Criminalizing Home Schooling in CA

[BratTink]

Apparently they are trying to make homeschooling illegal if the parent does not have a proper teaching degree.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1720697,00.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

I know this is a hot button issue on the disboards. I partially agree with the judge. I don't think the teaching parents need a full college degree, but I do think they should have to pass some tests; there is a reason schools only hire degreed teachers, you need to learn how to teach. I know a woman who is functionally illiterate and she homeschooled her children for 5 years. When they reentered school they were reading on a level much below where they should be and their math skills sucked. Not to mention they had no social skills and did not know how to play with other kids.

 

[minnieandmickey]

I'm not sure how homeschools are regulated. I think that parents should be able to homeschool their children, but I also feel that they should be inspected on a regular basis and their children should have to go to an outside of the home test site to see if they are on level. If they are not on level then it needs to be determined if it is the child having difficulty or the parent not teaching at the level they should be. If it is the latter then the child should have to go to a formal type school (private or public). Now the problem with this is that if the child is below where they are supposed to be that make the schools testing scores lower, now 1 child isn't going affect the scores, but if there are many then the school/district/state's scores go down and we have an NCLB issue (which is a stupid law in itself).
Aide's and library assistants in my district have to pass a certain test just so they can do the job they do, this is because of NCLB. I think if parents want to homeschool their children then they should have to pass, in the state of CA the CSET. These are the same tests that teachers have to take to be able to teach. I am not expecting parents to run out and get a BA and go through a credential program, but they should at least have to pass the same tests that teachers do to be able to teach. My opinion, but I do feel for those who home school.

 

[barkley]

Apparently they are trying to make homeschooling illegal if the parent does not have a proper teaching degree.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1720697,00.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

I know this is a hot button issue on the disboards. I partially agree with the judge. I don't think the teaching parents need a full college degree, but I do think they should have to pass some tests; there is a reason schools only hire degreed teachers, you need to learn how to teach. I know a woman who is functionally illiterate and she homeschooled her children for 5 years. When they reentered school they were reading on a level much below where they should be and their math skills sucked. Not to mention they had no social skills and did not know how to play with other kids.

there's a thread on this over on the family board that provides some interesting information.

actualy california's not trying to change anything at this point, this is one individual case involving one individual family involved in child welfare issue-and weather the state could require their children be in a school setting which might provide exposure to non familial adults who could potentialy observe and report signs of abuse. california has less restrictive homeschooling laws than several states and offers 4 different options (only one of the options requires the parent to have a teaching credential).

 

[sha_lyn]

http://www.homeedmag.com/

When they reentered school they were reading on a level much below where they should be and their math skills sucked. Not to mention they had no social skills and did not know how to play with other kids.

Thanks for wrapping up all the stereo-types into one sentence.

 

[disykat]

I'm not a big homeschooling fan, but I think it's silly to insist that all teachers be credentialed. Heck, I thought California was sort of famous for hiring non-credientialed teachers (who then get their credentials while teaching) in their public schools.

In my state, I'm pretty sure the requirements are to either have a college degree, attend approved workshops on how to homeschool, or be supervised by a certified teacher through a school.

I think it makes sense to have some guidelines in place to make sure the children are educated property, but I don't think they should be so strict as to require you to be certified to teach large groups in a regular school setting.

 

[wvrevy]

http://www.homeedmag.com/

Thanks for wrapping up all the stereo-types into one sentence.

You have to admit that it's easy to make assumptions about home schooling when 1) All most people know about it is that it is widely used by religious people who don't want their children exposed to ideas contrary to their religions, and 2) that parents don't have to pass the same kind of rigorour testing that teachers do.

Yes, I'm aware that the students have to pass tests and results are closely watched by the state. I have done a little homework on the subject. But again, the perception and the reality are two different things.

 

[disykat]

http://www.homeedmag.com/





Thanks for wrapping up all the stereo-types into one sentence.

Oh come on. Everyone probably knows a worst case scenario (public, private, or homeschooled!). That doesn't mean they think every case is like that. The point is to prevent the worst case scenario.

 

[kejoda]

Oh come on. Everyone probably knows a worst case scenario (public, private, or homeschooled!). That doesn't mean they think every case is like that. The point is to prevent the worst case scenario.

exactly.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that a bit more oversight would be wise in some states. I think that some states are too easy-going about what the kids are actually learning (Texas included) and thus those worst case scenarios exist and need to be dealt with.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Yes, I'm aware that the students have to pass tests and results are closely watched by the state. I have done a little homework on the subject. But again, the perception and the reality are two different things.

Not in every state. Not in our state and I know a couple of worst case scenarios myself.

 

[sha_lyn]

Yes, I'm aware that the students have to pass tests and results are closely watched by the state. I have done a little homework on the subject. But again, the perception and the reality are two different things.

That completely depends on the state. Some states (TX for one) has no requirements. Others require yearly testing and reporting. Most states fall somewhere between the 2 extremes.

 

[barkley]

You have to admit that it's easy to make assumptions about home schooling when 1) All most people know about it is that it is widely used by religious people who don't want their children exposed to ideas contrary to their religions, and 2) that parents don't have to pass the same kind of rigorour testing that teachers do.

Yes, I'm aware that the students have to pass tests and results are closely watched by the state. I have done a little homework on the subject. But again, the perception and the reality are two different things.

actualy, in california 2 of the homeschooling options are exempt from any kind of testing or requirements that the 'teacher' provide any proof to the state of student scores or competancy in subject matter, and the other 2 only have to adhere with whatever testing standards the affiliated independant study programs chooses to use (and in the case of using a private school independant study program like the parents in this lawsuit did-there may be no testing requirements so there's nothing to provide to the state-which they're not required to do anyway).

 

[disneyjunkie]

Thanks for wrapping up all the stereo-types into one sentence.

I don't believe the OP was stereotyping home schoolers. She was just commenting on one family.

What's wrong with making sure parents are capable of teaching various subjects? Maybe states will come up with a home schooling certification.

 

[wvrevy]

Not in every state. Not in our state and I know a couple of worst case scenarios myself.

See what I mean about perception and reality?

Seriously, I thought every state closely watched home school students to ensure they didn't get "left behind". That not being the case, then yeah, I would be more in favor of a law such as mentioned in the OP than allowing home schooling with no oversight.

 

[sha_lyn]

You have to admit that it's easy to make assumptions about home schooling when 1) All most people know about it is that it is widely used by religious people who don't want their children exposed to ideas contrary to their religions, and 2) that parents don't have to pass the same kind of rigorour testing that teachers do.

1)ITA about the religious element. As a non-Christian home-schooler in the "bible belt" I get painted with that broad brush very often.

2) in most states private school teachers are not required to hold teaching degrees, pass any testing, much less rigorous testing... etc. IMHO it would be ridiculous to have more strick standards for home-school parents than what are in place for private schools.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

A bunch of truck drivers could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

They have more money than any other school system around here and they do the worst job. Over half the kids don't even graduate and most of the ones who do are still dumb.

The degrees aren't helping.

 

[sha_lyn]

I could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

A bunch of truck drivers could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

They have more money than any other school system around here and they do the worst job. Over half the kids don't even graduate and most of the ones who do are still dumb.

The degrees aren't helping.

ITA...... We left the local GA public schools because they are a failure.
Why should a failing PS system be in charge of homeschoolers? They can't get in right in the public schools. What makes people think they would get it right with home-schoolers?

 

[BratTink]

I don't believe the OP was stereotyping home schoolers. She was just commenting on one family.

What's wrong with making sure parents are capable of teaching various subjects? Maybe states will come up with a home schooling certification.

Thanks. I wasn't talking ALL, I was talking, as others said "worse case".

 

[Kath2003]

I could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

A bunch of truck drivers could do a better job than the Cleveland City Schools.

They have more money than any other school system around here and they do the worst job. Over half the kids don't even graduate and most of the ones who do are still dumb.

The degrees aren't helping.

What are the Cleveland City schools doing so wrong?

Personally I think the American system of graduating high school at 18 is keeping the kids who don't want to be in school there for too long. Here it's only compulsory until the end of the 10th grade - after that, you can stay on for up to two more years doing further qualifications, study elsewhere or study an apprenticeship. You have to be involved in education, but it can be vocational, and you can be gaining that education whilst being employed full time.

For the vast majority here, teachers have to have a degree in their chosen subject. I have a Batchelors in Geography, for example, and I'm training to teach Geography as an additional qualification. Is this the case in the USA or can you literally just take teaching as part of your degree? A teaching qualification here is a post-graduate qualification - you have to have a degree already to be on the course.

 

[BratTink]

1)ITA about the religious element. As a non-Christian home-schooler in the "bible belt" I get painted with that broad brush very often.

2) in most states private school teachers are not required to hold teaching degrees, pass any testing, much less rigorous testing... etc. IMHO it would be ridiculous to have more strick standards for home-school parents than what are in place for private schools.

What are in place for private schools?