Why are all those home-schooled religious zealots?

[Descartes]

Sorry for the generalization, I'm sure there are some who are in fact not religious zealots, but I've never met any. I've met many, many parents who home-school their children (never one child, usually 3 or more), and all of them are religious zealots. I feel genuinely sorry for these children, as they seem to hardly be able to function in society. Many excel in certain areas (largely seems to be computers), but little else. They're taught to be bigots before they know the idea of being open minded. I just don't get it. From these children I've been told that a) I'm going to hell, b) I need to be *less* open-minded, c) I'm "crazy" for thinking differently, d) I'm an abomination, and last but not least, e) I'm lost. I read Science News... I'm crazy. I think for myself, rather than regurgitate the thoughts of others... I'm crazy.

I've been continually chastised for my being "open minded", and all coming from those who have the smallest scope of perception of life (i.e. they've been spoonfed the same idea their entire lives). The most prominent zealot I know has slandered me to others, lied about our relationship with one another (there is no relationship, she's lied to my coworkers and boss stating that we're "serious"), yet she feels she can educate others (she's on a missions trip), and judge all those who disagree.

So, what is the basis for home-schooling your children? Are you afraid of violence at school, or are you simply afraid that by exposing your child to intellectual diversity that you might *gasp* give them the option to formulate their own perceptions and beliefs?

Note, I live in the bible belt, so that might have something to do with it.

 

[datalink7]

Interesting. Every home schooler I have met has been either atheist/agnostic, or what would be considered pagan. And I have met quite a few as I was home schooled through middle school.

 

[potatosalad]

Ignorant parents are afraid that their children will turn out more informed, more openminded, and better equipped to deal with society. They cannot stand the thought of this.

Therefore, they brainwash and stupify the children with the same drivel that they themselves were brainwashed.

The cycle of bigoted ignorance thereby feeds upon itself.

 

[Noriaki]

There are many motivations for home-schooling, so I feel I must disagree with your generalizations.

But, one motivation, is when a pair of Religious Zealot parents feel that public school would be a bad influence on their child....
Therefore they choose to homeschool the child, so the child misses out on the social interaction and variety they'd get at Public school. Their main source of social interaction will be Sunday School at church, and such parents probably have a fairly zealous church as well, and thereby the kids friends, parents and authority figures are all Religiouis Zealots, how can the child fail to become one him or herself?


Again I would like to stress this is not the *only* motivation for homeschooling, but if the people you have met have been homeschooled because of this, then the conculsion is quite understandable.

 

[gopunk]

well, if i were a religious zealot, i'd home school my kids too. wouldn't want my children mixing with all the heathens. do you know what kids listen to these days? music of the devil!

 

[Flat]

Several of my friends are homeschooled they would me very angry with your generalization. Basically they go to college cause they are to smart for dumb public schools

 

[gopunk]

flat -

that's true, there needs to be more gifted programs in public schools. even the ones that currently exist aren't capable of handling some kids. seattle has a pretty good setup though, at least i think. but he already said sorry for the generalization, so your friends really should have no gripe.

 

[AreaCode707]

<< There are many motivations for home-schooling, so I feel I must disagree with your generalizations. >>



I second that; that generalization you made makes you sound far less than open-minded. I'm homeschooled, I have a lot of home-schooled and NON home-schooled friends and both parties are taught to be open minded and evaluate what they're told. Also, to dispell the most common myth about homeschooling, though it changes the methods socialization, nearly all homeschoolers are properly socialized (not all school kids are either). Feel free to comment on what you know about the homeschoolers you know, but please avoid gerenalizations, and for those of you who aren't familiar with homeschooling, don't repeat what you've heard. A lot of it isn't true. I've been homeschooled since 6th grade and know a lot of homeschoolers. Yeah, most of us are homeschooled largely for religious reasons, no we're not taught to be closeminded but to evaluate what we're told. The difference is only the evaluative criteria the schools teach vrs the criteria homeschooling parents teach because they believe it's true.

 

[Ameesh]

<< flat -

that's true, there needs to be more gifted programs in public schools. even the ones that currently exist aren't capable of handling some kids. seattle has a pretty good setup though, at least i think. but he already said sorry for the generalization, so your friends really should have no gripe. >>



then they should goto magnet schools or get scholarships to private schools

 

[oLLie]

I place a certain amount of faith in the fact that true teachers have to go to school for many years to learn how to "teach". Teaching is NOT something I believe we are all magically gifted with. Therefore I do not think one day Mom/Dad can say: "You know what? I'm going to teach you myself." Hmmm...... NO.

 

[Viper GTS]

The public school system is the single largest joke & waste of time that I have ever been subjected to in my life. Thankfully I was only in it for four years.

Viper GTS

 

[AreaCode707]

<<

<< flat -

that's true, there needs to be more gifted programs in public schools. even the ones that currently exist aren't capable of handling some kids. seattle has a pretty good setup though, at least i think. but he already said sorry for the generalization, so your friends really should have no gripe. >>



then they should goto magnet schools or get scholarships to private schools >>



So the private schools can teach them their belief systems? How is that better than homeschooling, if you consider that type of teaching to be negative?

 

[gopunk]

then they should goto magnet schools or get scholarships to private schools

what do you do when there are no magnet schools, or they're not adequate? this is what i'm saying, the magnet schools need to be improved on.

 

[Viper GTS]

<< I place a certain amount of faith in the fact that true teachers have to go to school for many years to learn how to "teach". Teaching is NOT something I believe we are all magically gifted with. Therefore I do not think one day Mom/Dad can say: "You know what? I'm going to teach you myself." Hmmm...... NO. >>



Are you really so dense as to believe that there are no restrictions? Home-schooled students are required by law (in Oregon at least) to be tested each and every year to make sure they don't fall behind their publicly schooled peers. How often do the public schools give achievement tests? Every three years.

Unless you actually know something about the subject keep your goddamn mouth shut. Some of you people are so completely ignorant it's humorous. You spout about the quality of education, how the parents aren't "qualified" to teach, how socially inept those poor children will be, etc. I am a product of being home-schooled (Public school from 2nd to 5th grade, home schooled for two years after that, then started college full time @ 14), so I think I have a LITTLE more expertise on the subject than you do.

Viper GTS

 

[AreaCode707]

<< I place a certain amount of faith in the fact that true teachers have to go to school for many years to learn how to "teach". Teaching is NOT something I believe we are all magically gifted with. Therefore I do not think one day Mom/Dad can say: "You know what? I'm going to teach you myself." Hmmm...... NO. >>



Just like teachers magically are gifted with the ability to know the kids as well as the parents, recognize their strengths and build them up, take time with their weaknesses and support them, taylor a curriculum just specially for that one kid... I could go on. Individual attention is half of teaching - learning occurs by the student themself. Besides, there are a million support groups, tons of resources, and help available. The parents don't do it all themselves. Every single one of the homeschoolers I know, enjoys learning (if not always schoolwork), and performs at least at grade level. The track record for homeschoolers speaks for my argument on this so I'll shut up now.

BTW, my mother, who taught me until I graduated from high school at fifteen, does have her teaching credential.

 

[gopunk]

getting back to the original topic.... any religious zealots care to post?

 

[AreaCode707]

<< getting back to the original topic.... any religious zealots care to post? >>



Hm, what? Oh yeah, sorry. Here!

 

[Descartes]

I want to reiterate that while my perception of home-schooling might appear to be a little close-minded, it's simply been my experience. I think there are many benefits to home-school, but I question some of these parents who spoonfeed their children propaganda. I've often wished (when I was younger) I was home-schooled, so I could spend more time with my passions (music, programming, whatever) instead of playing the lemming at school. I now believe being taught in a school with my peers was more beneficial to me overall. All the woes of school life helped me become who I am today. It seems that those who spend their entire lives being home-schooled are just facing reality for the first time when faced with real-world decisions. They live at home until they're in their 20's, and have difficulty standing on their own two feet.

Again, tis *my* experience, no offense to the exceptions out there.

 

[Viper GTS]

They live at home until they're in their 20's, and have difficulty standing on their own two feet.

I'll be 20 in June, & I'm still at home. Why should I move out? I'm not paying rent 'cause I'm in school, & I'm making over $30K a year.

Viper GTS

 

[gopunk]

i agree with descartes... i think that public school was a good thing for me. (note, for me) i got the snot teased out of me in school, and i hated it, but looking back on it, it made me who i am, and i believe that i have a higher capacity to succeed in the world because of who i am now, as opposed to who i was. in short, i learned how to behave with peers. you could say that public school [gruff voice] builds character! [/gruff voice]

 

[Moonbeam]

Viper: "Unless you actually know something about the subject keep your goddamn mouth shut." Geez viper, what happened to your social skills.

 

[AreaCode707]

18, out of the house, and well prepared for the 'real world decisions' thanks. IMHO, high school tends to shelter you more from the real world than homeschooling. I can't count the number of my friends who told me I wouldn't be able to deal with the real world if I didn't learn how in high school. Hint: in the real world, teachers don't babysit you while you do your homework, your identity isn't defined by your grade, and when you fail to do something you're supposed to do, there are consequences. I learned that better in homeschooling than I think I would have in public schools. However, public schools can definitely be a good thing too. I think public schools are designed as the best option for the majority of people. The problem is that the majority is only a little bit larger than the minority. Glad public school worked best for you; homeschooling worked best for me.

 

[flawedecision]

Parents opt for home schooling because nearly all of the teachers in public education are liberal to ultra liberal and are incapable of keeping these values out of the classroom. I know, I was publicly educated from K-8.

As for your religious zealotry comment... I don't think that generalization can be substantiated.



Ignorant parents are afraid that their children will turn out more informed, more openminded, and better equipped to deal with society. They cannot stand the thought of this.

Therefore, they brainwash and stupify the children with the same drivel that they themselves were brainwashed.

The cycle of bigoted ignorance thereby feeds upon itself.


Thank you for proving my point so well. There is a general feeling amongst the leftist elite in this country that they know how to better raise children than the children's parents do. Hence the reference to elitism.

Parents have every right to instill the values they cherish in their child's educational process. They have every right to disprove of the leftist agenda in the public education system which preaches tolerance but in reality directly advocates intolerance.



I place a certain amount of faith in the fact that true teachers have to go to school for many years to learn how to "teach". Teaching is NOT something I believe we are all magically gifted with. Therefore I do not think one day Mom/Dad can say: "You know what? I'm going to teach you myself." Hmmm...... NO.


There's a fine line between book knowledge and world knowledge. I've had plenty of professors who have lined their walls with degrees and certificates which is utterly meaningless in my view. It doesn't make their values any better than a parents. Perhaps they are better equipped to eloquently personify their agenda, but this does not make their views the appropriate views for the particular student.

The problem with the education system in america is that it has steadily drifted towards an institute of instilling values (the institutions values) and less towards teaching objective knowledge. This is why our system is failing.

Parents who realize this have two choices. 1. private education. 2. home schooling. Those that are busy making a living to cover heavy tax burdens and provide a good life for their families choose option 1. Those that have the time to adequately administer to their childs needs choose option 2.

 

[AreaCode707]

<< Viper: "Unless you actually know something about the subject keep your goddamn mouth shut." Geez viper, what happened to your social skills. >>



lol, if that's a comment on social skills, then the majority of the folks on this forum (probably mostly public schooled) are pretty socially inept as well.

 

[KentState]

Personally, I believe that being in a public school setting was a great thing for me. It did lack in educational value and even the teachers that I had where not always the greatest. I was and still am a Christian and being in a public setting in many ways strengthened my beliefs. I should also say that my parents gave me the choice during school as far as beliefs went. The funniest thing about this entire post is the losely used term "closed minded." Seems that if you choose to be Christian you are closed minded, but the same does not hold true if you close your mind to it.