LETTERS OF THE DAY
These should interest Chris E.
No good answers for too many questions
Re: “Bill would open classes to home-schoolers – Families join Plano bid for access that includes sports, adds funding,” April 21 news story.
Home-school quarterback speaking to the high school coach: “Regarding my grade check for no-pass, no-play purposes, my dad says that I am eligible.”
Home-school mom to choir director: “But at her previous school, Sally Sue always had the lead.”
It appears that Texas is trying, on one hand, to raise standards with TAKS and the like and, on the other, making a mockery of those same standards.
Paying taxes is not the only criteria. My 93-year-old mom pays taxes. Does this allow her to audit senior English at the local high school? (By the way, she was a valedictorian, Ferris High School, class of 1930.)
Will a home-schooler be accountable for TAKS in Rep. Brian McCall’s bill? What if, in a hand-selected science class, the home-schooler hears that the Earth might be 4.5 billion years old and formed from dust particles? What if he collides with children of differing backgrounds, morals and ethics?
Too many questions, too few answers.
If you opt out, you are out. To learn to swim, you have to get completely wet.
Michael Wallace, Duncanville
Public, private, home: Pick a school, live with itState Rep. Brian McCall is way off base. So what if these parents pay school taxes? They have made a free decision to home-school, just as I made a free choice to send my kids to public school.
We have choices in this life – public school, private school, home-school – pick one and live with it.
Madison Bennett, Plano
These illustrate one of the biggest problems I have with HEKs getting involved with g-school sports– the controversy tends to create new enemies for us. Home education in this country is in a precarious position. We need allies, not enemies.
4 Responses to “LETTERS OF THE DAY”
 Comment by Eric Holcombe April 28th, 2005 at 8:15 am |
If they want out, then let them ALL the way out. Give them the tax dollars back. You can’t stay dry without staying completely out of the water. If your 93-year old wants to pay for some other kid to go to school – stick with it. |
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Comment by Daryl April 28th, 2005 at 8:21 am |
You’re mixing issues here. Vouchers (or tax credits) for HEKs are not under consideration. The issue is whether it is a good idea for home educators to grovel at the feet of educrats in order for their kids to play on g-school sports teams. |
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Comment by Tim Haas April 28th, 2005 at 8:21 am |
Not that I disagree with your conclusion, but I don’t think either of these folks was a friend of home ed before this bill. |
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Comment by Eric Holcombe April 28th, 2005 at 9:46 am |
Oh, I could care less about vouchers. I’m just tired of the “if you don’t go to the school you shouldn’t get to use it” mentality that doesn’t make the connection to “if you use it, then YOU pay for it, not someone else”. Of course, football fields, stadiums, booster clubs, etc. “extra-curriculars” really have nothing to do with academic education – but that point is missed by the g-schoolers as well. |