ATHLETICS REDUX The South Dakota legislature has approved a bill to allow homeschoolers to participate in high-school “athletics, music, debate and other sanctioned activities offered by schools.” The bill gives each school district the choice on whether or not to allow homeschoolers to participate. Better than nothing, I suppose.
GOOD JOB! A 12-year-old homeschooler measured the pH of a nearby stream as part of his science studies. He noted that the river was polluted and filled with trash.
“I wasn’t really mad, but it just inspired me to change it. A lot of it was put there by people who lived there a long time ago, when that was common practice,” he said. “There’s also acid rain and sewage leaks.”
He’s leading a 40-person effort to clean up the stream. Way to go!
DO IT YOURSELF Some parents in Seattle were frustrated with the public school system so they decided to start their own private school. The educrats are very supportive.
Mike Riley, superintendent of the Bellevue School District, said he has no argument with parents starting their own school — as long as it is backed up with the expertise of teachers and school administrators.
“Honestly, I think the competition is a good thing,” said Riley. “It gives us the inspiration to do a better job.”
Actually, I don’t think these parents stand much chance of success. They have no building, no land, and tuition will be a pricey $17,700.
PSA A 14-year-old homeschooler ran away with a 56-year-old murderer that she “met” on the internet. This is one to keep in your prayers.
A DUMB QUESTION Why does every elementary school in the country have to be architecturally unique? The reason I ask is that a Boston area school district wants to spend $1M to design a school that they don’t even have the money to build. It seems to me there must be plans lying around from the last several schools built that they could recycle, thus saving the taxpayers a ton of money. I guess, though, when you’re spending other people’s money it just doesn’t matter that much.
VACCINE NEWS Slightly OT but a hot-button issue for some homeschoolers. Thimerasol, a mercury-based preservative, has been accused by some of causing (or triggering) autism. Scientific studies are slim-to-none so, for now, there is just a correlation between the use of thimerasol and the incidence of autism. Parents were outraged when a rider was slipped into the Homeland Security bill protecting Eli Lilly (the manufacturer) from lawsuits. According to this article, the protection for Lilly was recently repealed. Good! I know how companies can get nailed by juries who don’t necessarily have a good understanding of the science. My own employer, DuPont, was hit by a bunch of lawsuits over Benlate. But, IMO, preventing lawsuits by means of special legislation is a cure worse than the disease.
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY to Isabel Lyman and the Homeschooling Revolution. Izzy always has interesting stuff, usually with a good human-interest angle. Click on over and enjoy.
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE PLEASE The NYT has a story headlined Teacher Accused of Rape, Another of Theft. In the body of the article, we learn that one teacher was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old student. The other, identified as a “home-school teacher,” was charged with using a student discount card on the subway. Not exactly in the same league, IMO. I have no idea if the NYT is using the “home-school” label for a homeschooling parent or for some public school employee.
WAY TO GO OREGONIANS Oregon has elected a father-son combination to the state Senate. Both are pro-homeschooling (I think).
Charles Starr heads the Senate Education Committee for a second session in a row. He is a critic of the education establishment and school reform movement and is best-known for his attempts to change the direction of Oregon’s schools, “because I am alarmed at our continuing failure to educate all children.”
Bruce Starr said he will work with his father on laws affecting home-schooling.
“I expect he and I have similar views on that legislation,” he said.
THIS COULD BE FUN A Lexington, KY columnist wants “ideas for cutting education.” I’m sure we could come up with some ways to cut the budget dramatically.
TOLD YOU SO I predicted this last month. Recruiters are using the info they get from public schools to harass students.
[S]ome students say the recruiters, strengthened by an obscure provision in a recent federal law, are using techniques that border on intrusive telemarketing and harassment.
SORRY ‘BOUT THAT I’m not sure how the template broke but it’s fixed now.