Duggars invited to be keynote speakers

[RosyDaisy]

Canadians, you have my deepest sympathy.

[FloraKitty35]

Any advice that Jim Bob & Michelle give just do the exact opposite. 

[tralala]

Ugh, as if I wasn't surrounded by ignorant hicks enough as it is, these people have to come to my beautiful province and sully it with their outdated and abusive ideals on homeschooling. I feel so dirty.

[singsingsing]

Alberta has plenty of its own homegrown crazies. Don't think the Duggars are going to make much of a dent. And just a hop, skip and a jump away in B.C. you've got the FLDS, so... yay.

[nst]

Canadians, you have my deepest sympathy.

thank you  

 

[Flyinthesoup]

No offense, but Paul van den Bosch sounds like a complete moron.

Irony, Paul van den Bosch is Catholic, I bet he has no idea about the Duggars position on Catholics.  Here's an old National Post article that mentions he's Catholic, in  question #2  http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/what-the-home-school-protest-rises-in-alberta-over-updated-education-act 

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

I'm in disbelief that a Canadian conference would hire them as speakers, but I've never been to rural Alberta. Any other Vancouverites want to make a road trip? 

A part of me morbidly wishes they still had a show for this. I imagine TLC would spin it as some kind of a Canadian road trip adventure. They could visit Quebec, and Boob could try to speak French the same way as he speaks Spanish. I'm sure would be plenty of stupid questions from them about why we don't all live in igloos, as well as pontification about how we're kind of like the States, only a bit different. I bet they'd love Poutine.

[nst]

that;s a lot of gas to see the Duggars - if they went to Whistler - then yes I would go - but Alberta no 

 

[doggie]

duggers you are nobody go home.

[AngelGirl8811]

Nah! I'm on the East Coast, unless something changes, I'm not going that far to see those two. 

[doggie]

that;s a lot of gas to see the Duggars - if they went to Whistler - then yes I would go - but Alberta no 

 

the duggers will never run out of gas.

[BullyJBG]

Interesting. I'm in Manitoba, and my Alberta relatives are hours away from Red Deer. Some are in Edmonton and used to homeschool(they don't anymore for personal/financial reasons). I'm curious at how it will turn out. It's not till April so our super-cold winter weather and skirt-wearing isn't AS applicable. But hey, as for PM Trudeau, it's too soon to say how he could monitor them. As far as I know, he and his wife aren't homeschooling their kids yet.(?) Probably more focused on other stuff like where to live and if the PM headquarters will still be so, or if they'll start that all over. It's been said they need LOTS of repairs.

[nana sew dear]

Many children in eastern Oregon live on ranches miles away from a public school.  Our state now offers the public school curriculum on-line for free for those who want to home school rather than board.  Is this available in other states? 

I would sure not want to face the world with just a Duggar home school "diploma"!

[Dutchie]

Thank you for all the responses! Since Holland is very populated, there are a lot of schools in most places which all vary in religion and educational filosofie but I can understand. If the only school nearby was religious I would probably opt for homeschooling too. We for example have 5 elementary schools nearby 2 semi religious (no praying, just explaining, and evolution theory not creation and condoms instead of abstinence) 

[SpoonfulOSugar]

@Dutchie  From your description, it sounds like you have "school choice."  In general, US students attend a public school based upon their residence.  (You live in Smalltown, you go to Smalltown Public Schools.)  If that public school is poorly managed, poorly funded, or fails in some other way to measure up, options are relatively limited.  (Except under certain punitive government schemes.)  To attend a private school (religious or otherwise), one would generally pay tuition, which makes these less attainable for middle and working class families.

[Dutchie]

That explains a lot. All schools are public here, but within certain regulation you can start a school with a different filosofie under government  funding. 

[LadyCrow1313]

Nah! I'm on the East Coast, unless something changes, I'm not going that far to see those two. 

I'm on the East Coast, too.

On a side note, a new supervisor started @‌ work about a month or so ago, & he looks like JB. Wonder if he's a relation...

 

[Toothfairy]

I have a question about homeschooling, I'm from Holland and homeschooling is illegal here, every child between 5 and sixteen has to be in school. Is it normal for kids to be homeschooled trough high school? We both have a masters degree, so not exactly illiterate. I can see myself teaching my kids trough primary school. I would get in trouble i

Yes my daughter just graduated from homeschool and my other daughter is graduating early from homeschooling

[BarbaraMary]

Aw, I would have gone to see them if they were closer! Agreed that AB is too much gas from here. Maybe they will try to convert us heathen British Columbians some day soon and we can have a FJ road trip then. 

[DarkAnts]

I hope it's not a Halloween baby. That will give them a "goodly" reason to have a party during my favorite holiday. 

[AuntCloud]

Holy Shit! How is PM Trudeau letting them into the country? I mean I know Alberta is conservative (No offense Alberta) but that's a bit above and beyond the norm! Isn't it? 

Alberta is conservative, true, but it's an odd mix of fiscal conservativism (is this a word?) and a strong desire for personal freedom. There is also a strong cohort of religious fundamentalists who mostly keep to themselves and live in rural areas.

Im half-tempted to crash the conference, but Cherokee2000 wisely said it will be ruining it for the innocent. There is definitely no shortage of crazies here but where I am the most powerful deity is the $$$.

[singsingsing]

I like the idea that Trudeau is some kind of benevolent(?) dictator who's going to ban the Duggars from entering the country. 

[EmCatlyn]

I have a question about homeschooling, I'm from Holland and homeschooling is illegal here, every child between 5 and sixteen has to be in school. Is it normal for kids to be homeschooled trough high school? We both have a masters degree, so not exactly illiterate. I can see myself teaching my kids trough primary school. I would get in trouble in high school years, with certain subjects (biology, science). 

It used to be illegal or very difficult to get permission to do in most places in the US. Then in the early 1990s or thereabouts a combination of factors (including pressure from the religious right) made it increasingly easy. Initially, most states were requiring that homeschooled  kids pass standardized tests to prove that their parents were actually educating them.  But I understand that Arkansas is one of the states that either never had or did away with the testing requirements.  

For parents who want to homeschool through highschool and want their kids to get an education, one option is online programs run through many universities.  These are online lessons with multimedia presentations, quizzes, discussion groups, etc.  There are also highschool degree programs for homeschoolers that are quite sound.

I have students in my college classes who were homeschooled through highschool. Most of them do fine academically though some have a little trouble with the pace of classes that are not individualized.  Kids educated like the Duggars, however, could not get into a proper, accredited college program, never mind succeeding in it.

[AngelGirl8811]

I like the idea that Trudeau is some kind of benevolent(?) dictator who's going to ban the Duggars from entering the country. 

He should. They're bad news!  

[Alachantal]

 

Alberta - come to Vancouver - so I can throw tomatoes 

like who hit josh first 

Michelle or JB ? 

or how do you sleep at night ? 

Nobody cool ever comes here NST you should know that by now! (Not saying the Duggars are cool... just saying lol)

It is only a 12hr drive from home (in a car). I'll gladly take one for the team & go if the public is allowed. I'm always trucking out to Alberta, but I really don't feel like the Duggars are a good use of my off duty time... So I'd have to take my yearly trip to visit friends in Leduc early. Twist my rubber arm  Haha