Home Schooling Goes the Way of the Dodo Bird While Schwarzenegger Demands “Action”

Do you also advise Kim Jong Il and Hugo Chavez?

Seriously, people in this country have the right to NOT have their children indoctrinated by the state. AND as a one who home schooled each of my children for the first 5 grades of their education, I would be more than willing to provide the test scores that show that my children are far ahead of their classmates in their education.

My wife and I home schooled our children NOT because we couldn't afford private school but because NEITHER the public nor private schools in our area could provide the level of education that we wanted for our children.

My two oldest children now attend a public high school that meets our standards and they are BOTH International Baccalaureate students. AND one of my children is an incredible science student. He is not only an expert in evolutionary theory, he can refute Darwinism 100 ways from Sunday because it is not only BAD science, the THEORY is not supported by the scientific evidence.

You sir, are badly misinformed.

Hey Cavala, I'm not sure where the sarcasm begins and the commentary ends (or vice versa), but really, home school is no longer the province of Creationists and hippies.

Some of us ordinary folks just don't like some of the education (or lack thereof) they're dishing out in the public schools, and, yes, without vouchers, we can't afford 15 grand+ a year for private schools - which, incidentally, are often obsessed with advanced science and math courses that you and I (and the Governor and 3/4 of the Legislature) could not pass.

In short, there are now lots of reasons for home schooling besides the belief that we are not descended from monkeys. Personally, after studying the behavior patterns of American politicians for many years, I'm thoroughly convinced that we are.

Comrade Cavala,

Eeet eis gute for the state to squash the individuals right to choose, no?

Lets MAKE THEM go to public schools where WE control the indoctrination PLUS increase the rolls and pensions of our teachers union and school "administrators", all loyal party followers...

Scopes trial? What a red (how appropriate) herring. Parents want their kids to LEARN, not fill up substandard classrooms that only satisfy the state and/or its codependent teachers unions. Said unions havent done much to improve education as of late either, being more focused on politics than what goes on in the schools...

Herr Cavala,

I am a proud lifelong liberal, Democrat, feminist, supporter of animal rights, environmentalism, peaceful diplomacy, the United Nations, socialized medicine, the ERA, equal funding for all school districts, public transportation, civil liberties, and believe that all undocumented workers in the U.S. without a criminal record should be given a path to citizenship without a fine. I've never voted for a single Republican, at any level, and yet, I was homeschooled until the 3rd grade. I deeply, deeply resent the idea that my education (when I entered high school, I was 4 years ahead in mathematics!) was in any way illegal.

I take particular contention with two of your points:

1) You want to celebrate this decision because you think that home-schooled children are now more likely to vote for the Democratic party in future elections. THis is not only crass, shallow, and stupid, but immoral. I vote for a liberal platform because it is the RIGHT thing to do, and I shudder at the suggestion that liberalism should be indoctrinated into people. The great philosopher and write Voltaire once said, "I disagree with everything you say and will defend to death your right to say it". When each and every great achievement in American history was made, it was made because in the free and open forum of ideas, in civil society, and in public discussion, it had proven its own morality. Liberalism speaks for itself. It needs no indoctrination.

2)Secondly, this has nothing to do with Darwinism. If Darwinism is true, it should stand on its own merits. If it is false, then the argument is also undermined. People (whether they believe in Darwinism or not) should be free to educate their own children, free of influence from the state. The United Kingdom has one of the best systems of medicine in the world (socialized medicine, through the NHS), but if people aren't satisfied with the NHS, they can always go to a private clinic (why, I don't know, but they can...).

Not only is the smugness of your column deplorable, but its message is so hideously undemocratic, un-Democratic, and contrary to all the principles of an enlightened, modern, liberal democracy as to be astonishing.

Why would you say that homeschoolers are receiving a "below grade education"? Statistically, they preform higher academically than both public and private schools. When I graduated High School and took classes as Pasadena City College, I was in classes with kids who could barely read. By 11th grade I had already read Homer and Milton. I received a better education because I was homeschooled.

Incidentally, I have a friend who is going to Berkeley.
He was homeschooled.

Hazel,

What an excellent comment! Thank you!

Herr Comrade Cavala only uses the democratic party and true liberalism to hide behind while pushing his own elitist brand of socialism where he obviously knows better than everyone else...

Bill, since you have the freedom to post this garbage on the internet, surely we should be aloud to keep our children at home and teach them a bit of real truth before we release them to these lies.

When Free Thinkers are outlawed, only outlaws will be free thinkers. Move out of California NOW!

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