Homeschool 'socializing' issue......why it is a non-issue

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After reading the highschool thread above I thought I would start a new thread on the homeschool socializing issue. As a homeschooling mom for 5 yrs now, that is almost always the first thing people bring up. "But what about socializing?"they say. I think it is interesting that rarely does anyone make the statement that they might not be getting as good an education! When did socializing become such an overwhelmingly important issue? I love Wendy's reply and I hope she will repost it here. My purpose in posting this is to hopefully clear up some things for folks that don't homeschool. I'd like for the homeschoolers on the forum to share their experiences.

My children are involved in sports and active in our church. We go to the store just like anyone else. My kids are what I would term 'obnoxiously friendly'...lol. They will talk to anyone. They enjoy intereacting with all age groups...including younger kids. It is true that I am selective about the children that my kids are around, but now a days wouldn't you be too? For us it is a matter of quality over quantity. Yes they will have to survive in the 'real world' but it is my duty as a parent to make sure that during these influencial years that they form good moral character to help them for when they are on their own in this world. I get compliments(usually in tones of awe) about how well behaved, articulate,polite and considerate my children are. People just aren't used to that type of young person now. We discuss the news of the day...even the horrible stuff....and I help them put it in perspective. I like to think of it as selective sheltering. I dare say my children know more about how our government operates than a lot of adults. All in all I'd say that my children have more and better social skills than a lot of their peers.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), March 21, 2001

Answers

Amanda, The first words out of the school principles mouth were, " you'll be sorry because they'll be lacking those needed social skills" My reply, " they won't be lacking social skills the only difference is that they will be controlled socialization skills" I get my hackles up on this issue and agree 100% with you about why are they all so interested in their social skills and not in their academics. We are constantly complimented on our childrens manners, ability/ interest in conversing with adults, willingness to be GOOD role models for younger kids ( really all kids) and their knowledge of their everyday surroundings, be it, state of fedral goverment happenings, current event news items or just plain knowing how to do certain everyday things like , washing laundry, cooking, gardening and tending to animals( hurt or healthy). In the wake of all the school violence, I'm seeing more and more positive reponses to our homeschooling choice. Of course we didn't choose to hs just because it's a popular fad, but in our case it was a strong calling from the Lord. Your not alone and keep standing up for what you feel.

-- Kelle in MT. (kvent1729@aol.com), March 21, 2001.

A friend of mine came up with an idea for a great one-frame cartoon:

On the left would be the public school student, wearing baggy clothes, earrings in various parts of the body, freaky hairdo, with boom-box on the shoulder, blasting obscene music as he disrespects someone. The caption would read, "properly socialized"

On the right would be the homeschooled student, well-groomed and sensibly dressed, conversant with an aged person on some important topic, or just enjoying a story of the 'good old days', with baby brother on her lap. The caption would read, "sheltered" or "socially deprived."

Or something to this effect. You get the idea: CONTRAST. Yes, they are characatures; but that's the point of a one-frame cartoon: it makes the point in an exaggerated way. No, that does not mean that EVERY public school student is that bad, or that EVERY homeschooled kid is that healthy. But as an exaggerated generalization, it's true.

Neither my friend nor I are cartoon artists. If anyone can draw this cartoon, I'd love to have a copy.

-- Bob in Ohio (robertblessum@netscape.net), March 21, 2001.


I usually try to stay away from "hot" topics, but I must weigh in on this one. Exactly when do the school kids "socialize", especially in Junior and Senior high? They are supposed to be in the classrooms learning. Socialization, per se, occurs when they are working in a group, at lunch, and after school activities. Kids who are homeschooled have tons of opportunity to socialize at church and in their communities and in youth groups i.e. soccer, basketball, etc. When my youngest boy who is now 20 was in the 7th grade, he decided that homework was not for him. He just didn't do it. His teachers all cajoled him and pleaded with him and allowed him to turn in assignments late and STILL get a grade! I had many a heated argument with them. At the end of the year when he should have flunked, they insisted on passing him! Why? "Because it would be harmful to his socialization skills to keep him back from his peer group." Give me a break! I whipped him out of that school and into another and insisted that he repeat the year. Because of punishments at home and a new school, he finally "caught on". BTW, he is now an honors student in college (go figure). If I could have homeschooled my kids, I definetly would have. All of the public schools my five kids attended were rife with bleeding heart liberals who would rather allow kids to slide than bruise their tiny egos. IMHO, anyone who can homeschool, should! God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), March 21, 2001.

Thank you so much for chiming in on this issue. I'm so sick of hearing about socialization as if the ONLY place in the world a kid can get socialized is in public school, by adults and kids who don't share the values, morals, or manners of the parents. I wish I had known I could homeschool mine. In the 70's and 80's when my kids were in school, I didn't even know homeschooling existed. Both girls would have been much better off in a homeschool environment. As for socialization, they were involved in church, 4-H, sold produce to our neighbors, and were part of a large extended family. Where could they have missed out? Keep up the good work, homeschoolers! My prayers are with you, and my hat's off to you.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), March 21, 2001.

Well, I'm of the opinion that homeschooled children are much BETTER socialized than public school kids. And, my daughter went (and goes) to public school. I also think that in many ways homeschooled children receive a BETTER education.... They learn a lot more things 'hands-on' and learn things that no school district would touch with a ten-foot pole - in addition to what they would learn in a classroom.

Why do all these people think its the public school kids doing the shooting.... and the home-schooled kids that are being courted by some of the Nations top Universities??????

I was unfortunate enough to have both... My mom was a former special ed teacher.... What a pain when I came home with less than an 'A'!!! lol

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 21, 2001.



Sometimes I think the "socialization" issue is a joke that got out of hand. If people really thought about it, they would realize it is a non-issue. My mother taught K-3 for years and didn't realize what a rotten education her own children were getting until way too late. She thought all teachers were as dedicated as she was. So she supports our homeshcooling 99% - the 1% is she doesn't think we do well in math and penmanship!:) I'm often told - even by strangers - how well my children behave in public. In church they behave better than many adults - they know how to keep quiet for an hour!

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), March 21, 2001.

My first thought about answering this (from the first thread) was to lay out a laundry list of all the ways my kids are getting that all important socialization. Like most homeschooled kids, it would be a long list. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it really doesn't matter. The truth is, these are my kids, they are not abused or neglected in any way and it's really nobody's business how much or how little *socialization* they are receiving. I think this is just another case of do-gooders worrying more about everyone else than their own family.

What it boils down to, IMO, is the fact that homeschoolers have proven the academic advantages of teaching our own. A new angle of attack was needed and socialization was latched onto. As homeschoolers continue to counter this argument, new ones are cropping up. Homeschooling as a truancy defense and homeschooling to hide abuse are two that come to mind. At some point we need to just say enough is enough. Homeschooling is legal in every state and if someone doesn't like it, well that's just too bad. I don't have time to counter every silly argument the NEA wants to throw at us. I have kids to teach.

-- Hoosiermom (hdnpines@hotmail.com), March 21, 2001.


I say YEAH to everybody that homeschools. My kids are grown now(except for a 17 yr old punk a result of public schools) I hs for 2 years when they were small. Even now I can tell a hs child a mile away. They are so much more well spoken then a public school the same age. If it would be possible for every one to hs their children I think we would see a better world in 20 yrs.

-- roxanne (roxanne@143webtv.net), March 21, 2001.

I am of the same mind. I have homeschooled and then put the kids in public school because of well meaning people telling me they needed socialization. I pulled the kids back out again! I know that I have met homeschool teens while they are working a job and I am amazed at how well they can interact with me. We moved to a midwest, rural area and I thought the schools would be better. Now that there is a "hands off" type of policy in schools, the behaviors have gotten worse. Our children were told to leave the bullies alone. If you are swinging, you are expected to leave. If you are on one part of the playground, go to the other half. If there is a confrontation, it is your fault because you didn't avoid it enough! Then both kids get counseling. They were learning things that I homeschooled them in two years previous! It was just a "WHY are we doing public school?" experience. Family "suggested" public schools all the time. Now, the tide is turning and the people are saying we made a good choice in the beginning. : ) It is just common sense to want to focus on LEARNING. (And a parent does just as much work with the kids if they are in a public school, since we read with the kids, make sure they do homework, special projects, running back and forth to school when kids were picked on, etc. And our kids are not weak either, if someone is thinking their kids are big enough. If your kid is well behaved enough not to shove or punch or if they know more answers, they get picked on. I thought riding the bus from our new country home would be "fun". I was wrong. A few of the bus kids had filthy mouths, (my eight year old would ask about the words and my 6 year old started yelling stuff he had heard) drugs were found on the bus, etc. And no one seemed to take responsibility for what all the rest had to endure. They are really into group counseling, private counseling, etc. once something happens, but where is the prevention? One bully was smaller than my son and physically harmed him all the time, (hitting his neck, punching,etc) This started four weeks into the year and was still going on the last month. And we would get brought into school to resolve this. We needed to be more "understanding". My kids know better than to punch someone because they have a better seat, or whatever. I tried to teach our kids to do as Jesus would. But after a time, I was tired of noone taking care of them. The mother in me freaked several times and called superintendants. It is a case of casting pearls before swine. This is just some of our "public school socialization" experiences. I hope we are an exception and everyone else has had better! UGH! This is all in gradeschool and I heard that junior high had the same diciplinary problems.

-- Brenda (brenclark@alltel.net), March 21, 2001.

An example- Last week I took my 16y public schooled stepdaughter to see Chocolate. When we left the theatre, a young man ran ahead of us and held the door. I thnked him and he said you are welcome. As we walked to the car, I told Caroline, " He will make a nice husband for someone." Asked her if she knew him. Said yes, she had seen him at plays and the library but didn't know him. He is homeschooled!!!!! There are alot of kids here that are homeschooled. They are very active in the arts. They all get along well with, and interact with adults as adults. I only wish we could homeschool. My husband has custody of his daughters, but part of the agreement is they must attend public or private school. No homeschool. In my experience with friends that homeschool, you can't go wrong. Keep the faith.

-- Terri Perry (teperry@stargate.net), March 21, 2001.


We have been homeschooling for 12 years,and I still get the socialization questions,even though my kids are involved in jobs,volunteering and sometimes preaching in church.I like what Raymond Moore said (loosely quoted from an aging memory)"you wouldn't put your purebred showdogs in large cage on wheels,let them run with dogs all day,of various disciplines and expect then to come home better trained and better socialized"but we think it works for people. He who walks with fools will be foolish,he who walks with the wise becomes wise.I forget after 12 years that we are different,its so much a part of our lives.Nothing is perfect but this is what works for us.100 years ago the social unit was family,and that was where you learned to get a long with people,that sometimes weren't easy to live with!!!As the definition of family is rewritten we can expect that the social engineers have to sell the idea that we can't raise our own kids,we are to stupid.I like what my pastor said on Sunday ,"It takes a family to raise a family"Sorry Hellary....I mean Hillary.

-- teri murphy (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), March 22, 2001.

I just want to pop in here to tell about a homeschool failure. Not to diss homeschooling, because I am ALL for it, but just as a realistic side line. My brother and his wife decided to homeschool their son because he was becoming a complete nightmare. Not learning a thing and only interested in soccer. He was in the fourth grade when they took him out of school. Both the parents were working full time and they had their son stay with their oldest daughter who was 19 and had just had a baby. Their son just didn't learn anything. He wasn't given enough direction and allowed to put things off and he basically did NO learning at all for two years. They moved to a more rural area and have now enrolled him in a small Christian school. He is learning and doing very well now, but he's 15 and in the 7th grade. This boy is not learning disabled, just not terribly interested in schooling. You absolutely must spend the time with your kids when you homeschool. I think my nephew is better mannered now and much more able to be conversant with people, but they did have a failure at homeschooling and I just wanted to point that out for balance' sake here.

You all keep on, you are doingg a great job! God bless!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), March 22, 2001.


I can't add much to what has been said here, except DITTO, BRAVO & AMEN!!

In regards to the situation Doreen mentioned, I must comment. That parents would remove their child from gov't schools to homeschool and then still shove the responsibility of raising/educating their child off to someone else.....well, hmm, I would suggest that is THE problem we are dealing with as a whole. Parents who are not parenting. These parents make choices, and many are choosing "self" over child. At best, children who come from homes such as these, will rise above it (mostly on their own strength) and beat the odds to become responsible, competent, caring adults. At worst, they will add to the already downward sprial we are on.

But, I suggest we not cater to the lowest common denominator. But instead, acknowledge there will not be "perfection" (heads up, christian stuff coming up) until the time Christ is Lord of all. And operate in accordance with this understanding. Which means we would not regulate, enact laws and operate with the thought that given enough money, opportunity, counseling and sensitivity training, ALL children will achieve and thrive.

It is a matter of the heart. And it begins at HOME, with the parents. And until parents are "forced" to rise to the occasion and truly care for their own and retain their God-given and State acknowledged right to exercise "parental authority", we will continue to give over our children to big brother, to raise as he sees fit. All because "some" will not do right. And the result is that those who truly would "do right" have succumbed to the prevailing "wisdom" with nary a thought to do otherwise.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), March 22, 2001.


As someone who has home schooled and has used the public school system I have to say when done right home schooling is a much preferred method. There are people who don't do it right and cause problems for the ones who do it right. It definetly takes a time commitment and dedication. As for socialization, most people wouldn't want their children "socialized" the way they are in school today. Also I have been appalled at the attitudes of some of the teachers in school. Some are just hateful. I have to say I truley believe most children in public school today "learn" many more things you wouldn't want them to know than what they should be learning. My sister, who is a school teacher agrees with me. Something definetly needs to be done, but where do we start?

-- Eve Lyn (evelynv@ipa.net), March 22, 2001.

I think that with all the trouble in public school that this "socialization" non-issue will die back. As it should. It's a liberal misconception. My experiences have been much the same as every else here. Compliments on the childrens behavior in restaurants, especially from old people. They remember what children use to be like and are nicely surprised to see that. Also, it's been a major thorn to me that so-called adults are so self centered that they don't parent their children. And then throw stones at the ones that are on the opposite to make themselves feel better about it! Thanks for starting this thread as it's nice to read the responses and get that "You're not alone!" feeling. God bless.

-- Nancy (sonflower35@icqmail.com), March 22, 2001.


Hey Wendy, they realize it wasn't done right, but the reasons why are because of the sham of a societal success "yardstick" that they had accepted and then were seeing was what needed to be rejected. My brother was working 15 hours every day, my sil was working 12 every day. This REALLY doesn't leave time for homeschooling. Yet even though it didn't work for them because of that situation my nephew was better off by not continuing in public school. He was a mess. Sure he didn't learn much during that time, but he did get his head on straight, or straighter! He wasn't throwing temper tantrums and destroying stuff anymore. It was a very bad situation and all I wanted to do was point out that you MUST invest the time. Exactly like you said, you cannot put that responsibility onto someone else. It's a rough world with all of these 30 year mortgages and credit cards, and that helps to cause familial and societal breakdown because people become slaves to the dollar. I just thought it was important to point out that there are sacrifices necessary...if you see them as sacrifices, that is. Homeschool away, everyone. It is most definitely what I would do.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), March 23, 2001.

Amanda, we’ve hashed this around on a few other threads, but it’s right of you to make a whole separate deal out of this issue, because, as you said, it is the PRIMARY thought that comes out of the mouth of the people, when they first hear about us doing it. And, Yes we continue to hear the same compliments about our little dears, as YOU do. Just yesterday at the NJ law center, a woman in charge spoke about how remarkably well they behaved themselves. We constantly hear remarks such as: “Well mannered, respectful, sensitive, kind…” if we had written them all down over the past ten years, we’d have quite a scrapbook to hand to each child, of how well they had impressed the adults whose lives they touched. (Chuckle, of course they don’t see them at those moments when they are exasperating their parents, over some little thing…) But to continue, CHURCH is the social life of our children. Some people might not be able to put together the notion of children being REALLY EXCITED to get there to see all their friends, but this is what happens when PARENTS select CHURCH from all the various forms of socialization. . Selective-socialization… (maybe I should just call it that, instead) is constantly taking place, in the homeschool environment. The twisted idea that life will take place in one room, or one building is akin to the notion that the church building is God’s house. Don’t ever take God OUT of his house. Don’t take the gospel out into the streets, He’s got to have a building!!! Give me a break. These weak socialization-whinings fly out the window when a group of children go to Gettysburg and take the tour. Or hear the boom of the canons at a reenactment. Or metal-detect for minnie balls on some old farmers field in Virginia, or artifacts from Salisbury, MD, where a lot of army training took place back then. When they study the writings of General Lee, and realize that this man spent time in prayer, and thinking deep thoughts, not unlike their own, it changes their perspective of war, and the people involved in it. Socialization also takes place through our county homeschool association, and the adventures that stem from it. Actually, I think there are a couple of associations, now, because they grew beyond the discussion levels of the parents. Twenty five homeschool mothers in a library conference room, sorting out details about learning protocol, this month’s subject emphasis, upcoming field trips, book fairs, individual student problems, belief systems, and who brings next month’s snacks can drain the allotted meeting time pretty quickly. Throw in another 30 or 40 mothers, and you have more input, than can be DEALT with, in just one monthly meeting. Children roller skate monthly, bowl, ice skate, when ice is available, visit war reenactments, tour indian villages (re- creations). Two months ago, it was Thomas Edison’s shop in North Jersey. Last year, washington D.C., the year before that, the statue of liberty, all with children of similar ages, and other parents that are not afraid to discipline MY children. I like that. In addition to “being with friends, children need someone to remind them that certain behavior is unacceptable. (Whether your parents are watching, or NOT.) Students may take a visit to a National wildlife refuge, to study migratory birds, share an aqua-culture day at a local shellfish hatchery, the list goes on and on. I’ve mentioned the state and national mock-trial competitions on another thread. Homeschoolers came in second in the entire state of NJ, this year. Second, out of 220 high school teams. See the “…day in court” thread. Then there are ski trips to Pennsylvania. Weekend ski trips to Vermont. Ponder this for just one minute: The real world is outside of that classroom. Not in the new four-color pages of a cold textbook. Socialization takes place when children ask for a telescope for their birthday, then invite their friends over to study stars till midnight some November evening. When 12 year old Johnny and two of his friends excitedly come screaming in the front door about the rings around Saturn, that’s the socialization my wife and I are seeking for them. We’ve had woodshop classes for younger children building birdhouses, older children building a fine tool chest, and receiving their first hammer. Four children and four parents at a time. Space it out over my winter in the workshop months. The children all write back to thank you for the time and instruction, and tell you what they are doing now. That’s socialization. You’ve heard of reading skills. Homeschooled children have ‘thanking skills’. True, that’s probably not high on the public school agenda, although I have met some very caring and sensitive public school teachers in my day. As a matter of fact, I’m related to two of them. When we have a problem with advanced math, my sister is an e-mail (or a visit) away, and always glad to help the kids. Then there are even a few homeschool parents with a teaching background, to help iron out bumps along the way. They schedule grammer parties for students, writing parties, math contests. No, the system is NOT perfect, but have you ever tried to hold a conversation with some of the DRIFTY looking kids in the local schools, with their pants inside out, and too much mousse in their hair? After about five or ten minutes, you come to realize that this poor individual has a vocabulary of about 175 words total. I’m overdramatizing, of course, and, yes it’s NOT hard to tell, that on SATs the homeschoolers have wasted some valuable SOCIALIZATION time on, gasp, of all things, schoolwork!! Agh!! Choke!! Statistics show that homeschoolers score in the UPPER 25%, when the test meets the road. How could those foolish have forced their precious children to LEARN, when they should’ve been SOCIALIZING??? Oh, the agony of it all… I think this dude has said enough for now.

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Abigail Adams John Quincy Adams One of the fathers of our freedom, what a sad, underpriveleged boy. Hans Christian Anderson Oh, I don't know...Played hookey and skated, probably. Alexander Graham Bell How did you say you got this e- mail??? Think about it… Pearl Buck Andrew Carnegie George Washington Carver Henry Ford Poor unsocialized little Henry. Tsk, tsk, tsk… Looks like he finally made a Few friends, right? Charlie Chaplin Probably tripped over his own feet. Never would have made it in front of people. Agatha Christie Winston Churchill Great Britain will never be the same. If ONLY he could have turned out like NORMAL schoolkids. George Rogers Clark Noel Coward Pierre Curie Charles Dickens Seems to me an unsocialized individual like this would NEVER make it onto the bookshelves of most schools. Or WOULD he??? Pierre DuPont Thomas Edison What a shame, that this poor child was so unsocialized. Because of it we now have light shining through the computer-monitor, and overhead. Albert Einstein Just another introvert… Poor child. Benjamin Franklin What a pity, this child was deprived. As a result, we have electricity, bifocal glasses, and the franklin stove. Alexander Hamilton Bret Harte Patrick Henry Give me Public School, or give me death! Stonewall Jackson Robert E. Lee The greatest battles ever fought took place under the direction of this sad unsocialized child. Abraham Lincoln I'm positive there are races of peoples that wish this poor fellow had had better socialization skills. C.S. Lewis Douglas MacArthur James Madison Because of this individual's social deprivation, we have a constitution that has stood the test of over 200 years of time. Cyrus McCormick John Stuart Mill Jean Claude Monet James Monroe Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Florence Nightingale Blaise Pascal George Patton How many of us would be speaking Deutche, if this fellow had been PROPERLY schooled? William Penn Franklin Delano Roosevelt Who???? Theodore Roosevelt Who's relative. George Bernard Shaw With proper instruction in socialization, this poor lad might have been able to compose himself. Albert Schweitzer Leo Tolstoy Mark Twain Wrong social class… missed the mark, I imagine. George Washington If he only could have Socialized, he might have MADE a quarter or two with his life. Daniel Webster No words to describe this sad homeschooler. John Wesley Didn't have a prayer. Phyllis Wheatley Woodrow Wilson Orville & Wilber Wright Poor social skills. Couldn't get off the ground, in life. Andrew Wyeth

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Didn't mean to click that submit button so soon, not until I had put a title to that previous answer: "THE WHO'S WHO OF HOMESCHOOLING". Don't recall who sent that one to us, but it helps keep us focused on more than JUST the refrigerator door. Nyuk, nyuk...

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Hey, the "socialization" comment is just grasping at straws. The education establishment is at desperation point, folks!

I think most of them know it is totally ridiculous but there is nothing else they *can* say. Socialization is their last gasp. They will, unfortunately, probably cling to it for as long as possible, though.

Does anybody know how many people are pulling their kids out of public schools because of all these shootings?

-- Alana in VA (lester@erols.com), March 24, 2001.


Alana I'd imagine a lot of parents that were considering homeschool are probably either taking their kids out now or will at the end of the school year. Probably a lot of people that weren't considering it now are giving it some thought. It sure would be interesting to know the exact figures. It would be nearly impossible to get an accurate number of homeschoolers though. In many states like Tx and MO you aren't required to register with the state in any way. I remember after the columbine shooting (and a couple of local bomb threats) our small homeschooling group was bombarded with people asking for more imformation. Parents would find out where our next meeting was being held and stop by...as many as 3 or 4 new parents per meeting and this was in a very small rural area. I often chat at the crosswalk.com homeschool room and almost every evening we have someone come in wanting to know how they can go about homeschooling. It is definately growing in popularity.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), March 25, 2001.

Hello, well, this has been a hot topic for a long time, this socialization business. I have been homeschooling my grandson since 2nd grade and he is now a Junior in HS. He is 15 years old and we will be HS his Senior year in 2 years due to his age. To get down to it, I have always told everyone that asks me about him needing socialization that he does not need the socialization that he would get in public school. On top of that, he is the most social child I have ever seen. He goes to church, karate, talks to friends on the phone and computor. What more can I or he want? Not to mention that the most dangerous place for a child is in a PS. The classical education he has had is terrific and he has knowledge about history in all phases that the PS kids will never know unless they search it out. Tim's manners are immpeccable and everyone comments on it. So, homeschool mothers, stick with it, I know that you all have children that make you proud. It is hard, I know, I am 68 now and would do it all over a

-- Janet Marsh (jmarsh4185@aol.com), March 25, 2001.

Bravo for all the writers who posted in this thread I am uplifted to read that others see things my way!!! We the parents need to do someting in a big hurry to saveour kids form the down sprilling trend our culture is headed. Here is a poem a frined sent me that a public schooled student worte. THe student is from Bagdad, Arizona.

Now I sit me down in school Where praying is against the rule For this great nation under God Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytme my head I bow Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair cna be purple, orange or green, That's no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a sreious vice.

For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss an dress like freaks, Pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks. THey've outlawed guns, but first the BIBLE. To quote the GOOD BOOK makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the unwed daddy our Senior King. It's inappropriate to teach right from wrong, We're taught that such judgments do not belong.

WE can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. But the Ten Commandments ar not allowed, No word of GOD must reach this crowd.

IT's scary here I must confess, When chaos reigns the school's a mess. So Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; my soul please take! Amen

When I read this the first time I just cried. It is a sad world we are raisnig our precious children in. But if I can make a differance for my kids then I'll do all I can. Good luck for all who are homeschooling their kids.

-- michelle (tsjheath@ainop.com), March 26, 2001.


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