Home schooler on the school board

[lildog]

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/734481.html

Frederic, Wis.: School board appointment divides town
The choice of a home school dad for a vacant seat in Frederic, Wis., prompted some to question his motivations, and the board's.


FREDERIC, WIS. - As a local businessman, volunteer firefighter and dad of two, Lee Jensen seemed like an easy choice for this small Polk County town's school board. But he's also a dad who has home-schooled his kids for a decade.
Jensen's recent appointment to the board that oversees Frederic's public schools has upset many of the town's residents, who packed a Sept. 18 meeting to ask Jensen why he took the job, and ask school board members why they appointed him.

"I don't think that he has the best interests of the students in our school district in mind," said Colleen Geisen, who intends to run for a seat on the board. "I think he's maybe on the board for other reasons. I think he's concerned about morals and values in the public school system."

"I think he's concerned about morals and values in the public school system"  - We can't have that now can we?   

[Dreepa]

Also the school board is there to protect the rights of the citizens in town.

[error]

Also the school board is there to protect the rights of the citizens in town.

I thought the school board was there to indoctrinate the children in socialist deference to authority and eliminate any trace of morals and values -- not to mention education -- in the public school system.

[CNHT]

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/734481.html

Frederic, Wis.: School board appointment divides town
The choice of a home school dad for a vacant seat in Frederic, Wis., prompted some to question his motivations, and the board's.


FREDERIC, WIS. - As a local businessman, volunteer firefighter and dad of two, Lee Jensen seemed like an easy choice for this small Polk County town's school board. But he's also a dad who has home-schooled his kids for a decade.
Jensen's recent appointment to the board that oversees Frederic's public schools has upset many of the town's residents, who packed a Sept. 18 meeting to ask Jensen why he took the job, and ask school board members why they appointed him.

"I don't think that he has the best interests of the students in our school district in mind," said Colleen Geisen, who intends to run for a seat on the board. "I think he's maybe on the board for other reasons. I think he's concerned about morals and values in the public school system."

"I think he's concerned about morals and values in the public school system"  - We can't have that now can we?   

Nope you can't EVER talk about morals and values to the public.. It might step on someone's 'freedoms'.  And in this case, because he is a home schooler, don't you know his opinions don't count?

[burnthebeautiful]

Hmm, in my experience "morals and values" usually means being homophobic and anti-sex for pleasure. I have a sneaking suspicion this guy wants to take over the school board to make the school start teaching abstinence and homophobia.

[CNHT]

Hmm, in my experience "morals and values" usually means being homophobic and anti-sex for pleasure. I have a sneaking suspicion this guy wants to take over the school board to make the school start teaching abstinence and homophobia.

I doubt that very much. Are you automatically discriminating against homeschoolers? Or perhaps he is threatening the gov't bureaucracy and that's why they are scared of him?

[cathleeninnh]

There are all kinds of homeschoolers. In SC, I never met one that didn't want to bring Jesus back into the public classroom. They felt that would improve the values and morals of the community. That and creation were the only reasons they were not in the schools. It is only since extending my own libertarian circles that I have run across homeschoolers with other views.

Cathleen

[Dreepa]

There are all kinds of homeschoolers. In SC, I never met one that didn't want to bring Jesus back into the public classroom. They felt that would improve the values and morals of the community. That and creation were the only reasons they were not in the schools. It is only since extending my own libertarian circles that I have run across homeschoolers with other views.

Yeah it wasn't until I moved to NH that I found that there were homeschoolers who weren't beating the 'Jesus Drum'.

[CNHT]

There are all kinds of homeschoolers. In SC, I never met one that didn't want to bring Jesus back into the public classroom. They felt that would improve the values and morals of the community. That and creation were the only reasons they were not in the schools. It is only since extending my own libertarian circles that I have run across homeschoolers with other views.

Yeah it wasn't until I moved to NH that I found that there were homeschoolers who weren't beating the 'Jesus Drum'.

I saw plenty of homeschoolers in my day and never met one who beat the 'drum', even if they were religous. By the time they sent their kids to my class, they had done such a good job that I never ever had one problem with  disrespect or violence towards others and the kids were always good students eager to learn.
The parents had done a very good job with them, despite the principal whispering to me that 'this kid has never been in school before so you might have trouble'.
After that I used to say, send all of those kids to me, since the chances were 99% they'd be great kids.

You do have to give the "Jesus" people credit for giving their kids general moral training that makes them good citizens...

[Rocketman]

There are all kinds of homeschoolers. In SC, I never met one that didn't want to bring Jesus back into the public classroom. They felt that would improve the values and morals of the community. That and creation were the only reasons they were not in the schools. It is only since extending my own libertarian circles that I have run across homeschoolers with other views.

Yeah it wasn't until I moved to NH that I found that there were homeschoolers who weren't beating the 'Jesus Drum'.

I saw plenty of homeschoolers in my day and never met one who beat the 'drum', even if they were religous. By the time they sent their kids to my class, they had done such a good job that I never ever had one problem with  disrespect or violence towards others and the kids were always good students eager to learn.
The parents had done a very good job with them, despite the principal whispering to me that 'this kid has never been in school before so you might have trouble'.
After that I used to say, send all of those kids to me, since the chances were 99% they'd be great kids.

You do have to give the "Jesus" people credit for giving their kids general moral training that makes them good citizens...

The first wave of homeschooling in the 80's was mostly Christian moralists.  That's what you still have in the south, for the most part.  A lot more people started doing it for more "Gatto-esque" reasons in the 90's.  As a college prof, I had nearly a dozen students who had been homeschooled.

One was among the most remarkable students I ever had.  He was 18, wise beyond his years, articulate, well-spoken, scholarly, and well-adjusted.  He was from a small town in WV, and his mother worked out a deal with the local school district so he went to public school on Fridays -- I think he wanted to share some small part of his friends' suffering.     His family was Christian I think, but secularists.  His writing skills were exceptional.

Another in West Virginia had no social skills and was almost a caricature of the homeschooler stereotype -- raised by Christian statists, he didn't get out much.  His writing skills were below average.

One in Kentucky had been raised by her Christian grandmother who didn't allow her to talk to boys until she was in her twenties.  Psychological abuse if I've ever seen it.  Only after the grandmother died did this woman begin to experience the world.  She had poor writing skills but learned quickly.  I was the first admittedly nonreligious person she had ever met -- she was 27.

Another in Kentucky had been raised by freethinkers.  I was his first professional (meaning paid) teacher.  He had a little trouble with attendance and deadlines, but he was creative, well-read, and thoughtful.  He was also a good problem solver, and at 17, he already held an interesting job and was learning a valuable skill. 

So while I am 100% in favor of homeschooling, we have to be honest about the fact that homeschoolers themselves are a mixed bag.  I would like to know more about this homeschooling father who is running for the school board.

[CNHT]

I guess in a truly free country all we need be concerned with is retaining the ability to homeschool if we want to, and not worry about the reasons why people do it. Whether they want to shield their kids from the politically correct brainwashing, bad curriculum methods, or bad behavior of other students, it's the parents' choice. Their kids do not belong to the state.

Extensive studies were done (I have the paperwork) and they show that in towns where kindergarten is mandatory, there is a higher crime and dropout rate later on than in towns where kids can stay home with the mother longer...just the opposite of what is claimed by those who want mandatory kindergarten.

[cathleeninnh]

 

And Karma too!

Cathleen

[Rocketman]

I guess in a truly free country all we need be concerned with is retaining the ability to homeschool if we want to, and not worry about the reasons why people do it. Whether they want to shield their kids from the politically correct brainwashing, bad curriculum methods, or bad behavior of other students, it's the parents' choice. Their kids do not belong to the state.

Extensive studies were done (I have the paperwork) and they show that in towns where kindergarten is mandatory, there is a higher crime and dropout rate later on than in towns where kids can stay home with the mother longer...just the opposite of what is claimed by those who want mandatory kindergarten.

You know I agree with you, Jane, but I've got to ask -- do the kids belong to their parents?  If so, when do they stop belonging to their parents and start belonging to themselves?