Another one of the first classes offered to homeschoolers was Spanish, taught off school campus by someone associated with the school. Some people went when invited to these classes... and of those, some liked it, others did not. It is important to note also, that at the time that these classes "for homeschoolers" were being offered, not all homeschooling families would be so quick to join up. This is because for many years families who homeschooled were disapproved of by the schools.
It's true. Parents were actually homeschooling children instead of sending their children o school to learn to read and write, and the schools disliked it terribly. Children being homeschooled were considered "truant" and parents were criminals for it. Even today, many public-school-oriented-officials do not even think your children should be allowed to attend a private school. We are a diverse nation.
School officials have sometimes disliked homeschooling for various reasons. Of course...there is always the two big reasons of political or religious differences of opinion, but the main reason homeschooling was disliked and still often is...is money. Your private school attending or homeschooling son or daughter takes away money from the local school. For every child enrolled in school... more money is made available to that school, and in case you didn't notice, "school" is the livelihood of those who work, manage and teach in our local public schools. "School" means jobs for adults in the community and your children are often viewed as a very valuable resource.
However, the parents convinced that homeschooling their own children was what they wanted to do were more than willing to fight legally on the matter. Time and time again, homeschooling families had to stand legal ground to be able to teach their own kids at home. and then, when it came to making a law to make homeschooling "legal" in Washington state, these parents still insisted that they direct the education of their own children, and this without the interference of local school officials, however they also consented to file intent forms and "be legal" in their homeschooling agreeing officially to ensure a well-rounded education for their own children. Parents were independently homeschooling.
Now-a-days... people mistakenly believe "homeschooling" is only parents working in some kind of "partnership" with the schools. Don't be mistaken. Expensive legal battles, court cases ruled by judges on the matter of homeschooling. There have even been "studies " conducted by school officials themselves that have proven homeschooling as a legitimate form of education that stands on it's own merit.
Parents who provided home education were proven to be proficient in teaching their own children and in fact often these children excelled expectations. This is why people like the word "homeschool."It has taken a lot of effort in Washington state by a lot of individuals to make "homeschooling" viewed as legal both locally and nationwide. It is a proven fact that parents can teach their children well...and do so without the assistance of wither a public or private school.
Deer Park WA once was had a large homeschool community, until there were some classes offered by the schools in Deer Park too. The first classes were offered after school hours of course, but in the school's building. Again, some homeschooling families responded to the invitation to come to a free class for homeschoolers and in this case participate in art. Homeschooling families, many of them, thought someone in the homeschooling community had just arranged to use the building. Later it became apparent that this was an offering of the school personnel.... and some homeschoolers, discontinued going... but some did not.
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
As time passed and various experiences occurred, the Deer Park homeschooling families were deeply divided about these mysterious offerings that appeared as gifts from the local public schools; and as some families embraced the idea of enrolling their children in the programs being offered, other people did not. The offering of the schools to give families allowances of money to sepend on books and materials tore many a homeschool group and even long time friendships apart. It was as if someone had carefully calculated their offerings to entice people to join the public school as full time students.. The programs ensured more money for the school, and money for parents who quite homeschooling independently in exchange for allotments to purchase books and pay for classes... like piano and ballet and theater arts. This turned the Deer Park homeschooling community on edge.
Not much has changed. Some local school districts publicly state:
"Spokane Public Schools is proud to support parents who homeschool their children."
Words spoken to camera in a video introduction of the program clled TEC, in Spokane Public Schools, website: www.tecspokane.com
"Completing this form does not necessarily mean that you will be accepted into the TEC program. Our goal is to ensure this process supports our mission of making TEC a positive choice for families who believe homeschooling in a parent partnership program is the best fit for their children."
Online TEC registration form, March 24, 2011 www.tecspoane.com
"Spokane Public Schools is proud to support parents who homeschool their children."
Words spoken to camera in a video introduction of the program clled TEC, in Spokane Public Schools, website: www.tecspokane.com
".....as parents who continue to homeschool and partner with us..."
TEC Introductory Video, www.tecspokane.com
"Testing is......provided as a service to their homeschooling program." TEC Introductory Video, www.tecspokane.com
"The Jump Start program is a class for families new to homeschooling."
TEC Program, Spokane Public Schools; www.tecspokane.com/90day.htm
Whether you're new to homeschooling or an old pro, the WSLP can seem a bit daunting. It really needn't be. In response to numerous parent requests, we've created some parent-friendly instructions and simplified grade level expectations to get you started "
http://www.tecspokane.com/WSLP%20help.htm, offering "Jumpstart"
MEPP in the Mead School District of Spokane and Homelink in the Deer Park School District Area still want to represent those in their public school programs as "homeschoolers" too:
"We are a Parent Partnership Program where parents of home schooled children and teachers from the Deer Park School District work together to define the educational goals and materials our parents and students use at home."
http://homelink.dpsd.org/
"We are excited to partner with parents who home school their children by providing quality educational opportunities and resources."
THe MEPP program, held at Five Mile Prairie . from their "ABOUT" page advertising their program,; www.mead354.org
Partner? Schools want to partner with parents. Don't be fooled. Be independent, or at least know that when enrolled in these programs you are being invited to enroll your child full time in a public school and working under the administration of the school district.
Our Homeschooling Law, the RCW is what legally allows you as a parent to accept the responsibility for your own children, you of course, agree to provide the certain conditions of a well rounded education... but the parent.... not a paid school official directs all aspects of this learning, even diplomas. Why would you, (if this is what you want yo do,) "partner" with those who fought to take away the freedom of parent to "homeschool?" It is imperative that prospective homeschoolers know what is homeschool and what is not.
Homeschoolers determine the coursework of study completely, they do their own record keeping and when testing is necessary they determine the administration of tests. They are free to set the pace of learning for the individual student, and free to commit to doing the educating of their own kids, enlist tutors and and create cooperative learning experiences with other homeschooling families, all by their own discretion and without a government agency's assistance. This much like private schools is a model quite different from a public school system managed by statesmen and government paid educators who answer to voters as well as parents for the coursework, calendar,and expenditures. Some people think the PPPs are great, the best of both the public school and homeschooling worlds, however they are, in every way shape and form, full time public school. PPPs might feel like "home schooling," they might even be promoted by people who used to know about homeschooling or used to homeschool, but one must remember that to join schools are required to tell you that you are full time enrolled and then they call your their PARTNER, which means, the schooling of your children, done at home is subject to their over-site and the WAC. They want you to think you can be a homeschooler and be enrolled full time in public school.
Home Based Educators, historically called homeschoolers here in WA are not under that same rules and regulations that govern students enrolled full time in public schools. This is because homeschoolers are not public school students, Despite this, they can, at the request of the student's parents be enrolled (part time) in what is called an ancillary class. In this case, parents who utilize the school for a class or two in no way give up their liberty as parents to be the director and overseer of their child's individual education. You can be a homeschooler and participate PART TIME in a public school class offering, but you cannot be a homeschoolers AND full timed enrolled in public school.
If you join one of these partnership programs, and they tell you that you are enrolled full-time in the public school....guess what... you are a public school enrollee... full time. Do freedom a favor and call yourself a member of a Parent Partnership Program, not a "Homeschooler." You are governed by a different law than those pioneering homeschoolers fought for... you are governed by the WAC. This of course does not make you less of a concerned or involved parent. Make no mistake, there are a lot of concerned parents with kids who attend public school, involved parents who work with their kids on schoolwork daily at home. What you call yourself in a PPP has ramifications for future homeschooling legislation as well as the cultural awareness of what homeschooling is... and isn't.
Parent Partnership Program websites often use the word "homeschool" or home schooling" in describing what it is they do. These programs are being paid for, sponsored and managed by the particular local public school. If you want to homeschool, instead of partnering with the local public school, be independent. Contact a state homeschool support group, get involved in your local homeschool support group or start one of your own. If you are in a Parent Partnership, be proud of your school, your yearbook, wear your school colors and obey your school's rules and regulations, but please, don't think or make others think, that what you are doing is actually homeschool.
Happy Independence Day 2014!
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