit is included as a sample item. It's all so much busy-work: Memorization, Bible readings, writing in journals about the Bible.

And here is the first assignment for "cultural studies":

Ask 6-8 Christian women the name of the one woman each looks up to as a role model and why. Study the life of each woman named, using books in the Reading section or any other resource. Concentrate on learning why each woman would be a good role model and an example of Proverbs 31.

Here's part of the second assignment:

Using Christian magazines, biographies, websites or any other resources, study the lives of several prominent female authors, teachers, and leaders per in the Christian community and compare their lives to the Biblical ideals of Proverbs 31. If you see areas where these godly women fall short of God's standard, make it a point to pray for them.

Yeah, I'm sure the intentions for this section are wholly honorable. There's no way it could be designed to highlight the short-comings of working women.

Teh funny

[synchroswimr]

Oh, man! If it wasn't $60, I would totally get it and write a review for you all. Maybe I will, anyway, to celebrate starting my Ph.D. in education.

[leena_noor]

wtf is up w/ the Kosher cookbook!? It isn't like they are going to really 'keep kosher.'

[HowRude]

I really don't understand how this program is academically reputable, I mean for Christ sakes you can pick and choose assignments.Also the books are things that can be touched upon briefly by parents or the such, I'm betting since it is a book it goes off the deep end.

[Joykins]

I really don't understand how this program is academically reputable, I mean for Christ sakes you can pick and choose assignments.Also the books are things that can be touched upon briefly by parents or the such, I'm betting since it is a book it goes off the deep end.

It includes creationism and math offered in junior high. There are 4 canonical works of literature in the "literature" section, all written between 1811 and 1884 in England and France, two of them by members of the same family. 'nuf said. If it's accredited, the accrediting agency is probably owned by the publisher.

[bananacat]

wtf is up w/ the Kosher cookbook!? It isn't like they are going to really 'keep kosher.'

I guess if her future headship goes even farther off the deep end and decides to give Kosher a try to one-up their frenemies who outbred them, then she'll be prepared with a few recipes so they won't all starve to death.

[GeoBQn]

Maybe the girl will pick up "The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food" and read the nice long section on wine production in Biblical Israel. Wine, not grape juice . . .

[Burris]

Oh, look who's flogging the gold standard:

C0115.B Learn about the gold standard and how it

affects the economies of the world.

C0116.B Compare the currencies of various countries

and how they relate to each other. Learn

what happens when a currency is devalued.

I've been looking through the assignments some more, and a lot of them are like this: There's an obvious and biased conclusion the 'curriculum' wants you to draw, and it plans to lead you there by the nose.

Observe:

C0126.C Read a true account of the famous Scopes

trial, which dealt with the illegal teaching of

evolution in a public school in the state of

Tennessee. Discuss the ruling in that case

with a Christian attorney, if possible.

C0127.C Study the lives of William Jennings Bryan

and Clarence Darrow, the attorneys in the

Scopes trial.

C0128.C Study the life of Charles Darwin, who was the

father of the theory of evolution.

*sigh*

[Aeryn406]

Geez, sounds like my girl is missing out. All my poor 12 year old will be doing tomorrow is reading about ancient Rome and assembling and calibrating an elegant terracotta water clock. OH, and designing an early-Roman-style lunar calendar.But, I am sure the Far Above Rubies kit is way better though.

Clibbyjo: I so this! Do you home-school people over *mumble-mumble* ? I think you're only a couple hours away from me ... It'd be worth the gas money!

[VodouDoll]

I assume they mean a fundie attorney, because my husband is a Christian and an attorney and would not tell these kids what they want to hear about teaching evolution vs. creationism in public school science class.

[slickcat79]

The first unit is included as a sample item. It's all so much busy-work: Memorization, Bible readings, writing in journals about the Bible.

And here is the first assignment for "cultural studies":

Here's part of the second assignment:

Yeah, I'm sure the intentions for this section are wholly honorable. There's no way it could be designed to highlight the short-comings of working women.

Teh funny

Can it really count as cultural studies if you're only studying your own culture? If so, what's the point?

Oh, and they even manage to work "we'll pray for you" directly into the curriculum. Joy :roll:

[Dinorah]

I don't get the kosher cookbook thing either-are they all turning faux Jewish?

[nutella addict]

*facepalm*

Really? Just really?

Rocks and 19th century lit are cool. I think that's about all I can say about this that isn't an insult.

When I was 13 I'd finished all that math already, by the time I was 16 I was taking Calculus. Public school win!

When I have children, they will read Inherit the Wind, and if they're reading Darwin it will be to learn, not come up with BS "proofs" against it. And I will let them read all sorts of other entertaining older literature, like Confessions of an English Opium Eater or something equally "evil" as well as anything else they want. For female role models, I'll go with Tamora Pierce's novels. Those girls kick bootay. Men's bootay. Oh, and Hermione Granger had better be on the role model list as well.

And clibbyjo I wish I were your homeschool student, that sounds AWESOME!

[denimjumper]

What is with the over emphasis on minerals and gems? I get it is Above Rubies but there seems to be a complete imbalance of this in their "course work." My personal favorite is all the math that involves graphing the numbers of women who work by nation. This stuff is so brainwashing it is frightening.

[GeoBQn]

This is just one unit, right? So this is the gem unit, and the unit on clouds or something must come later.

"Write a newspaper ad that might be placed by by a man looking for a godly wife, using

the standards of Proverbs 31:10-31."

This is what's considered fulfilling a writing requirement. And G-d forbid writing a personals ad from the woman's point of view! Come to think of it, do fundie women even have a convenient laundry list of what they are looking for in a man, other than "he must get through daddy first?"

Here's a math activity:

"List all jobs done by your own mother in your home. Use the average hourly pay for each job (find online) and estimated time spent in each job to compute her weekly earnings if she were paid the going rate for her work in the home. Add all the jobs she does during the week for a complete picture. Then multiply by 52 to find the annual value of her work in the home. (Due to overlap of some jobs, the total hours worked may be more than the actual hours in a week.) Compare the value of her work to the mean and median incomes of women in the work force to see where a woman would be more productive. Be sure to charge the rate of a private tutor, not a classroom teacher, for the time she spends homeschooling."

Fucking assholes! All the emphasis they put on homeschooling and the woman directing it isn't even considered a real teacher?!? And the calculating of wages for all the things a woman does around the house has been used by others as a feminist exercise to see how much unpaid labor women do, not a way to see "how a woman can be more productive."

"Tour a dormant or latent volcano and learn about the effects of its eruptions on the area around it. Compare the effect to the changes created the cataclysm in Noah’s time."

I hope this isn't a requirement for science, because you'd be hard pressed to find any kind of volcano in the Midwest.

"H0126.D Study the kosher laws of the Old Testament and learn how they coincide or conflict with current medical teachings on healthy eating, especially in the areas of calories, fat, and cholesterol.

H0127.D Learn about specific human health problems that might be caused or aggravated by eating pork, shellfish, and scavenger animals such as snails or catfish; all of which were forbid- den in the dietary laws God gave the Jews in the Old Testament."

Modern Jews don't keep kosher for health reasons. We do it because it's a commandment. I get really annoyed when people try to find reasons for why it is healthy. All you need is one Shabbat dinner with my family to know that "kosher" is not synonymous with "healthy."

"P0137.D Prepare and serve a traditional kosher dinner for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or any of the other holy days celebrated by Old Testament Israelites. (Purim and Passover are covered in other units and should be skipped here.) If you need help with this, use any of books on Biblical holidays suggested in the Reading & Literature section of this mini-unit.

P0138.D Prepare appropriate centerpieces or other decora- tions to be used for one of the holidays of the Old Testament Jews.

P0139.D* With your parents' permission, attend a Feast Day celebration at a Messianic congregation or Jewish synagogue. Note the differences, if any, between the way they celebrate and the Biblical instructions for that holiday. Discuss those differences with a member of the group if possible."

No mention of how Jews in the Diaspora would HAVE to celebrate with completely different foods and rituals than the "Old Testament Israelites." With all the emphasis on the OT, it's like they are implying that newer ways of celebrating aren't as valid. My friends and family are always open to guests for holiday meals, and they are even open to teaching about the holiday to people who have questions. I think the openness would end if they found out their guest was there with an agenda.

[GenerationCedarchip]

This is just one unit, right? So this is the gem unit, and the unit on clouds or something must come later.

"Write a newspaper ad that might be placed by by a man looking for a godly wife, using

the standards of Proverbs 31:10-31."

This is what's considered fulfilling a writing requirement. And G-d forbid writing a personals ad from the woman's point of view! Come to think of it, do fundie women even have a convenient laundry list of what they are looking for in a man, other than "he must get through daddy first?"

Here's a math activity:

"List all jobs done by your own mother in your home. Use the average hourly pay for each job (find online) and estimated time spent in each job to compute her weekly earnings if she were paid the going rate for her work in the home. Add all the jobs she does during the week for a complete picture. Then multiply by 52 to find the annual value of her work in the home. (Due to overlap of some jobs, the total hours worked may be more than the actual hours in a week.) Compare the value of her work to the mean and median incomes of women in the work force to see where a woman would be more productive. Be sure to charge the rate of a private tutor, not a classroom teacher, for the time she spends homeschooling."

Fucking assholes! All the emphasis they put on homeschooling and the woman directing it isn't even considered a real teacher?!? And the calculating of wages for all the things a woman does around the house has been used by others as a feminist exercise to see how much unpaid labor women do, not a way to see "how a woman can be more productive."

"Tour a dormant or latent volcano and learn about the effects of its eruptions on the area around it. Compare the effect to the changes created the cataclysm in Noah’s time."

I hope this isn't a requirement for science, because you'd be hard pressed to find any kind of volcano in the Midwest.

"H0126.D Study the kosher laws of the Old Testament and learn how they coincide or conflict with current medical teachings on healthy eating, especially in the areas of calories, fat, and cholesterol.

H0127.D Learn about specific human health problems that might be caused or aggravated by eating pork, shellfish, and scavenger animals such as snails or catfish; all of which were forbid- den in the dietary laws God gave the Jews in the Old Testament."

Modern Jews don't keep kosher for health reasons. We do it because it's a commandment. I get really annoyed when people try to find reasons for why it is healthy. All you need is one Shabbat dinner with my family to know that "kosher" is not synonymous with "healthy."

"P0137.D Prepare and serve a traditional kosher dinner for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or any of the other holy days celebrated by Old Testament Israelites. (Purim and Passover are covered in other units and should be skipped here.) If you need help with this, use any of books on Biblical holidays suggested in the Reading & Literature section of this mini-unit.

P0138.D Prepare appropriate centerpieces or other decora- tions to be used for one of the holidays of the Old Testament Jews.

P0139.D* With your parents' permission, attend a Feast Day celebration at a Messianic congregation or Jewish synagogue. Note the differences, if any, between the way they celebrate and the Biblical instructions for that holiday. Discuss those differences with a member of the group if possible."

No mention of how Jews in the Diaspora would HAVE to celebrate with completely different foods and rituals than the "Old Testament Israelites." With all the emphasis on the OT, it's like they are implying that newer ways of celebrating aren't as valid. My friends and family are always open to guests for holiday meals, and they are even open to teaching about the holiday to people who have questions. I think the openness would end if they found out their guest was there with an agenda.

Hey! They could use that 50-something year old guy's ad that was posted up here last week.

Also, the faux Jewish stuff really is weird. Not to mention the implication that we're supposed to then go watch Jewish celebrations and discuss how they're doing their own holidays wrong. *facepalm*

[desertvixen]

All the emphasis they put on homeschooling and the woman directing it isn't even considered a real teacher?!? And the calculating of wages for all the things a woman does around the house has been used by others as a feminist exercise to see how much unpaid labor women do, not a way to see "how a woman can be more productive."

Never mind that most of us evil working mothers do all that stuff ANYWAY, other than the homeschool....

[Joykins]

Here's a math activity:

"List all jobs done by your own mother in your home. Use the average hourly pay for each job (find online) and estimated time spent in each job to compute her weekly earnings if she were paid the going rate for her work in the home. Add all the jobs she does during the week for a complete picture. Then multiply by 52 to find the annual value of her work in the home. (Due to overlap of some jobs, the total hours worked may be more than the actual hours in a week.) Compare the value of her work to the mean and median incomes of women in the work force to see where a woman would be more productive. Be sure to charge the rate of a private tutor, not a classroom teacher, for the time she spends homeschooling."

Fucking assholes! All the emphasis they put on homeschooling and the woman directing it isn't even considered a real teacher?!? And the calculating of wages for all the things a woman does around the house has been used by others as a feminist exercise to see how much unpaid labor women do, not a way to see "how a woman can be more productive."

To be fair they probably mean the private tutor to be more valuable than a classroom teacher, and a better parallel to a homeschool parent because of the individual attention etc.

Although since this is a *self-directed* course of study and most of these girls are in a "class" of 8-10 or so, neither parallel seems particularly accurate.

[Joykins]

Never mind that most of us evil working mothers do all that stuff ANYWAY, other than the homeschool....

new task for curriculum:

"Communist liberal feminist Betty Friedan claimed that 'housework expands to fit available time.' Write a paper illustrating how this is or is not true."

but that might lead to thinking...

[demgirl]

No mention of how Jews in the Diaspora would HAVE to celebrate with completely different foods and rituals than the "Old Testament Israelites." With all the emphasis on the OT, it's like they are implying that newer ways of celebrating aren't as valid.

That's exactly what they are implying. If you want to call it "implying". I'd say it's more "saying".