Controversial Issue In Minnesota

[Sonya]

It's also the social interaction and learning how to survive in a social world. Many of the home school kids I've known lack the very basic, but very important social skills they'll need as adults!

This is how I feel about homeschooling...It only works if the kids are still socialized...of course what they learn (reading, math, etc..) is important but what I think is even more important is learning to react with others in a society other than their family....that is more of what life is about...calculous will only get you through a book...what will get them through life?

 

[Marty]

This makes me sick to my stomach and has me very angry.

Put me in a room with those so called parents for 5 seconds..........

 

[MiniHunterHorseFan]

Actually homeschooling isn't as bad as you may think. My parents homeschooled me through 7th grade and taught me to read the age of 3. I went to a very small private school after 7th grade, but for someone starting out as a homeschooler, I had a 4.0 in college last semester.

 

[txminipinto]

Actually homeschooling isn't as bad as you may think. My parents homeschooled me through 7th grade and taught me to read the age of 3. I went to a very small private school after 7th grade, but for someone starting out as a homeschooler, I had a 4.0 in college last semester.

You, my dear, are one of my exceptions!

 

[Sanny]

He has been supposedly homeschooled by his parents but when he was evaluated he was unable to read or identify any word, including the word "THE". His parents paid a fee to join a native american band (Nemenhah Band) which has been convicted of grand theft and theft by deceptive practices at least twice. They are following all this tribal stuff (they are not actually native americans -- they paid to join the tribe) and this kid has been "certified" by the tribe as a church elder and as a medicine man. None of it makes any sense at all.

I brought up the fact that he is being homeschooled and at the age of 13 is unable to read at all not because I feel homeschooling is a bad thing...I brought it up to shed some light on issues related to his parents and their choices and values. We know several families that homeschool and their children are very well-educated, learning above their age/grade levels and are well-socialized and some of the most mature and well-mannered children I have ever met. In MN homeschooled kids are allowed to continue to participate in sports and activities within the school district they live in so most families are still involved in the school district and community they live in even though they homeschool. My own kids have said they would like to be homeschooled and my only reluctance in considering it so far has been my fear of ME being responsible for my children's education and not doing a good enough job at it and letting them down somehow. They all have many friends and are involved in cheerleading and other sports and activities so I am not concerned about social skills or isolation, etc.

Normally homeschooled kids in Minnesota are also required to report grades and take the state testing each year to verify what they are learning (or not). Native American tribes are exempt from many of the standards and state education laws so this family becoming members of this tribe allowed them to fall through the cracks until this situation happened.

 

[miniwhinny]

...and when their prayers don't work and the kid dies they'll say "oh, it was gods will"

WAKE UP PEOPLE

Science vs. religion.

Science WILL cure him

Religion WILL kill him

Seems like a no brainer to me

oh I have invisible friends too...I just keep mine in the cupboard with the tequila bottles

 

[crponies]

True science and the Bible do agree. The Bible does not anywhere prohibit people from making use of modern medicine. I am not sure exactly what blend of religious beliefs these people are following, but they are not basing what they do on the Bible. The way I see it, God works through doctors and medications many times to bring about healing. He is the one after all that designed our bodies and gave people the ability to develop medicines and medical techniques. We are responsible to use them for good. It is sad to think this boy may die because his parents do not see it that way.

As for homeschooling, it does matter tremendously what family you are talking about. In my experience, most families do a good job both academically and socially with their children when homeschooling. I know I have done just fine and I never "went" to school until college where I was on the Dean's List almost every semester and made lots of friends. (By the way, I went to college in WV while my parents were living in ID.)

 

[~Lisa~]

True science and the Bible do agree. but they are not basing what they do on the Bible.

I think the issue is that almost everyone can and does interpret the bible very differently. what one person gets from a verse can be very different then what another person gets. And if one wants to twist what they read to justify their own actions be they right or wrong that is very easy to do.