Lori Alexander on the risks of public education

[lilwriter85]

lorialexander.blogspot.com/2013/09/risks-of-public-school-education.html

One woman wrote to me disappointed that I encourage women to homeschool their children. She had one daughter who ended up being a light in the public school system and did many wonderful things. She loves the Lord deeply and is planning on marrying an amazing Christian man soon. Isn't our God great enough, big enough, and able enough to protect our children?, she asks.

I am not sure I encourage women to homeschool their children as much as I warn about the dangers of public school education. I realize there are many wonderful teachers out there and some children who get through public education with their faith intact.

However, I am not sure God intended for us to send our children into godless institutions for many hours every day. He warned the Israelites about intermingling with their godless neighbors. He tells us bad company corrupts good morals. He commands we not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

If we homeschool our children or put them into Christian schools, what about being a light in the world? I think about the Duggers or the Pearls who both homeschooled or are still homeschooling their children. The children are actively involved in their community, go on various mission trips, and are a light wherever they go.

I just believe that sending your children to public education kindergarten through college is risky. There is nothing more important than your children walking in Truth. Each couple needs to prayerfully seek God's guidance and wisdom on this important issue.

Maybe some of you have no other choice. Maybe the elementary school in your area isn't polluted by society yet. Pray over your children daily and make sure God's Word dwells in them richly.

I seem to recall Lori pretty much encouraging people to homeschool in several posts. I think we can all agree that public education isn't perfect and some public schools are awful. Lori's post annoyed me because she seems to demonize public education too much. I'm surprised that she acknowledges that some people don't have a choice regarding schools. But she doesn't realize that many people may not feel comfortable homeschooling their children. Of course, she fangirls over the Duggars and Pearls.

[lizziesmom]

I get really frustrated at people who recognize a problem (public school isn't perfect) but do zero to correct the problems. Instead of being part of the solution they become part of the problem with their constant criticism. If she wants to homeschool, fine, but drop the slamming of public education. You can promote why you believe home school benefits your kids without constantly dissing the public schools. Homeschool isn't the be all, end all, solution. There are problems there too.

[Cannelle]

The real risk of public education is getting an actual education and learning to think for yourself, thus realizing exactly how full of shit people like Lori are.

[snarkykitty]

I seem to recall Lori pretty much encouraging people to homeschool in several posts. I think we can all agree that public education isn't perfect and some public schools are awful. Lori's post annoyed me because she seems to demonize public education too much. I'm surprised that she acknowledges that some people don't have a choice regarding schools. But she doesn't realize that many people may not feel comfortable homeschooling their children. Of course, she fangirls over the Duggars and Pearls.

No education program is perfect - public, private, Christian, Catholic, magnet, charter, or homeschooling. There are "awful" schools in every type of educational program, in every city, county and country.

[dairyfreelife]

And they know that hence why they homeschool

[lilwriter85]

No education program is perfect - public, private, Christian, Catholic, magnet, charter, or homeschooling. There are "awful" schools in every type of educational program, in every city, county and country.

I agree with you on other types of schooling. My cousin had her boys in a Catholic high school and it sounded awful based on some of the things she said.

[OkToBeTakei]

Jesus went to school right?

Lori is probs right, looked what happened to him. He came to a bad end, must have been public school 8-)

[louisa05]

All schools are good and bad as many of you are saying. I taught in a Catholic school that was a mess where sports rule, bullying is allowed, and academics occupy a space somewhere below football, every other sport, and any other thing anyone might ever be interested in thinking about for forty seconds.I would not send a child there if someone paid me to. But I graduated from a Catholic high school where we were nurtured and valued and where the academic level is among the top schools in this area. I sub in one public district where primary kids get 100 worksheets a week, half of which are practice for standardized tests complete with little circles to fill in and middle schoolers take a course where they are "taught" to "make" a bowl of cereal but foreign language on that level is being eliminated due to costs, and high schoolers freely bully each other in the hallways and are locked out of the bathrooms during lunch. I sub in another public district where primary kids are engaged in active learning and middle schoolers choose a foreign language and high schoolers are taught to treat everyone with dignity partly because they are treated with dignity by faculty and staff. It is all relative.

[walnut]

I actually think that public education does not really favor the people that question what they hear - might hurt their grades and their feedback to the parents... - but I'd sooner outban homeschooling by unfit people like Lori than advising homeschooling to anyone, anyone at all.

[slickcat79]

If we homeschool our children or put them into Christian schools, what about being a light in the world? I think about the Duggers or the Pearls who both homeschooled or are still homeschooling their children. The children are actively involved in their community, go on various mission trips, and are a light wherever they go.

Uhh...srsly? If TTUaC, 7xSunday, and 19K&C are examples of how to be a light in the world, I think I'm fine in the dark :evil-eye:

[Koala]

I think a day in the roughest of public schools would be a cake walk compared to a day in Lori's house of "pain is good for you".

[Jana814]

The real risk of public education is getting an actual education and learning to think for yourself, thus realizing exactly how full of shit people like Lori are.

Agree!

[asinglevoice]

As a public school teacher I realize that I'm a little biased, but if the benefit if homeschooling is turning out like Lori, then no thanks.

[curlytoes79]

Religious nutjobs are terrified that their children will develop critical thinking skills and obtain enough real-world knowledge to realize that fundamentalism is a bunch of hooey. In that sense, Lori's fears about public schools are well-founded.

[mockingbird]

However, I am not sure God intended for us to send our children into godless institutions for many hours every day. He warned the Israelites about intermingling with their godless neighbors. He tells us bad company corrupts good morals. He commands we not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

I love how fundies (and other churches) always bring this up, but then Jesus was all about hanging out with criminals and "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" (the Bible verse about how you should pay taxes, which I can't remember at the moment). I thought Jesus' commandments were supposed to replace Old Testament law?

(I do get the unequally yoked thing, to an extent. Like I have heard it in terms of not exposing your kids to bad influences, like guiding them away from friends who use drugs or something like that. But as always, fundies take it too far.)

Anyway, a teacher at my public high school "converted" me to being pro-choice, so I guess Lori's fears are founded... :twisted: (She's actually a Catholic who's really involved in her church. LOL I guess that doesn't count for much here either.)

[GolightlyGrrl]

Lori sayeth:

If we homeschool our children or put them into Christian schools, what about being a light in the world? I think about the Duggers or the Pearls who both homeschooled or are still homeschooling their children. The children are actively involved in their community, go on various mission trips, and are a light wherever they go.

My reaction?

The Pearls and the Duggars have contributed to their communities and society as a whole as much as the Black Plague. The Duggars' mission trips are mainly for show and the only kind of mission trips the Pearls go on are missions to the plumbing supply store. And if the if the Duggars and the Pearls are a light wherever they go then they are lights that need to shut the fuck off!

[dilannsmom]

I am proud to be a public school teacher. However, I also believe that parents should be able to choose the type of education that best suits their child. I took a lot of flack in grad school for being a public school teacher while sending my daughter to private school. However, when private school was no longer in her best interest, I moved her to public school...which has been great for her. If I thought that homeschooling, or going back to private school, was what she needed (academically, socially, emotionally, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate.

However, knowing what your child needs, and thinking that your way is the only way are two different things. While I have seen some parents make asinine decisions about public vs. private vs. home schooling because they see one way as THE BEST way...kids are all different. When you fail to see that you fail your child.

(Public school teacher: pro school vouchers and charter schools...don't tell the union!)

[dairyfreelife]

Lori sayeth:

My reaction?

The Pearls and the Duggars have contributed to their communities and society as a whole as much as the Black Plague. The Duggars' mission trips are mainly for show and the only kind of mission trips the Pearls go on are missions to the plumbing supply store. And if the if the Duggars and the Pearls are a light wherever they go then they are lights that need to shut the fuck off!

My reaction as well, but love the cat picture to go with the feeling. :D

[mockingbird]

(Public school teacher: pro school vouchers and charter schools...don't tell the union!)

Haha, our district's union president's kids go to private school! She lives in another district though so I'm not sure how their public schools are.

[GolightlyGrrl]

My reaction as well, but love the cat picture to go with the feeling. :D

This kitty looks so much like my late kitty Dickens. And bitch, please was pretty much Dickens' philosophy.

[Jana814]

I am proud to be a public school teacher. However, I also believe that parents should be able to choose the type of education that best suits their child. I took a lot of flack in grad school for being a public school teacher while sending my daughter to private school. However, when private school was no longer in her best interest, I moved her to public school...which has been great for her. If I thought that homeschooling, or going back to private school, was what she needed (academically, socially, emotionally, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate.

However, knowing what your child needs, and thinking that your way is the only way are two different things. While I have seen some parents make asinine decisions about public vs. private vs. home schooling because they see one way as THE BEST way...kids are all different. When you fail to see that you fail your child.

(Public school teacher: pro school vouchers and charter schools...don't tell the union!)

Agree! U did what best for your child Fundies don't do that they figure if it works for the 1st kid it will work for the rest.

[JesusFightClub]

(Public school teacher: pro school vouchers and charter schools...don't tell the union!)

So the union is like taking out an insurance policy for you?

[JMarie]

Glad to see that she didn't erase the pro-send-your-child-to-school responses. Also glad to see that not all her readers agree with everything she pontificates.

[salex]

I am proud to be a public school teacher. However, I also believe that parents should be able to choose the type of education that best suits their child. I took a lot of flack in grad school for being a public school teacher while sending my daughter to private school. However, when private school was no longer in her best interest, I moved her to public school...which has been great for her. If I thought that homeschooling, or going back to private school, was what she needed (academically, socially, emotionally, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate.

However, knowing what your child needs, and thinking that your way is the only way are two different things. While I have seen some parents make asinine decisions about public vs. private vs. home schooling because they see one way as THE BEST way...kids are all different. When you fail to see that you fail your child.

(Public school teacher: pro school vouchers and charter schools...don't tell the union!)

I have issues with state funding going to schools (including home schools) who are not under state control or at least have to officially report to the state regarding how well their kids are educated. If everyone suddenly thinks the dollars are related to "their tax dollars" then I want arebate!

[JesusFightClub]

I have issues with state funding going to schools (including home schools) who are not under state control or at least have to officially report to the state regarding how well their kids are educated.

I have BIG FUCKING ISSUES with people who are union members but regard the union as an insurance policy.