Replies to '11/24 Great School Debate'

You indicated with No Child Left Behind and the programs instituted now at schools that there is "no excuse" for even "learning disabled" children not to succeed in a public school.  While these programs at the schools are wonderful, and my children have participated in them, the reason this is not an accurate statement is because some children have neurological problems that must be fixed before any program will cause a child to succeed in school--be it public or homeschool setting.  You cannot simply pour even more water into a pot with a hole in the bottom expecting the result to the different.

By way of example, if a child is left ear dominant and right eye dominant, no amount of continuous reading through reading clubs or other programs is going to fix that neurological confusion. Public schools are simply not required to resolve that, nor should they be responsible for doing so.  Your state has the 504, others have an IEP (individualized education plan).  Yes, a parent can request multiple services for their children using these documents/rights.  In my state, the school being asked to provide services has the right to refuse services a parent might think are necessary for their child to succeed on the basis that it is not a necessary service for the child's education.  For example, a parent may request at the IEP (as it is in my state) end of school year meeting that their child receive occupational therapy for a weak handgrip which results in poor, difficult, labored handwriting which will profoundly impact that child for the rest of his/her life, but most importantly demotivates a child to engage in writing at school.  The school can choose to deny those services on the grounds that the child can actually write.  Therefore, there are reasons for children not to succeed with the public school programs, and to suggest that a child with these problems is better off in public schools versus homeschooling is simply not accurate.

I am sure you are not trying to say that a child must endure bullying tactics at school to get a good job.  I am also sure you are not saying that only public schools can teach social skills or consequences for actions.  I think it is well-settled even herein that is not the case.

With regard to a family's decision to homeschool, a typical toddler takes in information at lightning speed, learns, digests that information within minutes, and moves on to the next conquest.  That doesn't change when they reach the age of 5 or 6.  However, at the age of 5 or 6, they enter public school and are then asked to sit quietly and spend 15 minutes learning about a frog.  This example is not an indictment of a public school.  Rather, it reveals a learning method which is one of the many reasons people may choose to homeschool their children.

I am glad you are finding wonderful success in public schools for your children.  I am finding great success for my children through homeschooling.