Utterly Meaningless » Blog Archive » HEADS UP: MI
  • HEADS UP: MI

    Filed at 5:46 am under by dcobranchi

    A crusading g-school teacher is aghast that the State isn’t looking over your shoulder:

    “It’s insane,” Head gasped. “Apparently, nobody ever checks up on these kids once they leave school. I assumed there was accountability. This causes me to question the whole system. I just really want to know; can it really be true that there is no follow-up?”

    …Head remained baffled by the state’s hands-off approach.

    “They’re usually so rigid about standards,” she said. “This is a big loophole.”

    Cavernous, you might say.

    …Sharon Ganssley of the Shiawassee Regional Education Service District, which covers Perry Middle School, said that as far as she knows her district has never pursued charges against a home-schooler.

    That, despite the fact that they sometimes see kids pulled from schools who shouldn’t be.

    “It’s a very, very difficult thing to do,” Ganssley said. “The state offers us no guidelines.”

    She said she has talked to truant officers in neighboring counties who are inhibited by the constant threat of legal action against school officials who are perceived to interfere with the rights of home-schoolers.

    “I’m not sure where I stand, legally” Ganssley said. “It’s a sad situation.”

    7 Responses to “HEADS UP: MI”


    Comment by
    Mike Sabo
    October 26th, 2007
    at 8:10 am

    “She had a bad feeling about this one, beginning with her doubts that the parents of the girl were capable of providing academic training to their daughter. Head offered me convincing evidence to support those doubts, but asked, for the sake of the family’s privacy, that I not reveal the specifics.”

    Like it’s REALLY hard to convince a reporter with an agenda. If the teachers facts are so solid and damning that she can present them as evidence to every low-level bureaucrat she comes across, then I doubt she’s too concerned with privacy. Respecting privacy is a quiet one-on-one conversation with the parents. Documenting accusations with bureaucrats is turning it into public record. Leaking to a reporter is spreading innuendo.

    Mike


    Comment by
    Andrea
    October 26th, 2007
    at 9:50 am

    When the ps can start producing consistently literate and intelligent adults, then I’ll think about conforming to any guidelines they have.


    Comment by
    Nance Confer
    October 27th, 2007
    at 10:50 am

    Ganssley is not sure where she stands legally? Good to know she is in charge. Or thinks she is.

    It’s a simple matter. The child is no longer enrolled in your school district. You have no legal standing. Back off.

    Maybe she can get that.

    Nance


    Comment by
    Spunky
    October 27th, 2007
    at 10:27 pm

    Public educators have been fighting for more checks and balances for years. I had a lot of fun a few years ago debating a state legislator on the radio about whether the state should regulate homeschoolers. He had just introduced legislation to increase regulation and I obviously opposed it. One thing was clearly obvious, that a politician who is acting on the best interest of the MEA and not on personal conviciton is no match for homeschoolers who believe in the freedom to educate. The very next day he pulled the legislation.

    Public schools in MIchigan are hurting in a bad way, as is our whole economy here. They see each child that leaves as $$$ out the door. They’ll do anything they can to protect their “investment.”


    Comment by
    sam
    October 28th, 2007
    at 3:54 pm

    I think Spunky hits it square on the head, that those children only represent money, and that’s disturbing, frightening, depressing, etc. The sad part is that money almost always seems to win. While they worry that our children and our decisions to homeschool equals loss of money, they already have more money than we, so they’re that much more likely to win in the end. It’s sort of like our American political process where the best candidate for the job doesn’t win, but the candidate who is best at raising money often does.


    Comment by
    Daryl Cobranchi
    October 28th, 2007
    at 5:13 pm

    I’m not nearly so sanguine about our chances. Yeah, they have money. But I think we’re infinitely better at politics.


    Comment by
    Unique
    October 31st, 2007
    at 8:56 am

    Perry Middle School, eh? I’ll have to see if my sister knows this person. She works there.

    Curious. Thanks for the heads up.