Children, of all ages, from all walks of life inevery neighborhood are "forced" to go to school, yes FORCED to attend... even "dangerous schools." They will even take your kids as early as the age of four if you will let them. Kids, your kids, are after all, their livelihood and their business... and business is money. It's a symbiotic relationship. School teachers, school officials and school personnel want your kids in their school.
Lets remember that all too often, parents are not given a say in what teacher their child has all day or what kids are influencing them at school. If you live in a certain school district and are of a certain age, (and if your parents have not made other arrangements, like private or homeschool,) then you, as a kid, MUST go to that particular local public school... and only to the school in the district you are in.... no other. There are exceptions of course... but it is a rule. It leave one to wonder what it would be like if you were told that the only store you could ever shop from was the one nearest to your home or for that matter, designated to you by a state official?
Thank God for homeschooling. However, beware. When you homeschool, schools lose potential money and money, you know is an indispensable commodity in public education. This is one major reason why schools, generally speaking, do not like it when people choose to homeschool. When you do, the school looses that $10,000.00 (or so) per child they would otherwise have and they hate to loose the money.
To regenerate the money lost, the schools have created a way to make that money back by creating partnership programs like the Spokane Valley Learning Academy, Northstar School, Homelink and TEC to share the wealth they regain per student with parents who enroll. The call it homeschooling to attract people, but it's not homeschooling it's public school. The big draw for many people is the money offered them if hey join the program. This is not homeschooling. These programs are not homeschooling, they are public school.
Parents... some of them,have been grossly mislead. Product of "public school" themselves, they have adopted the same notion.... that school administrators and teachers always know more than parents do about kids. They falsely believe that the only way to get an education is the public school. Some have no idea that here in Washington, children are not even required to attend a public school until the age of 8, because no one working at the school told them this when they inquired about starting school. More kids in school, means more money for the school and you can bet your school wants money. If you want to homeschool, but find yourself enticed by these programs, is it because you want money too?
According to a report by National Public Radio, the amount of money spent publicly educating one child in the US is, on average, about $10,000.00 dollars per year. That's a good chunk of money, but even at that rate, you can bet that $10,000.00 is not enough to ppurchase books and pay teachers, after all, your local school is always asking for more. In comparison, homeschooling is much more cost effective, and with great results. It does not even drive the National Deficit higher, because people are not taking money from Uncle Sam.
Lets remember that all too often, parents are not given a say in what teacher their child has all day or what kids are influencing them at school. If you live in a certain school district and are of a certain age, (and if your parents have not made other arrangements, like private or homeschool,) then you, as a kid, MUST go to that particular local public school... and only to the school in the district you are in.... no other. There are exceptions of course... but it is a rule. It leave one to wonder what it would be like if you were told that the only store you could ever shop from was the one nearest to your home or for that matter, designated to you by a state official?
Thank God for homeschooling. However, beware. When you homeschool, schools lose potential money and money, you know is an indispensable commodity in public education. This is one major reason why schools, generally speaking, do not like it when people choose to homeschool. When you do, the school looses that $10,000.00 (or so) per child they would otherwise have and they hate to loose the money.
To regenerate the money lost, the schools have created a way to make that money back by creating partnership programs like the Spokane Valley Learning Academy, Northstar School, Homelink and TEC to share the wealth they regain per student with parents who enroll. The call it homeschooling to attract people, but it's not homeschooling it's public school. The big draw for many people is the money offered them if hey join the program. This is not homeschooling. These programs are not homeschooling, they are public school.
"This notion that the children belong to the state, that their education must be provided for by the state … is inimical at every step to liberty.” – J. Gresham Machen
Parents... some of them,have been grossly mislead. Product of "public school" themselves, they have adopted the same notion.... that school administrators and teachers always know more than parents do about kids. They falsely believe that the only way to get an education is the public school. Some have no idea that here in Washington, children are not even required to attend a public school until the age of 8, because no one working at the school told them this when they inquired about starting school. More kids in school, means more money for the school and you can bet your school wants money. If you want to homeschool, but find yourself enticed by these programs, is it because you want money too?
According to a report by National Public Radio, the amount of money spent publicly educating one child in the US is, on average, about $10,000.00 dollars per year. That's a good chunk of money, but even at that rate, you can bet that $10,000.00 is not enough to ppurchase books and pay teachers, after all, your local school is always asking for more. In comparison, homeschooling is much more cost effective, and with great results. It does not even drive the National Deficit higher, because people are not taking money from Uncle Sam.
The main funding resource for schools is property taxes. But there are many ways that schools get funding besides taxation. They will be happy to take your money through any means, including stock and bonds, formula assistance monies, teachers monthly payroll deductions, special federal grants, lottery ticket purchases, and charitable contributions . Yes, and according to Turbo Tax, your contributions to the public school, are tax-deductible. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, they'll take it all.
You can safely wager that he who contributes big to the school will be the ont to drive the proverbial "school bus" in return. Big money pulls a lot of strings that make the puppet move. Contributors can pretty much tell the school what to teach, what to test, how to administrate, what to say, and at the very least, they get free publicity, for being a school hero and "contributing" to the schools. For this reason, there is a lot of contributing going on, Contributions to public schools is so common that your public school is not as public as you might think.
You can safely wager that he who contributes big to the school will be the ont to drive the proverbial "school bus" in return. Big money pulls a lot of strings that make the puppet move. Contributors can pretty much tell the school what to teach, what to test, how to administrate, what to say, and at the very least, they get free publicity, for being a school hero and "contributing" to the schools. For this reason, there is a lot of contributing going on, Contributions to public schools is so common that your public school is not as public as you might think.
It used to be that school was a parent teacher affair, but these days, big business is actually invited by the local schools to partner with them, to get their hands in the not just the raising and educating of children, but in "contributing" (a,k,a,) controlling and manipulating your supposedly locally organized public school in exchange for....money. Schools get money, buisnesses get noteriety with parents and influence over growing youth and everyone is happy. And make no mistake, businesses and corporations dole out big money to the education system, both for tax purposes and for control. When it comes to public education and governmental funding there is always all sorts of financial "string" attached.
But in all fairness, let's be fair here. Not everyoe does something to get money or noteriety in return. When it comes to schools, some people donate money, others donate their time and servoces, and it just isn;t fair to make it look as if everyone does it to get something in return. Let's fac it, people notonly participate, but donate to public schools for a myriad of reasons.
Some do so because they believe they are doing good for kids... making their neighborhood strong, building up community, contributing to the prosperity of future generations. People have been brought up to believe that schools are the fginal authority of how to eduate kids. But let's not hide our heads in the sand and not realize that when it comes to schools we ar talking big money and thought control. There are in fact many who look to the schools as an income and livelihood, a means of investing and making money as well as taking a tax break and gaining public recognition, or even control.... by donating to the school's 501 3c .
The sad part is that schools, while they are managing millions of dollars, have people thinking they always lack funds. While putting forth the notion that they are in need and are deserving of your financial charity they force you via law, to put your kids in school run by paid personnel, some of them, paid quite well. And lyou can rest assured that the nice person running your local Parent Partnership Program, as well as those who work in the programs, get paid for promoting the programs according to the programs success. They want you to join, because it helps create their jobs.
When it comes to public funded education, parents are expected, not only to turn over their kids, but to answer to teacher who know better than they do.... who have been trained in important things, like Core Curriulum.... and then they are also expected to allow the school calendar dictate their lives and vacations for years on end. Then, after giving their kids over to school and paying high property taxes, they must also endure the never ending message that school needs more funds.
Do you know anyone who has sent out their kids out to sell gift wrap and other items to friends and neighbors to help support the needy charity of the local public school? Have you seen or been handed a supplies list from a local school or classroom? The sad part is that the school supplies are not for the child of the parents pmaking the purchases. No. How dare you think they might be for your child to use. Items brought to school by the child are not to be marked with ythe child's name because they do not belong to the child. They are a donation of are "community" supplies.
Children do not even have an opportunity to share thier personal school items with others because nothing belongs to them. Everything is school property, "community property" and you as a parent are expected to provide it, even school basics, like pencils and paper rulers and protractors.... those basic tools of the teaching trade. If not pencils and paper, rulers, dry erase markers and textbooks, it makes you wonder what your taxes pay for in public education.
Public school is not a charity. Public school is not a charity run by benevolent volunteers. It's workers are public servants doing a public service, and while they might love kids andenjoy their job, they are government paid. This is why people call it "government school." Public school is a government funded venture, one that you support as a citizen of this country, whether you have kids or not, wehether you currently use the schools or not. This is not to say that tax support of a good public education system is a bad idea... but it is to say that the public education system is never satisfied with money and it is not the only means of educating kids.
But in today's world, if the young parent inquires at the school about homeschooling they are not directed to a homeschool organization. No. They are told that there is a nice little program that supports homeschooling and homeschool parents through the school. Why?
Because they make money. You can too... but first you need to understand that you are not under the Revised Code of Washington that exists to make homeschooling egal and even possible in Washington state. The schools program has some rules and regulations, some requirements for joining, but if you will join, you'll reap the financial benefit of them sharing their money allotment for the enrollment of your student with you!
You may not realize it, but if you join thee programs, and think that you are "homeschooling" you basically conceed that ... parents just cannot "homeschool" without help from the local school. You also may not realize that you now "partner" with the very entity that would gladly repeal our Washington state homeschool law that empowers parents to educate from home. These Alternative education programs are not "homeschooling." They are a tempatation and a snare that is easy for people to fall into when they want to homeschool but feel that they lack the confidence to actually do it... or when they desire to curcumvent the regular classrooms offered at schools and fund their child's personal education... and are willing to compromise whatever it takes to do so.
Parents joining in these programs, like the Deer Prk area's HomeLink for example, have been snared into something other than "Home Based Education" or "Home School." They have been lassoed into a partnership with schools instead of partnering with other homeschooling parents and organizations. enrolling fuull time in public alternative education is not even akin to enroling your child in the local public school down the street. Parent who enroll kids in regular public school down the street are at leat are their own child's best advocates whle the children attend school, meanwhile partnering parents are submitting themselves and their families to the school personnel and decisions... for they are working for the schools in their homes. Some even get paid for making these programs work and recruiting others. (All teacher's slaries as well as aides can be viewed publicially. Know anyone promoting Parent Partnerships to homeschoolers? Type in their name, see if they are getting paid. )
The schools offered to fund partnering parent's personal prefererences of textbooks and sctivites for theier kids in exchange for enrollment full time in the public school. Of course, over time, changes had to be made bcause the schools were not being responsible in how they presented themselves or what they were spending money on.
Apparently, these programs are not intended to fund religious materials nor can religious materials be legally counted for "credit" in obtsaing a public high school diploma. Abeka MATH is banned.
Perhaps you have seen how Timberdoodle Company is now going religious free, and therefore is able to be marketed to public schools? ("Smart buisness move," you think? Or is it just the love of money making this decisive move?)
There is no doubt that many parents in partnership that call themselves" homeschoolers "feel like they are getting a great deal... the best of both worlds...as some would contend, as if two different masters could be equally served. Choosing their own teaching materials from district approves lists, writing reimbursment requests, these parents pocket a few bucks earmarked for public education and work to meet school district goals and objectives with their own kids at home. It's not "home school," and they are not homeschoolers. Homeschoolers can use religious or secular materials and they make their own lists. They can even legally use an Abeka MATH book if they want to.
Parent partnership programs have paid for ski lift tickets, horseback riding lessons, piano lessons and dance classes, all submitted by participating parents of course, at the directive of those running the program and receiving their requests. Some parents in the program even get paid for teaching a class or two. Meanwhile families in your neighborhood struggle to
Proud of getting some financial reimbursement from good ol' Uncle Sam, honored at the thought of "coaching" or "mentoring" their child through all the requirements of public school, (note: The state does not recognize these parents as "teachers," unless they are certified.) program participants love what they are doing and embrace the Trojan Horse. Enamoured with the word "homeschool" in the presentation of the public school program, mesmerized by all the lovely offerings of the school and school personnel, thier thinking is clouded. They seldom realize that beforepartnering with the school and entering their children on a full-time basis they must give up their "intent" to actually participate in home based school.
Home based school, or "Home School" is equal under the law in regards to compulsory attendance, and yet very different than Public School and Private School. Parents are teacher to their children both in and out of schools. Homeschooling parents have special role, once they agree to meet certain criteria. As teachers of their own kids, they are free to use any corriculum they want to and use their own philosophy of education too. We have a Home Based Education Law in Washington, whereby parents can legally HOME SCHOOL their kids independently; not independant of the law.... but independant of the local public or private school.
When it comes to homeschooling, the botton liine is this:
Do not let the love of money be the detrmining factor in what you do.
Recommended reading:
Forbes.com Opinion of Bill Flax
Love, With Some Strings Attached by Lee Binz
What Is it with Homeschoolers and Money?
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