Stealth Blogger wrote on Apr 17, 2007 2:38 AM:Home schooling is a luxury that the vast majority of San Diego County residents cannot afford. Living in San Diego County requires that both parents work just to afford the house payments! There is simply no time left for home schooling.

Archie wrote on Apr 17, 2007 7:36 AM:Ms. Oakley lists some benefits of home schooling: field trips to libraries, sports centers, beaches, etc. Ms. Oakley, these are things familes do after school, on weekends, or during vacations. As a school teacher who has had many former home schooled students return to school, I can tell you that many can't do school work 6 hours a day, can't get to school on time because Mom doesn't want to get out of bed, and have trouble interacting with other students. Home schooling may make Mom's life easier, but doesn't prepare kids for the future.

More Ways wrote on Apr 17, 2007 8:43 AM:Here's a few more ways to outsmart the broken union driven system. Several national colleges offer accredited, nationally recognized high school diplomas through on-line learning classes that offer AP classes that challenge our gifted students and actually prepare them very well for the national tests in May for college credit, not to mention self study skills critical to a successful college career. Stanford, UC Santa Cruz, Northwestern University all offer AP classes where students self study with assistance from their on-line teachers and co-students. Best thing - the on-line teachers have doctorates in their field of study and have many, many years experience teaching their subject, unlike the newbies that have recently graduated and are teaching in our high schools in TVUSD. Studies have shown time and again that a student's ability to pass and score well on the national AP tests is directly related to the years of experience of the teacher who teaches the subject. While the district keeps mum on these alternate programs to protect their teacher's union and ADA receipts, these on-line schools offer more potential and better opportunities for our gifted students than the limited possibilities available locally. However, you'll have to take the bull by the horns and do your research. Most definitely, don't rely on the districts to help you or alert you about these programs though. They are more interested in protecting their ADA receipts and teacher's union, neither of which benefit from home schooled children. Personally, I believe distance, on-line learning is the way of the future to challenge our gifted students who are continuously ignored by the TVUSD administration and teaching staff who are focusing on illegal, non-English speaking students with our tax dollars.

marilyn wrote on Apr 17, 2007 10:16 AM:I applaud any parent who can effectively homeschool his/her child. I wonder how homeschoolers will be able to respond to the full spectrum of humanity once they mature. Our society has members in it who are very intelligent, very creative, very empathetic, and are willing to serve others. WE also have people who are less intelligent with "book learning", but who do well with other skills. We have many irritating vulgar varieties, but if you've learned to get along all through elementary school, you grasp that every person probably has some redeeming features, and you might have learned to appreciate them.

Shelley wrote on Apr 17, 2007 10:56 AM:Learning to get along isn't the point of school. Since when do schools think they have a right to socially mold my children? I send my three children to school so they can learn something, not become better citizens and save the earth. That's my job.

Idea wrote on Apr 17, 2007 12:29 PM:If the school is not good enough to educate the student, why is it good enough to play in their sports and other extra perks the school offers? Interacting with other children and cultures during school time has proven much success with the kids ability to function later in life. In much of the business world you must work together and as a team. Public or private School is only one part of the puzzle to have a successful student or child. Another part is parent involment with the school and your children. If you have time to homeschool your child, you have time to help those teachers in the class room and help those students who need the extra attention. You might gain extra time at the beach as a homeschooler, but you miss out on the time with building relationships, friends, school functions, and networking later in life.

Huh? wrote on Apr 17, 2007 1:14 PM:Since when does a student only build relationships in school? Can't they build relationships on the soccer field, hockey rink, ballet lessons, etc.? What a moronic thought that school is necessary for relationship building skills.

Reardon wrote on Apr 17, 2007 2:23 PM:Back in the early 80s, a Rancho Bernardo newspaper had two stories on the same education page. The first was a “thank” you from Jim Abbott, then the finance man for that district, who applauded the parents for providing the first computers, because "the District does not have the money to establish a computer lab." The second article was about the opening of the new $1.1 million swimming pool at Mt. Carmel High School. Those were the priorities in the BEST local school district...so you can see why California public schools rank so poorly, nationally. California ranks number 50 out of 52 states and districts in reading; 33 out of 43 in writing; 46 out of 52 in math; and 44 out of 45 in science. Tests were nationally conducted by the federal government. California schools love to compete against each other using API scores so they can look good when competing against other bad schools, but nationally they are JUST AWFUL! Home schooling would not be necessary if the schools were not so poor but it certainly is a viable alternative in California!

San Marcos Taxpayer wrote on Apr 17, 2007 4:23 PM:At one time I was against homeschooling because I felt that the kids would not be used to a structured environment. Having been a youth coach in soccer and baseball I had the pleasure of having several homeschoolers on my teams. I was surprised at the difference between the public and homeschooled kids. The public kids were usually much inferior in education when compared to the homeschoolers. The homeschoolers were normally more disciplined and focused on what we were trying to accomplish as a team. I actually had one of the homeschoolers come to me after a somewhat unproductive practice and complain about how immature the other kids were regarding practice and questioning their commitment to the team. I've changed my mind regarding these programs and now my daughter homeschools her kids and they all have performed far above the state levels. I think Archie may be supporting his own, or worse, the teacher's unions agendas regarding this issue.

DDWiz wrote on Apr 17, 2007 6:27 PM:We often are reminded of the many champions in spelling bees or other academic achievements who come from home schooling. Home schooling likely produces the best and worst outcomes, kind of a reverse bell curve. Parents (or other home-school instructors) who are themselves motivated, educated and competent will have the best outcomes, while those who merely think they are up to this daunting challenge might be less successful.

FakeData wrote on Apr 17, 2007 8:01 PM:Don't be fooled by promoting the public schooled. Those that learn from the state are often sedate and easily ruled. And don't forget the data, it's quite a fabrication. All these educators care about is a check and summer vacation.

To Idea wrote on Apr 17, 2007 8:03 PM:Are you kidding? Are you suggesting home schoolers stop educating their kids so they can spend time in the classroom to help teachers and other people's kids. Get a life.

a mom in CA wrote on Apr 18, 2007 3:38 PM:I believe the teachers in California are committed to educating our children, but next year my children will homeschool. The teachers are trying to teach 20-30 students of extreemly different levels which means no child gets exactly what they need. Also, a recent NYTimes article cited a study by the Federal government that says that the bureaucracy of Californias school system is ruining our childrens learning. For the next two weeks my daughter will be practicing for star testing and taking star testing. It is simply unacceptable to me for my child to lose these two weeks of school simply testing so the state can judge her school. There must be a better way to get our children the education they need in a public school, but for now I must school my children at home so they can have a solid education.

S wrote on Apr 20, 2007 7:50 PM:Both my husband and I are public school teachers; however, we fully intend to homeschool any children we might be privileged to have. I wonder what that might tell you...