Curious About Common Core?

"Common Core – Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been in the national and local news lately. Sometimes we hear negative comments, and sometimes positive. It’s important to re‐ member the state standards are there to help ensure teachers are teaching and students are learning. The new common core state standards will help lead all of our children to a successful future. The standards help to ensure students learn what they need to go on to pursue a technical, associates or bachelor’s degree after they complete high school."

                                                          Holmes Elementary School Newsletter, January 2015, Spokane

This is the propaganda going out to parents from schools regarding CCSS....otherwise known as Common Core State Standards,  but are they "state" standards?

This may come as a surprise..based upon the name of the program, but. the answer is "No."

Valerie Strauss, who studies this stuff reports that they are not state standards at all.  She says, in her article,  Common Core's, Fundamental Trouble, published in the Washington Post, June, 2013,  "They’re national standards, created by Gates-funded consultants for the National Governors Association (NGA). They were designed, in part, to circumvent federal restrictions on the adoption of a national curriculum, hence the insertion of the word “state” in the brand name. States were coerced into adopting the Common Core by requirements attached to the federal Race to the Top grants and, later, the No Child Left Behind waivers."

The history and implementation of the "Common Core" as well as all the controversy is an interesting subject, but it's hard to know everything about it, could even take you years.  Fact is, it is being used in a school near you and for this reason, people need to inform themselves about it, even if they are not subject to the Common Core Curriculum directly.

Homeschoolers, being independent of the direct oversight of public school, (and equal in competency to educate their own children from home in this manner legally) have never been required to participate in testing mandated for public schools. They have yearly testing requirements, but at this time are unaffected by "Common Core."  Just the same, as citizens who pay taxes in support of public education, who's students will be attending colleges in the future, they are often concerned about the issues of public education.  There is even a group in Spokane, parents with kids in the public schools, who are trying to stop Common Core in Spokane and they have created a Facebook page that can be accessed here.

What is wrong with Common Core... (you may wonder.)  It depends on who you talk to.A group like, " Stop Common Core" finds it detrimental.... while  the  National Education Association, (NEA)  for example, thinks it's great. 

The NEA also spends a lot of money promoting it and financially rewarding teachers who get on board with it.  Teachers who promote the Common Core concepts are no longer just "teachers," but are labeled "Master Teachers."  In some states, like Massachusetts, those teachers chosen via application to join the program, who then work to promote the project receive a stipend of $15,000.00.  But not all teachers think it's such a great thing, however, many find they have no choice.  They believe their job is on the line when it comes to support of Common Core.

If you are curious about why some criticize Common Core, you might want to check out the video at Stop Common Core of Washington State of a little girl, Sophia, doing a math problem both the common core strategy of place value, and again using the standard algorithm for addition. It will have you wondering what is the out is in training teachers to train kids to do math this new way and have you considering how your tax dollars are working in the local schools. If you are a homeschooler, your home based educated students are automatically exempt from  meeting common core standards, but you might want to know what all the hoopla about Common Core is about.

Teach Common Core methodology to your kids if you like it, don't teach it if you don't like it;  because as a homeschooler, you can implement your own philosophy on the matter,,,, but  you can bet that local school administers and teachers are being told to meet these standards.  They have already been trained to teach to the tests.... and this is often to the tune of a lot of dollars and cents.  If you are not a homeschooling family, just remember, your kids, even though they are in public school... are YOUR  kids.  You have parental rights and you have a right to know what they are learning and doing in school.

If you are curious about Common Core in our schools, here are some websites you might want to check out:

Learn about the Common Core "in 3 Minutes," (Watch the informative video promoting Common Core to and check out more information from a perspective in support of Common Core at www, corestandards.org

Have a look at National Public Radio's F.A.Q. and answers about Common Core.

Read from Joy Pullman, writing for The Federalist... as she discloses salaries of Common Core's co-authors.  And if you want to know more about who they are and the company they created to make the Common Core, read a concerned Arizona's report about it here.

Test yourself! Try this Math Test Common Core Sampler for First Graders... Here.  Check out a corrected first grade test, here.  REad about the first grader's parent's complaint, in a 2013 Washington Post Article about Common Core in New York public schools by Valerie Strauss.

Watch the Sophia Abelita Video on Vimeo, (if you missed watching it in the link earlier.)

Read a Spokane librarian's report on being "trained." (Important note: she was not being "educated" about, but being"trained" in "Common Core." and there is a difference between educating a person and training a person.  In "training," the outcome of the experience is already determined, and often rewarded.  Education involved critical thinking of the student to determine what to do with what is learned.)

Note the foriegn political slant found being taught to students across
the nation, vis Common Core (masquerading as "English" lessons.)
(Fox News exposed this example while examining
Common Core material.) 

And finally, here's some articles  by Laurie Rogers about (against) Common Core in Spokane Schools.... (particularly in the area of Math:)

Common Core Leading Districts to Adopt Unproved Math Programs

A Battle for Our Freedom

Be informed, learn more about Common Core!

"Dangerous?"

According to the Herald, there's been some legal changes changes for homeschooling families in Pennsylvania, and homeschoolers in Washington State should "read all about it," especially if you are a homeschooling who has never felt the pinch of going against the flow of what is commonly called, called "public education."  This article does an excellent job of pointing out the value and validity of the educational choice called independent homeschooling, or as our law refer to it, home based education.  It reminds us of  the precious freedoms we in Washington already enjoy to homeschool while Pennsylvanians, jump through a lot of hoops to do it and are still having to take legal stands to make it happen. Pennsylvania homeschool parents, with the recent passing of House Bill 1013, are experiencing freedom.  

No longer do they have to undergo the public school superintendent’s review of their child's individual portfolio at the end of each school year.  Also, they can now issue their children a homeschool diploma instead of being required to obtain a diploma from a "certified" diploma issuing organization, which can be costly.  It's great news... right?  Yes it is! But, you have to understand....  not everyone likes parents having this freedom. 

Officials from the Albert Gallatin Area School District,are quoted as saying, “It’s very difficult to say that the diploma has the same value, or merit, when issued by a parent, when the criteria aren’t clear,” ( this was the assistant superintendent for the district.)  There is also a quote of Gary Serock, "homeschooling coordinator" and "attendance director for the Albert Gallatin Area School District." He's not in favor of the change.  He says,, "It’s “dangerous” to allow a parent to give his child a diploma."

Dangerous?  

  Synonymsto "dangerous" are words like, "hazardous," "menacing," "threatening," "treacherous."  The word means "involving possibly harm or death."  Dangerous to whom or what?



Everyone knows that good parents have their child's best interest and success in life at heart.  They will make sure their kids are learning what they need to succeed.The onlyy thing in danger is his job as "attendance director" or "homeschool  coordinator" at the school.  Even in WA we have laws governing homeschooling that must be complied with and these arein place because of the collaboration of lawmakers, parents and school personnel... for the benefit of the children's education.... not to protect someone's governmental job.

Dr. William Edmonds, Dean of Admissions at California University of Pennsylvania, is also quoted in the article in support of the things that homeschooling families have done.  He says that home-schooled students have performed very well at the school  In fact, the article reports that "twenty-six home-schooled students entered Cal U of PA in the fall of 2013, and 21 entered the university in the fall of 2014. In reviewing their coursework, grades, standardized test scores, and their overall high school experience, Edmonds said the students performed very well before college and are also performing well at the university. 

Dr. Edmonds also said that homeschooled students go through the same review process to enter school as every other student..  The school reviews transcripts, GPA and SAT score as well as things the individual studies of the students in subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, and Art.  He is quoted as saying,“I remember one home-schooled student in particular who entered Cal U with a 4.0, and a SAT score of 1410,” He added, “She also graduated from Cal U with a 4.0. We’re pleased. We welcome home-schooled students and we wish them best.”

 Besides the fact the the article demonstrates more "proof"  that homeschooling works well in the educating of some of America's children, there are a couple of other specific things that this article sheds light on for us in Spokane.  One, is that when concerned citizens write or call their legislators it does make a difference.  It reminds us to never hesitate to write your legislators in support of home based education.

We also see that Pennsylvania homeschool families have formed their own support groups. They meet occasionally to do fun things with a group of kids.  /This is another reminder, to be active in the homeschooling community by being a part of local homeschool cooperatives and support groups too, or start your own!  Always help support our state homeschool groups like WHO, (the Washington Homeschool Organization,) homeschool lobbyists, like  CHNOW (Christian Homeschoolers Network of Washington,) and our national homeschool organization, HSLDA, (the Homeschool Legal Defense Association.)  And remember, that there is a clear distinction of between home based education (homeschooling) and publically funded "school-at-home" programs offered through the district offices.  Don't take parental rights,  homeschooling freedoms or responsibilities for granted.

Many a homeschooler has given their child a quality education without being under the direct oversight of the local public school. It has been being done even long before there were even public schools.  Even in the public eduction system, the parent's support of the child and their involvement in their child's education is what often makes or breaks sucessful schooling.  The best public schools employ public servants who work for the benefit of children, educating them to be the best they can be as they grow, but some people simply view public school is a means of promoting their own agendas of careers or philosophy. even simply a means of securing themselves a rather lucrative kind of job.  Neither parenting, nor homeschooling, is something that you'll find people doing for the money.

Lastly, the article serves as a good reminder to be vigilant to do our best at what we do as homeschoolers, to encourage one another and even pool our resources together too; for there are those who disapprove of parents overseeing the education of their own children and would like to stop them from doing what they dare to do.  There are some who also dislike the concept of private schools.  This is because there are those who think they know better, (always,) than you do for your own kids and some of them will even label you awful things, like "dangerous" if you make the decision to use your freedom to choose something besides public education to school your kids.

Read the article referred to here in the Herald-Standard, Jan 12, 2015
(Be sure to watch the video news report too!)

A quote, from Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of our US of A:

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery"   

See: montecello.org

Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem"  

 It has also been translated as, "I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of servitude.")

Ask Your Kids..... "What Did You Learn At School Today?"

Well, boys and girls.... ladies and gentlemen.... 
                                                                                                        (or maybe "cookies"? )

What did your kids learn in school today?

Asking kids,  "What Did You Learn At School Today?" is the proverbial question that parents ask their kids at the end of the school day, and with good reason.  It's not a meaningless question.  It's good to know hat kids are learning, because if they are not learning, there's a problem.  These days you might make a special effort to ask them what they are learning, especially when it comes to things like "sex ed" class. 

It's often been controversial when it comes to sex ed being taught in public school, hasn't it?. In fact, it's so controversial that you would think that by now, in the sxhool year of year 2014-2015, some sort of curriculum had been laid out that works for everyone, but that's not the case. It seems that when it comes to this subject, most anything goes.  What kids learn depends on the district, the parents... and no doubt, who is overseeing or teaching the class.  The controversy seems to arie most, when those teaching the class have an agenda.

It.wasn't the biological science or learning how humans reproduce or methods of contraception being taught in Acalanes High School,  California, when Planned Parenthood came into the school to teach sex ed, and for this reason.  ABC News in November 2014, reported that parents of students in the East Bay School District were complaining.  Parents who had given consent for their students to attend a class insisted that they had not been completely informed about what, exactly, was being taught to students, and some of them were outraged.  Students were taught, says FOX NEws, that people are not born boys and girls, but that they choose their gender. 

This story of how one gets their gender was illustrated to the students using the Genderbread model,  a gender neutral gingerbread cookie looking character.  Besides the genderbread cookie and the  wonderment of deciding your own gender, these same students, some as yung as 13, were given  tips on materials to have on hand and a checklist to go through to see if they were ready for sexual responsibilities, like pregnancy or STDs.  They were also given a paper with directives on how to get "clear consent" (for sex) from a potential sex partner. That in itself was a lot to consider, but parents were really set on edge when they learned it was self-proclaimed "pleasure activists" teaching the classes to the youth.

This last week the Pacific Justice Institute, (PJI)  wrote about what was being taught behind those school walls... and by whom.  They also were contacted by a lawyer for the school who defended the information taught as "age appropriate."   The school district,  perhaps forced by the will of the parents who were not pleased with what was taking place in the class, had to address the issue they have been trying to ignore.   The superintendent, while continuing the "controversial program" did tell parents that those same individuals would not be returning to teach.  Remarkably, the schools admitted that they do not and did not routinely conduct background checks on these instructors.

uperintendent John Nickerson confirmed to parents that neither of those individuals would take part in the sex ed program that began January 5. - See more at: http://www.pacificjustice.org/press-releases/parents-alarmed-by-pleasure-activist-in-high-school-classroom#sthash.jreVdZDw.dpuf

uperintendent John Nickerson confirmed to parents that neither of those individuals would take part in the sex ed program that began January 5. - See more at: http://www.pacificjustice.org/press-releases/parents-alarmed-by-pleasure-activist-in-high-school-classroom#sthash.jreVdZDw.dpuf

If you have not already, (above link) you can read the PJI article about it, here.  

If you live in Spokane, remember, it's not just happening in California.  Chicago, for example, has this kind of public controversy over similar issues.  Chances are, Spokane s not immune.  It's likely that other schools will be inclined to follow suite or are already doing the same.  There's also suggestion being made to teach this kind of material to younger and younger children, in school.  You can rest assured, Planned Parenthood (and the Genderbread  friends,) want to teach your kids. They have conviently made the Genderbread Person, cute, funny, familiar and appealing to kids.. 

"Genderbread"  may or may not be the next fractured fairytale coming to a school near you, but don't be surprised when you kids are no longer though of in schools as "boys" or "girls." People with this agenda have come up with new ideas for referring to differences, terms much more ingenious than that!  In fact, teachers in Nebraska are being asked to stop calling children "boys" and "girls," (so as not to confuse them too early about their preferred gender.)  There, they suggest calling the chidren in a classroom, "purple penguins!"  (No joke.) But in a pinch, one could say, "boy, girl both or neither" instead of  "boys and girls." 

If you are homeschooling, you pretty much know what your kids are learning in school, but to keep the mental gears i your young ones turning, especially those older ones, you just might want to ask them anyway!  

If your kids are in public school.. keep asking them, "What did you learn in school today?" Your kids, are, after all, your kids, and you, as parent have every right to participate in their education and every right to know.

Video:   Peter Seeger, 1964, singing, What Did You LEarn In School Today?

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, commented, “It has become clear that Acalanes officials have breached parental trust at every turn. They have brought individuals into the classroom who should not be anywhere near a school campus, and they continue to defend an indefensible program. In light of these most recent revelations, we are renewing our call to the District to suspend its relationship with Planned Parenthood and make sweeping changes to comply with the letter and spirit of state law. We are also calling on responsible journalists to join us in asking tough questions and holding the District accountable for these serious lapses in judgment.” - See more at: http://www.pacificjustice.org/press-releases/parents-alarmed-by-pleasure-activist-in-high-school-classroom#sthash.jreVdZDw.dpuf

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, commented, “It has become clear that Acalanes officials have breached parental trust at every turn. They have brought individuals into the classroom who should not be anywhere near a school campus, and they continue to defend an indefensible program. In light of these most recent revelations, we are renewing our call to the District to suspend its relationship with Planned Parenthood and make sweeping changes to comply with the letter and spirit of state law. We are also calling on responsible journalists to join us in asking tough questions and holding the District accountable for these serious lapses in judgment.” - See more at: http://www.pacificjustice.org/press-releases/parents-alarmed-by-pleasure-activist-in-high-school-classroom#sthash.jreVdZDw.dpuf

Parentalrights.org

Parents and their children not only have a strong bond, but they belong together.

They are family.  This is why parents sign consent forms at school. 

Contrary to what you might hear from others, your children do not belong 

to the state or to the community.  Your children are your children... 

your posterity and when you have children, their future and your own posterity

is in your hands...

From parentalrights.org:

December 16, 2014

Removing Parents from Public Schools

It is no accident, no coincidence. And it’s not just your imagination. 

There really is a steady trend by the government and the courts to remove 

the influence of parents from the public schools.

I’m not saying your child’s teacher or principal, 

or even your local school board, is out to get you. 

Nor am I suggesting some giant system-wide conspiracy, 

where some shadow organization is secretly working through 

all different channels to rob you of your rights.

It is something bigger and more dangerous than that.

What we are witnessing is the rise of an ideology,

 a statist mindset that actually believes that “expert” 

agents of the state can make better decisions for your child than you can.

In 1979 the Supreme Court held, “The statist notion that 

governmental power should supersede parental authority in all

cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant 

to American tradition.” Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584 (1979), at 603. 

Unfortunately, a growing, powerful minority no longer find that idea 

repugnant today. 

Visit parentalrights.org.

Compulsory Preschool?

Different states have different requirements regarding the age for compulsory education to begin,  Here in Washington state, that age is 8.  Kids can begin school earlier of course, but by law, they are not "required" to.  IT is however, compulsory that your child be in school, or some form of formal learning when they are eight.  The question here is...what if it were required by law for parents to send children to school at the tender age of four?  How about by the age of three? 

"Preposterous!" (You think to yourself....as you wonder how preschools will be run and who will be paying to operate them.) 

You might think it's a bad idea, expensive for taxpaying citizens... but not everyone thinks so.  President Obama, for one, has compulsory preschool on his agenda.

"By the end of this decade, let’s enroll 6 million children 

in high-quality preschool, and let’s make sure that we are 

making America stronger.  That is good for families; it’s 

also good for the children, because we know investing in

high-quality early childhood education makes all the 

difference in the world, and those kids will do better."

~ President Barack Hussein Obama, Rhode Island College, October 31, 2014

It's not a new idea... Obama has talked about it for years, with hopes of getting people on board with legislation to make it happen in the next ten years. He will also take every media opportunity count for political maneuvering to that end.

The date was  May 21st, 2013, and  President Obama was on national television.  He was  informing the country about the death toll after a terrible tornado tore through a sleepy city in Oklahoma the previous night.  He began by saying:

"Good morning, everybody. As we all know by now, a series of storms swept across the Plains yesterday, and one of the most destructive tornadoes in history sliced through the towns of Newcastle and Moore, Oklahoma. In an instant, neighborhoods were destroyed. Dozens of people lost their lives. Many more were injured, and among the victims were young children, trying to take shelter in the safest place they knew -- their school."                                                                                                            -President Obama

Remarks by the President  May 21, 2013,  
Tornadoes and Severe Weather in Oklahoma, 
State Dining Room, whitehouse.gov

Did you catch that?  The young children were killed while trying to take shelter in the safest place they knew... "their school."  Apparently school is not one of the safest places.... it's the "safest." Apparently those young children thought school was safer than even their home.

Well, we have heard about how in Washington State, schools are getting "safer."  In fact, the schools are, (no kidding,) ridding their playgrounds of a terrible danger..... swings!  Sadly, it's not a concern for the children's safety and well-being that drives the removal of swings; it's insurance liability.  With no swings to fall off of (or get hit with during playground recess, school will be much safer.. until you walk home.

Walking to, and from, school and home,  can be a dangerous journey, and it is dangerous, not just for the little ones, but also for older kids as well. There are known incidents of bullying, from time to time, both during school and after school, and there is as always, the risk of a child  being lured by sexual predators, both outside and inside the school grounds if they are left unsupervised by a caring adult and unprotected.  In many schools, the kids there are so "safe" that they not only need to hire security policemen to help keep the peace and use video cameras to monitor the children in the school.  While school and home should both be considered to be safe places for children, this is obviously, not always the case. 

 We have to face the truth...in school or home, there are dangers.  People are not perfect and life is full of risks and challenges.  So is is just a casual remark of the president as he spoke his own words or are his words calculated, written by a team of speech writers, and then delivered to send a certain message or create a specific effect upon the hearers?  Truth is that this kind of comment spoken when emotions are high, servesd to promote a particular ideology... one that exchanges the role of a parent in the life of a child with teachers and replaces what a child thinks about the home, with "school."

Have you ever heard, for example, that it takes a village to raise a child?  This is a concept that is not only politically motivated but also directly taught to children in the schools.   The impetus for this ideas became popular with the help of the former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, (and her ghost writers)  in her book by the same title:  It Takes A Village To Raise A Child.

It's a "collectivist" mentality, one that usurps the authority of parents in the life of their own children and it's running rampant.  In more recent days, MSNBC helped to proliferate the idea that children do not belong to their parents but rather, to "the collective." (No Joke!) This was done most notably through Melissa Harris-Perry, (Click on ther name to see the MSNBC video)  Melissa Perry is a well-known author, school professor, abortion rights activist and television host that a lot of people admire, but thankfully, not everyone agrees and her comments raised a lot of controversy.  

There are still people who do understand that their children are not the possession of the state, but there certainly are plenty of people,  who  embrace this idea that your children belong to the collective... to the village...to the state.. and, ultimately, to the world.   

Take Paul Reville, for example.  He is the Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of Educational Policy and Administration at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a proud supporter of the Common Core Curriculum being perpetrated en mass upon our kids in school.   Reville says, along with many others that your children are not your children, as he declares, your children belong to "all of us."


These people think they know better and feel that they must be in control.... even when it come to deciding what your child can and will (or will not) read or learn in school, and what will and will not count for school credit to graduate... regardless of what you , as a parent may object to.   The anointed ones have a vision... and they believe that they have your child's best interest at heart and  know what is best for your kids, and you... (if you are not sub-servant to them in their role of authority over your kids,) are to have no say in the matter.

It's a battle.  But thanks be to God, there is still freedom in our country to send kids to private school and the freedom to homeschool them too.  Parents do have a special authority and a responsible role to fulfill in the lives of their kids.  The state has no right to take that away... but those of this mindset work hard to get people to think differently... and then perhaps just give it away without contest.

And so, we heard the president, speaking for the "collective" again, when he recently told a gathering at Rhode Island College that there are choices "we" (the collective) want parents to make and choices "we" do not want parents to make.   

He said,

"And sometimes, someone, usually mom, leaves the workplace to stay home with the kids, which then leaves her learning a lower wage for the rest of her life as a result, and that's not a choice we want Americans to make."

Apparently, Americans are not to decide things for themselves,  like weather to say home with kids or work.  After all, one choice that "we do not want Americans to make" is the choice to leave the workplace and stay home with kids. 

 Needless to say, his saying this riled up a lot of stay-at-home mothers and in doing so, the president has been duly reminded that Americans have the freedom, yes... freedom, to make their own choice in what they do with their lives and that some women (and men) actually like their babies and young  children and like being home with their kids and believe it is good for the children too.

Obama's example is about a woman who leaves a well paying job at her workplace to stay home with her kids.  Is this a single mom? We do not know.. And we can also note that he neglects to say "baby." ( Why didn't he say, "baby?") Noteable too is that a woman usually does not get paid for being a stay-at-home mother, so how did she earn a lower wage by staying home with her kids?  Is he talking about welfare?

Secondly,  in his make-believe scenario, we see how we are supposed to view children as being a burden. After all, her leaving work to be a mother affects her negatively... for a long time.... in fact, for " the rest of her life." It's a mindset.  It's an ideology... and it's wrong.  It's also being promulgated on unsuspecting people who, by a continuous outpouring of subtle suggestions think as they are told to think. by those they admire.

Mr. Obama did not talk about how, as president, he would like to see your taxes pay for  daycare and preschool that would be offered for "free" to all those working moms and dads.  (Well, "free" much the way that "free" public elementary and high school are currently offered to... or rather, "forced," upon people... which means you and I will be taxed.)  And by the way, for the last fifty years we have had "free" day cares and preschools, called Head Start.. However, it's been reported, that  "the 48-year experiment with federal preschool has failed to deliver long-lasting, positive developments for its participants."  (source, Fox News 1-13-14.)    

Now, as our president, Obama says that he wants to implement some kind of  compulsory preschool.  He wants to see " 6 million children be enrolled in these "preschools" within the next decade.
 

"By the end of this decade, let’s enroll 6 million children 

in high-quality preschool, and let’s make sure that we are 

making America stronger.  That is good for families; it’s 

also good for the children, because we know investing in

high-quality early childhood education makes all the 

difference in the world, and those kids will do better."

~ President Barak Hussein Obama, Rhode Island College, October 31, 2014

 Remarks by the President on Women and the Economy,

This is the full speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sSO91Zv4uU#t=38 

Do not be deceived.  They won't all do "better."  Big government and capitalism objectors will however do better.... because mothers and fathers will be both working, paying taxes to support government projects and leaving their children in the care of those who maake a living working for the government.  On the other hand, it is a proven fact that children playing and learning learning with mom and dad...loving, being loved, and being a part of family is actually one of the most important thing in a child's life....especially at an early age.  

This is why homeschooling, homeschooling without governmental meddling or governmental monetary incentives, makes sense, particularly in the early years.  Not only that, homeschooling works!

...........................................

Broaden your horizon... Here are some related sites to explore what people are saying on the topic of compulsory preschool:

http://www.universalpreschool.com/faq/ 

http://www.schoolimprovement.com/should-your-state-make-preschool-mandatory/

http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/hslda/200204110.asp

http://www.ed.gov/early-learning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Start_Program  

Freedom Forum 1997 C-Span

Parental rights? 
Religion's role in public education?
Values taught in classrooms?
What is the homeschool movement's history?

Here is a C SPAN video aired 2/21/1997 ... Freedom Forum 1997 C-Span.  Watch and listen as the participants discuss the rights of parents to determine curriculum and school practices for their children in public school.  This is a great video for those interested in current parental rights legislation, homeschool history and for anyone simply seeking to know more about the issues that have and do face parents with children both in and out of in public education.  

The diverse panel here examines the importance of parental involvement in education as well as the frequent conflicts that occur in public schools, particularly in the area between parental rights and freedom of speech issues.  The panel also takes questions from the audience.

Watch the Video .... here.

PEOPLE IN THIS 1997 VIDEO:

Brandt, Ron  Moderator Freedom Forum-  First Amendment Center
Carter, Gene  Executive Director of the Association for Superv. and Curric. Development
Fege, Arnold  Director of the National Parent-Teacher Association
Haynes, Charles C.  Senior Scholar Freedom Forum- First Amendment Center
Igor, Shirley  Vice President of the National Parent-Teacher Association
Klicka, Christopher  Senior Counsel of the Home School Legal Defense Association
Mincberg, Elliot  Vice President and Gen.Counsel of People for the American Way-Legal Affairs
Morrison, Robert  Analyst for the Family Research Council-Policy
Thomas, Oliver  Counsel from the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Fast Forward... to the year 2013.  Has progress been made?
Remember when Melissa Harris-Perry made her famous statement about who children belong to?

 "We have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to their communities." 

Do your kids belong to their communities and NOT their parents?

Harris-Perry later said she thought the spot had been "relatively benign," and was surprised by the reaction people had to her saying that.  She also assured viewers that she did not intend to steal their children from them, bit also said that she stood by her statement.

"I believe our children are not our private property," Harris-Perry said. "They are not just extensions of ourselves." ... "This isn't about me wanting to take your kids this is about whether we as a society, expressing our collective will through our public institutions, including our government, have a right to impinge on individual freedoms in order to advance a common good. And that is exactly the fight that we have been having for a couple hundred years.”

 Huffington Post article... here.

Who  does your child belong to?  Who has the best interest of YOUR child at heart?  You or someone else?  Why would you, as parent, give your child's well being into the hands of someone else without you being the one to oversee what they do with your child and having the final say?

Please watch the 34 minute video: OVERRULED.

If you have not already, or if you cannot watch the full OVERRULED video, watch the shorter, 7 minute trailer. Here.