by WTWizard 35 Replies latest jw friends
Coming from a family of window cleaners I have to agree Momzcrazy!
It was my dad who invented the title Translucent Glazist Maintenance Technologist Specialist Expert for when I did go back to school and had to give a short talk on what my parents did.
I can't speak from experience only observation but a family I knew that taught their kids at home did it to keep them from mixing with "worldly children". The girl was very withdrawn and always seemed depressed, and the boy became a window cleaner. I don't know if this was the reason of course but it might of helped!
Maddie
I am a big proponant of public education. Always have been.
I have yet to see a home with a chemistry laboratory, gymnasium, running track, photography developing lab, pottery kiln, CADD station, or television studio. But they are common place in public schools. A well meaning parent can't possibly compete with the resources of thousands of taxpayers.... and why should they??? Because all of the people at school are BAAAAADDD?????
Furthermore, I think that the movement towards using public school money to fund religious private schools (VOUCHERS) is a step backwards for civilization. In the middle ages, you had to swear allegiance to a religious organization to receive a basic education. Education was only for the monks. In many countries in the middle east, the only way to receive a basic education is to enroll in a Mudrassa (sp?). So, in addition to learning to read and write, you get to memorize the Koran and whatever odd twist the resident Mullah is preaching that year. (Death to America, etc.) Orthodox Jews shun public education and open their own schools so that they can indoctrinate the young in the ways of orthodoxy.
Education has to be separated from religion. Just like government has to be separated from religion. Public mandatory education is a good thing for society and individuals. (Sorry if that was considered a hijack.)
I went to public school and must say that the kids who came to high school after being taught at home were 1) EXTREMELY intelligent (who wouldn't be with a personal tutor your whole life) and 2) WEIRD--not used to being around that many people everyday. The weirdness went from 10 to 3.5 within a few weeks, though.
Another thing about this state-you are only allowed to homeschool through the 8th grade (8th year of school). Grades 9-12 (high school), children must attend.
My neighbors have home schooled their son since 1st grade simply because of the terrible school system where we live. This school system has some of the worst numbers in the state of PA and it's been that way for many years.
While he was homeschooled they also had him doing other things such as dance and voice lessons. He appeared in several Broadway type musicals at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh when they auditioned for extras. He also got a junior black belt in karate and his father has his third degree belt and now instructs part time. Once the boy finished 8th grade they sent him to one of the best Catholic High Schools in Western PA. He was on the football team and this year the team played in the state championship in Hershey, PA. Sorry to say...the team lost.
Now.........to all the skeptics who think home schooling is bad.........the kid got a scholarship to Villanova University where he will be in September.
The JW's reasoning for home schooling is sooooooooo much different than REAL people's reasons for home schooling.
HappyDad
I wasn't bashing window washers. Hell, I do it myself sometimes.
Just found it coincidental that all of the home schoolers I know were window washers. Is this cause or effect? Discuss....
I have no interest in sending my children to school, not because of religion, but because I want my children to be able to think for themselves.
Socialisation is mentioned in some of the posts and I'm curious about what people think is advantageous in 'socialisation': the history of modern schooling is based on the model created in the mid 19th century by wealthy business owners who were looking for people intelligent enough to run their factories and businesses, but NOT intelligent enough to take them over. This is why even 'gifted' children are only supported IF they conform to the social standards. And, quite frankly, western civilisation's social standards suck.
We are currently living in a time when the question of human- and planetary- continuance is up in the air because western civilisation teaches its members that consumerism before intelligent living is the 'good citizen' thing to do, where people are taught to NOT think about things too deeply (because people who are awake make crap consumers), where people are passive in the face of crimes against humanity (the non-US watched in horror as Bush was RE-elected and here in Australia the thinkers were sent into despair by the same re-election of Howard) and crimes against the planet and life are simply swept away with puerile arguments about 'economic growth' and 'we have to have JOBS, don't we? stupid greenie!'
Yes. Try being an intelligent and AWARE kid in the 'education' system, as both myself and my partner were. We very soon learned what education was actually about, which was the production of people who were obedient, unthinking and prepared to go along with anything the authorities tell them regardless of the weight of evidence before them (much like JW's, really). Both myself and my partner got top scholastic marks despite never studying a thing (Michael actually used school for sleeping from grade 5 onwards and slept his way to brilliant grade 12 results, I used it for reading from grade 4, did grade 12 three times in grades 8,9 and 10 with top results each time but was not allowed to be credited with it because it was against school policy to put kids into much higher grades than their age). We were bored by the narrow mindedness, the demands for conformity and toe-ing the line, the blatant racism, sexism and speciesim in the material taught (of COURSE humans are the dominant species- what other species has been able to drive the planet to the brink of extinction? of COURSE civilisation is superior, it did all those indigenous communities SUCH a favour in invading their lands, killing their people and bringing them the work ethic, exposure to a superior culture, the knowledge of the joys of a hard days labour, blah blah blah vomit).
Michael and I have little interest in spending time with most people, who for the most part have always found us 'weird' because we can THINK outside the boxes that civilisation strives to create for people's minds. Our kids choose what kind of schooling they experience, and have chosen (at various times) Steiner, homeschooling, public school and unschooling. They are frequently commented upon as being kids with amazingly mature and broad outlooks, they can see through crap from a mile away, they are immune to peer pressure, have zero interest in the invading culture they've been raised in and are generally considered amazing people. We think it's because we've gone to a lot of trouble to protect their essential natures from domination, bullying adults (and bullying children), cultural programming (we don't watch TV at all) and indoctrination.
I am glad that psychologically, emotionally and physically, my children are much better prepared for the coming crash than anyone else, child or adult, that we know outside our family.
Is this cause or effect? Discuss....
Well, my husband was home schooled thru high school, no college. He makes high six figures. BUT he also left the borg 8 years ago.
momz
And, do you really want your child to grow up to be a window washer?
I dont know what the mindset is today but back in the 60's and 70's you would only have to wash windows for a couple of years then Armegeddon would come and usher you into the new order.
I suspect anyone who is a witness in the new millenium is pretty brain dead and informationally deprived as a matter of choice. At least a major part of their brain has been put on idle.
*** w97 8/15 p. 21 par. 13 "Soundness of Mind" as the End Draws Close ***What about those who have chosen to educate their children at home? While many have done a commendable job, some have found the task more difficult than they imagined, and their children have suffered. So if you are considering home schooling, be sure to count the cost, realistically assessing if you have both the skills and the self-discipline needed to follow through.—Luke 14:28.
