Horace Mann

Heard somewhere in time, behind the walls of education, the words:


"God seems to have made woman peculiarly suited to guide and develop the infant mind, and it seems...very poor policy to pay a man 20 or 22 dollars a month, for teaching children the ABCs, when a female could do the work more successfully at one third of the price."

         -- Littleton School Committee; Littleton, MA (1849) Source: PBS


It is hard for some people to  believe but such was the thoughts behind starting public schools in the early days.  Only then, the school would be known as "common school." Seems there was never really enough money to make compulsory education work, and this even from the very beginning. It seems that some things never really change. And try as you might, you just cannot improve on a home grown education.

There is no doubt, that learning is important, but learning is something human beings naturally do... learn and think.  School is not a bad idea, neither is the concept of public education.  What is a bad idea, is learning, without learning about God.  It is also poor policy to skip on paying someone to do a very important job.  And think about this too, if education is such a great thing, something desirable, why then make it a point to force all children to leave home at the age of five to be educated outside of the family home.  Interesting, to this day, parents still want to be educating their own children and many public school teachers feel over-worked, and underpaid. 

But let's go back to the year 1849, when the newest thing in America was public schools, and the state was hiring educated women to teach, because it was a waste to pay "too much" (the normal pay for  a man, earning a living for a family)  to have someone simply teach children the ABC's.  Common Schools, as they were called back then, were intended to give everyone a common root, a common education, and were started by none other than "the Father of American education" Horace Mann.

Have you heard of Horace Mann?  He has written several books, there are schools and insurance companies named after him.  He is quite famous, even dubbed, "the Father of the Common School" or "the father of American Education..." but he himself, is a self-taught, self-educated man, who never went to elementary school himself.  How is it then that he would start schools for the masses?

Horace Mann, peer to John Quincy Adams, relative of Nathaniel Hawthorn, was himself quite well- educated.  He was born in 1792 on a farm in Massachusetts, the books say, to a "poor farmer."  The books also tell us that as a child he was under great hardship because his family was "poor" and he did not get to have an education, instead he had to work to earn money for his books, from which he learned.  (A plug for free and public government paid-for education?)  One thing is obvious as you read about Horace, is that he always had an interest in learning.  Resources said that he spent time in the Benjamin Franklin library as a youth, reading and learning.  The history books on Horace Mann, make it sound like he lived the "American Dream," the kind of man who succeeded, "despite the odds."


My various sources also said that he got "formal " education only about six weeks out of every year until he was twenty years old.  Then, when he was twenty, he went off to university. At University, Horace did so well, that after being there only three years he graduated as valedictorian of his class! Seems to me, his personal history is a lot like the  home-educated (homeschoolers) of today!  It is all validation for homeschooling your own inquisitive, self-motivated, hard working children if you can.

After graduating from the university, Mann went on to teach Latin and Greek to others and in time he even went on to pass the Massachusetts bar exam.  As a lawyer he then became interested in governmental affairs and went into politics.  HE was a man interested in the politics of the day, social justice issues, (temperance, abolition,  woman's rights, and creating hospitals for the mentally ill,) but most notably, he was interested in the idea of creating public education, where everyone would have the opportunity to learn to read and write.

Horace Mann eventually became the first secretary of the first school board that his home state of Massachusetts ever had and as such became a part of education's history.  Thus began his life's work of creating and promoting to Americans in the New World the idea of government-run, tax paid for, compulsory education for all America's children.

His concept of mandatory, state-sponsored education, was not his own however; nor was it modeled after his own (homeschool-like) educational experience.  If you will remember,  Horace himeslf was self-taught and a self-motivated learner, not taught to the tune of a hickory stick kind of guy.  In fact, as  mentioned earlier, by today's educational standards one would think of a  man like Horace to be what we would call, a "homeschooled" child..

No,  Horace had never been to school himself, instead Horace spent his days under his parent's care and tutelage, observing nature and working side by side with his mom and dad and reading books.  He admittedly got little, if any "formal school," and yet, he was able to both learn and then go on to higher education and do quite well, like most men and women of his day, like many other famous homeschoolers in history.  Horace was the kind of person that appreciated the value of education....and altruistically, education, was something he loved.  Altruistically, Horace, as a politician and visionary social reformer, wanted everyone in America, every citizen, to be able to have an "free" education.  

Unfortunately, and maybe outside of his scope of what he imagined, Mann's ideal educational system locked children behind the four walls of a mandatory institutionalized classroom every day.  Such compulsory schooling served only to erode the family and home businesses, not to mention the freedom of a young child to self-study things of interest to him, to play and be a kid, to explore the world around him on his own, to be close to nature and siblings in his family.  The idea for such a system came to him as he traveled abroad, to see what other countries did to educate their youth.    He went to PRe World War 1 Germany, and there he fell in awe of Prussia and Prussian education.  Upon his return from Europe, Mann began his most notable work, "education reform," modeling American education after what he has seen abroad.

Perhaps this idea of "Education Reform, " will always be a "work in progress."  It was an issue in the 1800's and it is an issue on the forefront of our politically minded minds even today.  The notion appears to rear it's head time and time again.  Perhaps this perpetual "educational reform concept," is just more ecclesiastical evidence to those with ears to hear, that there really "is, nothing new under the sun."


Mr. Mann, now armed with his new and great, almighty vision of what an ideal educational system looked like, (this based upon Germany... then better known as the Kingdom of Prussia,) and with his political power in tow, he basically justified a state takeover of all existing schools.  It seems that the diverse educational experiences that they offered, and in particular, their oft, Christian religious overtones were "a problem," a giant to be conquered by legislation, controlled via more and more government money and of course, control.  The new and improved, approved form of education was government owned and operated, and compulsory schools, (common school) for all the people, paid for by the people who paid taxes to the state.


Horace Mann's goal, however, was more than merely that of providing an education.  As  a humanist and as a Unitarian (religiously speaking,) was to replace the obviously Christian instruction that then took place in America's independent schools, to work more to secure the common "good."  Mann  is often quoted, having said,  “What the church has been for medieval man the public school must become for democratic and rational man. God will be replaced by the concept of the public good…The common schools…shall create a more far-seeing intelligence and pure morality than has ever existed among communities of men.” He was in the business of creating public (man-made) schools, and he believed that these would prove to be better than both God and church in the lives of  men.



One realistic and very tangible problem with the new idea from the very inception of it, was that there were never enough teachers...well, at least, not enough men, and with a new and small governement, there was not enough pay offered.. not enough taxes generated ... (yet...) to keep an educated man,  interested in teaching children what they could easily be taught at home by their own parents.  Most men had businesses to run, farms to work and the more educated "school masters" of the day would not stoop so low as to actually teach children the ABC's ."  The plan was nearly thwarted, except smart people decided that "a female could do the work more successfully at one third the price."


From 1830-1880, the call then went out to women everywhere, to leave their homes and earn a wage, particularly if they were fifteen or sixteen (unencumbered) and could read and write.  If older, they could put their own children in common school, and earn a second income for their families.  Both their wage and the children's education would be paid for by the government.   Teaching was not an easy job, teachers soon had to answer to strict rules and regulations, besides, sometimes there was as many as 60 students in one "common school" classroom.  Such was the beginning of Mann's "common schools," in America.


Common schools though, were not enough.  Soon it was apparent that teachers needs training... and what was called "normal schools" were established by the government as well, (now replaced by teacher in-service days and workshops.)   These Normal schools... (also encouraged by Horace Mann,) were schools for teachers, a place for  teacher training, where one would go and study a "scientific" curriculum, learn what values and standards to teach in class. But these Normal Schools were phased-out over time, Christian Colleges and State Universities sprang up and took the lead, offering education degrees to those interested in teaching as a profession.


Horace was an innovator... he wanted to see change, and he sought to change the way that people learned, to change the way education in the life of an individual came about.  Mann was a man who was not particularly interested in church, not particularly interested in the God of Christianity, but he was a moral man, a pietist of sorts, who wanted fairness and wanted to work for the betterment of all human beings.  He believe that humanity was kind and compassionate, and that people everywhere, if given a chance, desired to do good things, much like himself.


Today, even the  Horace Mann School in New York is innovative.   They don't just want to educate children, they want to train them to better the world, to create environments where people are respected for who they are, to have environments "free of harassment, racism, bullying, and other behaviors that could make someone feel unsafe or unvalued."  Like our current public schools they even  strive to partner with parents so that the "values taught in the home and those presented in school are mutually respected and supported."  All of these are good goals, but something is missing in the mix.  There is no absolute of God.  There is however, belief in something called humanity.



One of Horace Mann's most quoted statements is:

"Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity." 


Morals, character, service to humanity... Horace Mann,  no doubt,  had noble aspirations, but unfortunately he believed in humanity's goodness and this instead of God.  Mann's personal philosophy was one that gave him insight into life and learning, he was an avid learner himself.  He was someone who made a difference, who had a vision for a better world.  But unfortunately in this he set out to replace the church and the family, with government.  He gave the free world "forced education" and higher taxes.... needed to pay for his grand idea of government  owned and operated, non-sectarian, common schools.  As an educator he leaves us his legacy of school replacing church in the lives of individuals today.....and teachers, following in his footsteps, learning Mann's philosophy,


   "There's really nothing more rewarding than seeing a student who has incredible potential being reborn as a good student." -- Alex White, an English teacher at New York's Urban Academy. New York, on a PBS program, Only a Teacher, Public School Pioneers; 2000





Lisa B.



  A small sampling of the wisdom of Horace Mann (1796 - 1859)


"The experience of the ages that are past, the hopes of the ages that are yet to come, unite their voices in an appeal to us; they implore us to think more of the character of our people than of its vast numbers; to look upon our vast natural resources, not as tempters to ostentation and pride, but as means to be converted, by the refining alchemy of education, into mental and spiritual treasures-and thus give to the world the example of a nation whose wisdom increases with its prosperity, and whose virtues are equal to its power." 

                                                                                                ~Horace Mann



" Jails and prisons are the complement of schools; so many less as you have of the latter, so many more must you have of the former." ~Horace Mann

"As an apple is not in any proper sense an apple, until it is ripe, so a human being is not in any proper sense a human being until he is educated." ~Horace Mann


 " Education is best provided in schools embracing children of all religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds."  ~Horace Mann


"In our country and in our times no man is worthy the honored name of statesman who does not include the highest practicable education of the people in all his plans of administration. He may have eloquence, he may have a knowledge of all history, diplomacy, jurisprudence; and by these he might claim, in other countries, the elevated rank of a statesman: but unless he speaks, plans, labors, at all times and in all places, for the culture and edification of the whole people, he is not, he cannot be, an American statesman.  "  ~Horace Mann



 "The object of punishment is prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good."                                                                                   ~Horace Mann 



"In trying to teach children a great deal in a short time, they are treated not as though the race they were to run was for life, but simply a three-mile heat."  ~Horace Mann



For Further Information of your own, you may want to explore the websites I did:

pbs.org ONLY A TEACHER , TIMELINE

 http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/horace.html (Unit Study on Horace Mann)

Horace Mann Website.  HoraceMann.com

The Horace Mann League

and Wikipedia -Horace Mann

The Year was 1979....

"We purchased a structured curriculum from Christian Liberty Academy. All I had to do was present the materials to (my daughter)  have her do the work, and return it to CLA for grading.  They issued report cards showing that our child had straight A's."

Portions of a testimony of a homeschooling mom, given at the Opening Session of Wisconsin Parents Association's 16th Annual Home Education Conference on May 1, 1999, and published in their newsletter. (See: http://homeschooling-wpa.org/conference/pdf/Remarks-1999.pdf) This is posted here, so you can better understand the history of Homeschooling.

"By this time our local school district decided we were truant. We weren't complying with the [Compulsory Education] law! We were served truancy notices and were told that we had three school days to have our girls in school or they would be taken from us and placed in foster care. My sister, who had children the same ages as mine, was sent truancy notices also. Together we hired an attorney from Madison who assured us that our children wouldn't be taken away. But there were a lot of problems we had to deal with."

"Because there was no specific homeschool law, our attorney did his best to keep the truancy problem very low-key. He told us to continue homeschooling, but we weren't to tell anyone what we were doing. We kept our curtains closed and were as quiet about homeschooling as possible so as not to arouse curiosities. Our children were not to be seen if anyone came to the door. They had their designated hiding spots when the door bell rang. If we had to go somewhere during regular school hours, they sat on the floor of the car so no one would see them."

"Each September we were served truancy notices. The truant officer and the local sheriff
would come to the door (the children were hiding) and read the truancy notice as though I
was illiterate. I would quietly accept it. The lawyer advised us that any time public officials
asked us questions, we were to ask that their questions be put in writing so we could submit
them to our lawyer. We complied. About this time I was beginning to doubt my sanity."

"We listened patiently to verbal attacks on how we were abusing our poor, unsocialized children. We did what we could to help people understand that homeschooling is an acceptable alternative to public
education. But mostly, we thanked God for answering our prayers-that WE could educate
the children HE gave us according to our consciences."

"Many of you didn't have to work for your right to homeschool. For some, all you had to
do was fill out form PI-1206 and begin your 875 hours per year. I can not stress it enough...please
do not abuse this right. If you aren't a member, join Wisconsin Parents Association and
help maintain the law we have."

Homeschool Recipe for Genius

"More of family, less of school; 
more of parents, less of peers; 
more creative freedom, and less formal lessons."
From School Can Wait by Raymond S.Moore  
(More, more, more...hey, maybe this is why they were the "Moores!?")

I have checked out a book or two from the library at sometime, but I cannot say I m a follower of the Moores, what I do know is that Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore were outspoken voices in the homeschooling movement.  It was their voices that inspired many to begin the homeschooling journey who had never really thought much of it before.  Raymond Moore, whose professional background included being a teacher, working as a school  principal and as a superintendent of California Public Schools, wrote in advocacy of homeschooling, and Christianity too; his research  on the effect of early formal schooling on children lend his work much professional credential even among his peers.

When the Moores wrote their books, the idea of sending children to public school had become so much a cultural norm that many actually believed homeschooling children was not only illegal but detrimental.  Public opinon seemed to be that children needed to go to school in order to be "socialized" Moore, in the 1960's and 70's, did actual research on early learning, and published his results concerning the effects of formal education too early on children and their families.  The Moore' formula for success was study, (tailored to the child) work, around the home and in community service and entrepreneurship.  The most important thing that Moore's readers learned was that
homeschooling should not be an attempt to bring institutional schooling into the home.

The Moores were not alone, in their research or their beliefs on family, home and learning issues.  They were unique though that they were also professionals in the educational field,  In the early 1980's people all across the nation had already decided that formal schooling, and in particular public school, was not for their family.  In our state, Washington, there was an estimated 5000 children being schooled at home outside of both public school and the private school systems, and the actual numbers were even believed to be higher.  This "homeschooling" was being done, some others argued, "illegally," and those who did not enroll in school were being considered "truant."  Then, the many legal battles between parents and school district authorities began.

The work of interested parties then began to make "homeschooling" legal.  In Washington, legality to homeschool began in 1985.  The work of the Moores was instrumental all across American because their "professional" opinion, based on their research and expertise in the educational field, was that children were being put into schools too soon.  This was contrary to many "school officials" and "experts"  who wanted to start children (in California,) as early as two-years and nine months!

Contrary to what some were being taught, the Moores taught parents and educators that the environment of home was the best place for young children to grow, learn and develop.  They discovered in their research that children sent to school too soon felt rejected by their parents and they felt this should not be so.   They saw the negative cultural consequences as well as consequences to children's well-being when they were forced into conformity with a classroom of peers in varying degrees of learning capability, and problems with children being put in situations where they were not free to make mistakes or be different from their classmates without ridicule.

While the Moore's took such a stance, they did acknowledge that in some situations, for example, in the case of a working single parents, preschool or early education might be necessary; even desirable, as opposed to starvation, welfare or possible neglect... but even for parents in such a situation, the Moores stressed the importance of creating a learning environment for children in the home. People interested in the welfare of children and those interested in this increasingly popular concept, "homeschooling," read their books and implemented their methodologies and ideas, by the thousands.

The Moores undoubtedly believed that the optimal environment for a child to learn and feel secure, to be free to develop at his or her own pace and learn, was in the home.  They were strong advocates for parents and families, strong advocates of education and most importantly, strong advocates of "homeschooling." Contrary to much public opinion, they believed that a child's first exposure to formal education should not begin until sometime between eight to twelve years of age.

You can get and introduction to their books at: http://moorehomeschool.com/moore-books 

The Moores are no longer with us, Raymond Moore died July 13, 2007, at the age of 91 .  Their books are out of print, but their legacy lives on.    They were a vital part of America's homeschooling and educational history.
~ Lisa B.

The Victims of Dick and Jane by Samuel Blumenfeld

Go, Spot.
Go and find Dick. Go and find Jane.
Run, Spot, run.

Are you a victim too?

Actually, I never read the book; The Victims of Dick and Jane, have you?  I never even heard of it until today, I simply ran across it as I read a quote by the author, but think that it is an interesting title for a book on education.  I never even heard of Blumenfeld before, but with my curiosity piqued, I learned a little bit about him today.

Blumenfeld is an interesting man.  He has been writing books on the subject of education for over 30 years.  He is also an outspoken advocate for parents having control in the education of their young, which gets my interest because I believe that this is what is at the core of the entire homeschooling movement.  His book, Victim of Dick and Jane is a collection of essays on education, in which he writes about how humanism has devastated our American public education system, and how the "look-say" method of reading, (Dick and Jane type of Books,) have been a determent to our public school system.  (or so it reads on the back of the book.)  but Blumenfeld is interested in more than education, he is also an outspoken American, one who values freedom in general.

The quote that I came upon was from November 2009,  when Blumenfeld, writing for World Net Daily, reminded his readers, "The most important institution in a socialist society is a government-owned and -controlled education system in which children can be indoctrinated to willingly accept state control of their lives....In a socialist system, the state owns the children. Parents are merely breeders, and since homeschoolers tend to like large families, the population-control socialists will no doubt try to abolish homeschooling."  He also says, "Since homeschoolers have rejected the state’s control over the education of their children, they must do all in their power to defeat the efforts of the socialists to destroy parental rights."  

These are good points to ponder, particularly  as more and more socialistic ideas are touted left and right and more and more hands want to rock the cradles of the world, cradles that belong to parents, not businesses or governments.  Education does matter because "the fate of empires depends upon the education of youth." Arthur Blauert, the first Principal of Ferris High School, Spokane.

 Even if you are not a homeschooling parent, even if you are not a homeschooling advocate, you should be interested in the preservation of parental rights and parental influence in the lives of their children.  The role of loving and caring parent, should never be replaced by the state.    Take it from me, I had a public school teacher tell me that my son was her responsibility and not my concern during a parent teacher conference when he was only in the second grade.  The threat to parental input and parental jurisdiction in the life of their children, particularly in the area of education, is a real concern.  It is everyone's concern.

I read an old homeschool movement flyer from the 1980's recently.  It was put out by the Center For Independent Education in San Fransisco CA.  It represents what the State Department of Education of the day "believed," and it attempted to show how ridiculous the view of the State, regarding parental rights in education, was.

Parents can give of themselves...  give of their own lives, their resources, and their patience to raise their children.

They may love and cherish children,  hold their children's needs above their own.

They may nourish their children with wholesome foods, insuring that they are happy and healthy, warm in winter, safe and secure, protected in sickness, encouraged in disappointment or idleness, and watch over them in times of crisis

They may discipline their children, redirect their wrongs, guide them through their formative years of impulse and indecision toward a time then they can stand alone , when impulse and industry go hand in hand...

Parent may share with their children their most fundamental beliefs.... instilling in them a sense of civic pride and self assurance, enriching their lives with special meaning and commitment of religion.


They may speak to them about the things their parents told them the stories and legends that weave the daily struggle of a people or an era or an ethnic culture into a real and invaluable heritage.


Parents may worry all the worries, put aside all the savings, provide all the violin lessons, and wipe all the noses that it takes to raise a whole and healthy child into adulthood.


But...UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall parents themselves formally educate their own children at home!"


It's ridiculous, but some people believe such things.  What is worse, some people do not believe a parent should instill anything in their children, especially not their religious beliefs, or the ways of their ancestors. But some people are just plain wrong.

And we must remember that some people would also believe that things like reading and thinking and freedom are dangerous behaviors; which may be why Basal readers, like Dick and Jane (which required learners to memorize words by sight, resulted in readers who, only reading via sight words, when confronted with an unknown word, were completely stumped.  Not only that since it is possible to read a word on sight but not know the meaning of the word, comprehension of what was being read was impaired.  So, Johnny went to school, but when he came home, he was learning impaired, hence the famous book by Rudolf Flesch, "Why Johnny Can't Read." 

The reason Johnny could not read, some asserted from their research, was that Basal readers were used and words were words, only because the teacher defines the words, not because the children had learned to decipher them.

So, do not be a victim of Dick and Jane, learn to read phonetically with Sam Blumenfeld.  teach your children to read phonetically too.   See Samuel Blumenfeld's website at: http://www.howtotutor.com/

 Go, Spot.
Go and find Dick. Go and find Jane.
Run, Spot, run.

More on ALP's and ALE's and PPP's

" Parent Partnership Programs are not partnerships, rather they are dictatorships. They offer you help in the form of classes and money for curriculum, but in exchange you lose that precious time with your children, and you have to account for everything you do, or don’t do, with them."

                                                                   Dawn Perkins

How about the experiences of others who have been in these public school alternative education programs?  I read this today and assess it is a very accurate portrayal of the differences between homeschooling and parent partnership programs/alt ed .  It is sad, but true, I have heard the story more than once by many people.  Dawn, who writes of her experience, makes honest statements of what her involvement in the program was like.  She calls it, A Fox in the Henhouse.




Posted By Lisa

The Alphabet Soup of ALPs, ,ALEs, and PPPs,...and how they relate to RRR and ABC

Can we talk?
I mean really talk?

This is about Alternative Learning Programs in public schools....ALP"S

ALP, ALE, PPP, whatever they are called, are all basically the same thing... public school,  just with different names.     After I recently found myself looking into what the local ALP ,(called MEPP, Mead Educational Parent Partnership, a subsidiary of Mead Schools here in Spokane,) has to say about itself... I need to talk about it to others who want to know what I have learned.

Read, please, if you will, what they advertise on their web page about themselves... being a public school, tax funded and all, and then, let's talk; or rather, I will write and you can think, about it.  Respond if you like.

They say:

"Throughout Washington State, educators, parents and community members persistently strive to create strong educational models to best meet the needs of students. Several years ago, the Mead Education Partnership Program (MEPP) was developed in response to the desire of community members for a program that could support, enrich and provide resources to the home school community. "

Note: These public school programs, (Alternative Learning Programs or ALPs,) are not newly created programs that sprung up into existence  just for "the homeschool community." They were already in place for students who were labeled by the schools as being "at risk." 

Is your child at risk of not getting a proper education if they are homeschooled by you without their help?  The public school and the NEA behind them, thinks so, so they have kindly opened their ALP doors to the homeschooling community, because they want "every child" to succeed,  in the meeting of public school philosophies and objectives.  On the flipside, homeschooling families have repeated demonstrated that homeschooling works quite well... this is why we have a Washington State Homeschool Law.

Remember that if you choose to homeschool here in WA state, you are at liberty to do so legally under the Home Based Education Law which do not make provision for state funding for your personal project of teaching your kids on your own or sending them to private school.  It also does not have the direct oversight of your local public school.  

Support, enrich  and provide resources?" 

Wait another minute.  Why don;t they do this in the regular classroom at school?  

 Aren't the schools we have supposed to be supporting and enriching everyones' children's education?  Instead, we have issues that make parents want to remove children from the schools.  Instead we see funding being applied to an elite few who have some personal preferences about their own child's personal education.  In Alt Ed programs funding is being doled out by the thousands to provide a special education to just a few simply because they have an interest in homeschooling, which, by law is not to be funded by the state?    

It should be noted that getting students into these programs is financially beneficial for the school district who gets the same money for a student who is doing the Alt Ed program at the school without having to be on campus full time.  This means that they get the money, but do not actually have to teach them or feed them or grade them or monitor their behavior all day long.  It also creates jobs for those same parents who teach classes on school campuses, often to their own students.  

Perhaps what these "community members..." : 

a.) ...want to recapture loss government funds due to lower enrollment nubers as more people choose to homeschool.  This means of course finding more money to give in an already hurting economy.

b.) .....want to make schools accessible to "homeschoolers."  Note though, that homeschoolers can and always has been able to access schools for classes without being enrolled as full time students. in the district.  

c.) ....want funding from the government to purchase their own choice of books materials and classes.  They want the money.

c.) ....to create themselves a job.  Teachers and parents get paid to teach classes.

d.) want to create a charter school where no law in our state for the creation of a charter school has been created.

e.) ... have reasons that are really unknown.

The school district already provides an educational resource that all parents, even parents who homeschool can access that if they need the resources of public education; it's called the local public school.  There are PTOs and PTAs.... there are places for parent volunteers in the classrooms, on the playground and helping to cross the busy streets.  The public education system is a tool that should be used to enrich students on an equal basis... not simply enrich a special group of people who think they deserve enrichment more than others at taxpayer's expense.

As benevolent as it sounds to be responsive to "the community," one would expect public servants to focus on improving the public schools we already have, ones that truly are open to all the public.  Instead, these community members are busy creating private schools for themselves with funds for students who really are in trouble and "at -risk."   

 Once enrolled in an ALE or PPP, a once legal "homeschooler" is no longer "homeschooling," (no longer under the RWC) even though the parent feels like they are and is directly involved in teaching and curriculum choices for their children.  I have been told that the school would hand out and "intent to provide home based education" form and have the parent file it, then have the same parent enroll the potential student in the ALE.  

"At MEPP, the students' education takes place in a variety of locations which may include home, other sites (colleges) as well as the Five Mile Prairie School. Five Mile Prairie School accommodates teaching/learning schedules at home by offering flexible class times.  District approved curriculum is chosen by parent instructors in collaboration with certified teachers."

Students are generally enrolled full time in the public school in order to participate, there is, as there has always been, a possibility of accessing using the ALP program ancillary as a homeschooler   As such, full time students are not homeschooling, though they very well may be doing school at home.  Even if parents are doing some teaching in the home... the parents and the students that they "teach" are not homeschoolers.  They have no longer any jurisdiction in using the Home Based Instruction Law for what they do.  They are in public funded school.

A few questions:
Do these parents now "work" for the state?  
Are they now controlled by the state? 

They now certainly must answer to the state for what is being taught by them to their own children in their home.  They must meet and report to teachers on staff at the school instead of staff reporting to the parents and they must use state approved materials for teaching too.
 
 Our WA law declares that once an intent to homeschool has been filed with the district,  all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine; selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum; and methods, timing, and place in the provision or evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent.  Home School does not mean doing public school at home.  Also, homeschooling is not, nor has ever been a financial burden to tax payers, and homeschool parents have never been the paid employees or financial benefactors of public schools

"Students participate in classes one or more days a week at the Five Mile Prairie School.  Students can meet for Physical Science in their own science room, explore robotics in the media room, enjoy dance in the family room, or choose from a plethora of other classes, all of which infuse current technology."

Family room?   Does your local school welcome family... with such hospitality as this?  

Do all public schools offer  a plethora of other classes... like dance classes and robotics to all their wonderful students?  How about computers;  are they free for all public school kids?
And, do all public schools offer individual reimbursements to student's  parents for extracurricular learning experiences and classes parents hand select for their students?  No.  In fact is many schools lack of funding cuts important programs like art and they beg yearly for donations of tissue, crayons and pencils for use in the public school classroom... instead of buying it in bulk at cheaper prices than parents will pay individually for their own kids.  

In addition to the family room feature, children enrolled in these special programs have had piano, dance and sports like fencing... paid for.  Your hard earned money... taxes, are hard at work in the ALE PPP programs at the local school, providing a "free " and "public education."

"While the technological tools we use to teach at Five Mile Prairie School may have changed over time, the mission has remained the same:  to create the best education possible for students by listening to and collaborating with parents."

Really?  Does your local school work hard to collaborate with parents?  They should, but there are many educators at schools who think they know so much better than the parent...which is why so many parents leave the public school situations and opt for homeschool or private school instead.

 ((((Can we talk?))) 

 If you are enrolled full time in an ALE,ALP or PPP, you might need to reassessing what you are doing and why you are doing it.  ALEs ALPs and PPPs are public school, not homeschooling.  Homeschoolers they take no money for education from the government.  There are no contractual partnerships between public school personnel and parents in our Homeschool Law.  In fact, homeschoolers are educating their own children at home (and out about in the world,) and they do this without creating additional financial burdens for Washington State.

Posted by Lisa

Three Quality Ways to Give Your Children a Basic Education.

by Lisa

There are three ways to educate children in Washington State, Public School, Private school and Home School.  When most people think of school, they only think of public school.  Why is that?  (You have to wonder.)  Usually it's because they think of public education as something free, provided by the government.  But education is not free... you pay for it through paying taxes.  You might say, it is provided for by "WE," we the People.  Public schools therefore, belong to everyone who pays into the system, they belong to US... anyone who is a taxpaying citizen can use them for (what would appear to be..."FREE," but public school is not the only option for an education.

Private school is paid for by the people who attend it, AND these same people pay their taxes just like you and I.  Private "school" and tutoring is very much how education began...that,  and homeschooling.  Yes, homeschooling, it too has been done throughout all human history is a viable option for learning to be human, reading and writings too.  So what is a parent to do, just simply send your kids to "free" school?  Or should they hireg a private tutor or pay taxes AND fund their favorite local private or religious school?    Not everyone can afford to both pay taxes AND tuition for a private school.

So, while education in the public school is not the only means of fulfilling compulsory education laws, sometimes deciding the best educational route for your kids is difficult, and this for many reasons.    IT is true that some people do quite well in the public school system, but even in a good public school distrit, people should have choices in education.   Citizens of our country pay the taxes to make education possible, they elect governement officials and citizens who are parents of the children in our nation, not government officials, have say over where their kids will attend school, unless of course they are of no particular opinion on the matter.  This is where homeschooling comes into the educational equation.  Some parents choose to homeschool their children in leiu of sending them to either public or private school, and because so many parents were doing it, based on their conviction of heart that it was their right, or their duty, or perhaps a better option for their family than the local public school...homeschooling became a "legal" option for education..  In Washinton it took place in 1985.

Homeschooling in every state is now "legal," and just so we have no confusion on the matter...  "home schooling" is what parents and guardians may legally do what they do, (educate their kids) without being directly connected to or overseen by the local public school.  In fact, homeschooling is much like private school.  It is done without using any state money and without interference from well-meaning government paid educational professionals, people who work for the state.  There is an important distinction between "homeschooling" and "public-schooling at home," just as there is distinction between private and public school.  This articles is an attempt to set things straight between these three viable and quality ways to give your kids what they need to succeed in their lives.. a basic education..

Sometimes, thinking that children, all children, should be the property of the state, or believing that parents somehow begin sharing the responsibility of parenting with public schools when their children reach the ripe old age of four or five,  well-meaning individuals and teams of individuals, step way beyond the call-of-duty in being a paid public servant within the community and insist that public school is the only way to learn.  They are wrong.   Yes, all children should be learning, gaining a basic knowledge of the world, exploring ideas and interacting with others, discovering who they are, but they there are many ways to do just that, and for some people, it isn't in a classroom.

Compulsory Education Laws

We say education is compulsory, because we deem it so important, knowing full well that to be ignorant is not ever truly bliss. Reading and writing are important skills...the impetus of such a law.   But public tax supported school as an institute of the government is not the only choice in education.  There are several viable choices, including different kinds of private school and home school, all that thrive because they meet or exceed the basic education obligation as prescribed by our state law.   In fact, the concept of private schools and homeschooling predate the state run public school.

While this is true, homeschooling is often frowned upon by many who make their living from the public school system.  They see homeschooling as a threat to their opinion too. Theire are people who work very hard to make homeschooling and parent's rights of no effect or illegal, and for this reason homeschooling and homeschooling laws must be taken seriously and protected.  Private schools too, especially private schools that teach religious doctrines are often in the crosshairs of threat.  One reason is that more kids in public schools means more money for the individual school, and more jobs in education too. 


Where The Money Flows

Public school is funded by governmental taxation and state lotteries. Private school is privately funded by individuals, families or sometimes charitable organizations, maybe a church. Homeschooling, like private school,  is privately funded by the family of the child...but never is home schooling directly funded by or dependent upon  the money reserved strictly for the public schools run by the state. 

In Washington, there are three basic ways to educate your children,  all of which can give students a basic education a required by law. Public school, private school or homeschooling, are distinct and separate option, and all viable choices for education, but the decision about which kind of schooling and the control of direction is always first and foremost a parent's choice to make,but education does cost money, more than that, if you have kids... in a school or in the home, education will cost you time.

In the end, no matter what form of education you pick for your kids, or end up working with, one thing is certain... your children need your loving support and encouragement .  It is a parent's right and perogative, a aparents duty to oversee their children's education, safty and welfare.  ANd, if you think public school is the only way to educate a child, think again.  We do have options.

Valley Home Scholars Homeschool Conference, Spokane 2010

Great conference!  Here are some photos of the event that took place out in the valley last month.  There were about 500 people in attendance and it was a very encouraging family event.

Posted by Lisa
Photos by Lisa 

Books, Books, and more Books!

 

As of this year, 2014, the Homeschool Book Shop is closed in Spokane.  Here is the article about the store anyway.  Thank you Amber for all your hard work!

The Homeschool Book Shop is a consignment book store in Spokane.  For over a year now it has been an asset to the homescholing community here and I thought I would tell about it on this blog.  Photos by me... Lisa

The book store is on N. Wall and it is owned and operated by the lovely Amber McGuire as see in the photo below.






If you are homeschooling, or if you just like good books, and if you live or find yourself visiting in Eastern Washington or Idaho, then this is one shop to stop at in your meandering around town.

I so seldom get to spend too much time here, browsing, but I always love it when I do.  The prices are reasonable and the place is well organized and best of all there is a great selection of book.  Besides that, Ms. Amber thinks of  nearly everything to make a person feel at home.  That is what inspired me to tell about this place on my blog.  Kids even like to visit here.

It was not enough that she offers weary bookworms, like me, special deals on books, or that she makes hot soup on Saturdays in the month of January to share with customers who come in for books at a discount price,  nope. In addition to all of that she also puts hand sanitizer and a box of Kleenex in every room along with a little trash basket, just in case you need one.  Amber thinks of nearly everything to make a person feel at home and welcomed.  Everytime I visit here I am impressed with here open doors to the people who visit her store and not only her open heart to homeschool families, but any people who are interested in sharing the wonder of books, homeschooling or not.  Books, after all are for people of all ages.  And Amber has some really great books on her shelves!


An she has shelves!

In this room --->
you will find all sorts of things
for Math and Art

In this room you will find Language Arts materials, spelling, vocabulary, lots of Abeka books... even classic reads.  There is every a yard sale room back a ways in this direction where one can get some really good deals!

In the upstairs area there is Christian books, History, Geography and in a separate room after that is Science.






Downstairs is an area where over the last year, Amber has hosted several classes... like Art with artist Cheryl Ellicot, and a Kids Chess Club too.

If you love books and you are in Spokane... this is the place, especially if you are homeschooling or if you are like me, need to recycle some of your beloved homeschooling and educational books.
Amber also consigns books, if you are interested in that sort of thing.

Her website is: http://www.thehomeschoolbookshop.com/index.html