Why do you home school?

[Liberty Belle]

Our DD started K this year. I have never thought HS was a good option, but after just a few weeks, I can at least understand why some choose to do so. She is already reading level 3 plus books, while there are some kids in her class who, and I can't believe this, don't know their alphabet! They do not ability group the children until mid-year, so she's essentially wasting the whole first half of the year.

My view, however, is that my wife (who was a primary teacher for seven years prior to staying home with the kids) and I can supplement her learning at home by being supportive parents and challenging her to read / write / do real-world math problems. My wife is perfectly capable of HS'ing (which is why DD is way ahead of the curve now), but to me - school is as much about socialization as book learning. The fact of the matter is that there are stupid rules, incompetent colleagues, and unreasonable demands everywhere you turn as an adult. The sooner my kids realize that (and realize the need to excel), they'll be better off for it.

Bottom line - the teachers will do what they do (usually teach to the lowest common denominator), and we will do what we do (supplement education in a very open, unstructured, supportive home environment).

I agree with all of this. I'm a first grade para and I'll tell you we have a few kids in our class who don't know the whole alphabet (they know the letters, but not all the sounds) and these are not (at this point, anyway) classified as special needs kids.

We also have a couple kids in our class who are reading at an approximate 4th grade level. They are taken out for a half hour or more every day to work with other kids on their level. They do not seem bored in class and are still learning. It is probable they'd advance if homeschooled, but they'd miss out on the social aspect of school and adapting to working with noise and many other kids around them.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We also have a couple kids in our class who are reading at an approximate 4th grade level. They are taken out for a half hour or more every day to work with other kids on their level. They do not seem bored in class and are still learning. It is probable they'd advance if homeschooled, but they'd miss out on the social aspect of school and adapting to working with noise and many other kids around them.

This is the type of child that could be accelerated. They maintain their "age" grade in school, but spend nearly the entire day with older children. Now this won't work for all kids, but some people would be surprised that their child may be more comfortable in a classroom with children 1-2 years older than they are.

Worked for us. Start high school coursework as a 6th-8th grader.... graduating early is an option or exhaust all of the high school coursework and move on to distance ed (whether it is high school or college coursework).

Right now I have a DS that is a senior. He has 30+ hours of college credit. Well adjusted socially. Star athlete. It worked for us, and I am sure there are many others it would work for as well.... if the kids were just given the chance.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I voted other. I just homeschool...because it is a valid educational choice.

I don't have a reason that can be wrapped into a tiny package with a neat little bow.

I enjoy my children and I wanted to foster their interest. I can cater their education to their strengths as well as customize for their weaknesses as they come up.

We can decide today is a beautiful day--we are just going to go out and play.

We can schedule trips whenever we like.

The girls can participate in more activities as suited to their interest without fear that it will interfere with homework or make their day too long.

I can accomplish in a couple of hours what will take the school system about 7 or 8 hours (inclusive of commuting) to accomplish.

We can go on more field trips. Our weekends can really be weekends and not squeezing in stuff we didn't have time to do during the week.

We can sleep in...or stay up late....or go to bed on time.


And about a million more reasons.

I didn't choose homeschooling b/c of a bad situation (i.e. poor schools or troublesome peers)...I chose it b/c it is a viable and legitimate alternative that we happen to enjoy.

I don't dread having my kids home everyday. I don't say "I can't wait for school to start so I can get them out of my hair". I do enjoy having them home everyday.

They are only young once--and since birth it is the parent who is the primary educator of the child. I've just opted to not place that society with that burden.

And b/c I don't want to "screw up"--I have had her tested....and so far--my children hasn't suffered academically for this decision. She hasn't suffered socially either as she has many friends

FWIW--I didn't "formally" start teaching her until 1st grade. I attempted a little bit in Kindergarten but since she wasn't legally required to begin until 6, it didn't bother us for her to continue as we had done by allowing her to express interests and me facilitating them. I know there is the unschooling movement that continues with that throughout homeschooling...but I am wayyy to needing a specific plan to go that route. But when they are pre-school age...I don't bother with making sure I sing the ABC's all the time or sit down and see if they can remember any phonics.

They will let me know when they want to do something and then we will do it...be it a workbook or a game or some time on the computer with a learning computer game.

With my almost 5 year old..I never sat her down to teach her how to draw letters....she wanted to know how--so we did some basics to tell her how to write and she also copies letters. (Now she can't read--so alot of times it is complete nonsense...but on her own she is practicing handwriting).

My 7yo and almost know desire to do this.

There is no reason to rush little ones into academia--it eventually evens out for the most part for the average child.

I have no plans to make my children prodigies..or get them classified as gifted...or to have them win a bee of any kind...or to get full scholarship to MIT b/c they wrote a thesis by the time they were in 5th grade.

I only plan to make them live up to their potential and maybe a little push past their potential.


Why do I homeschool?
Because I can.

 

[laurie31]

I voted other. I just homeschool...because it is a valid educational choice.
<snip>


Why do I homeschool?
Because I can.

What an awesome post!!!

I've also found that I like being around my dd all day. I used to say "I can't wait for school to start" and one of the things I feared most about homeschooling was the loss of my free time. (When would I clean? When would I DIS? LOL) but it's not like that at all. I have plenty of time for school AND housework AND fun stuff Well, *plenty* might be a bit of an exaggeration, but my house is clean, and I'm obviously not too DIS-deprived

 

[bord1niowa]

One of the good things about homeschooling is all work is homework and when you're done you're done. Just as everything you do in life can be a learning experience too. Our kids were homeschooled when the Berlin wall was coming down and they wanted to know why they built it in the first place. So I said let's see. It opened up a whole area of study that just kept expanding. Kids are really eager to learn, they just need to be interested in it. I'm afraid always being told exactly what and when you have to learn all the time leaves little for their own exploratory learning. Most things in life can be a teaching tool. I never thought I would use geometry until I had a balloon business where I had to figure out how many ballooons of what size I would need to make a full size Corvette. The design process along with figuring out the costs involved were terrific teaching tools and they also saw how it was used in practical life.

By the way, most colleges give preference to home schoolers due to generally higher test scores, and work and study habits. The social problems many speak of, just don't exist if you utilize the tools available to you in your area. We had monthly meetings with others in our area, sometimes going on field trips or having kids give speeches on some of their favorite topics.

My suggestion...if you can homeschool, go for it.

 

[hentob]

Why do I homeschool?
Because I can.

Your post made me jealous

I would love to home school. I am a SAHM with a degree in elementary education..... plus many additional credits. I find myself subbing often --Just to be close to my three children. I would love to pull them and HS. I would love for all of us to travel with DH and learn "on the run"

But, sadly (and happily...I guess) my children love school They love to eat chicken nuggets and tater tots with their friends They love their desks and school issued crayons. They love Fire Prevention Week and Door Decorating Contests. They love being Student of the Week and taking instrument lessons with their classmates. They adore square dancing with their pals in phys ed and secretly laugh at the Bad Boys that drop the F Bomb on the bus When their accomplishments get put on The Great Works Board in the lobby, they swoon. And most of all--They love their teachers

How can I compete I am fun. I get cheers when I arrive in the classroom to substitute. It is a wonderful feeling But my children don't want to be with me all day. They want school

I have approached my little ones several times about home schooling and have been met with tears and panic.

They love school.

Why does that sadden me a tiny bit?

 

[sha_lyn]

My DD would love to eat nothing but ice cream and would stay up all night if I let her. Since she likes those things, should I let her do it?

Your post makes it sound like HS kids don't/can't have many of those same experiences that your children love. However that is not the case.

There is no reason to rush little ones into academia--it eventually evens out for the most part for the average child.

I have no plans to make my children prodigies..or get them classified as gifted...or to have them win a bee of any kind...or to get full scholarship to MIT b/c they wrote a thesis by the time they were in 5th grade.

I only plan to make them live up to their potential and maybe a little push past their potential.

Great post... especially the part I c/p
I remember when I first met one of my HS'ing friends several years ago. I met her through another HS mom. Her DS has Aspengers and the school was pretty useless in addressing his needs so she pulled him out of PS and started HS'ing.
She basically said that she couldn't understand why anyone would HS a child without special needs and she didn't understand why we (both the mutual friend and I) didn't expect "more" out of kids since they were home-schooled. She felt like HS'ing was a waste/failure if a child without special needs wasn't way ahead of the academic game and/or working on some special talent/skills.
Basically my answer was how you described your approach to the younger years. Along with that goes my basic philosophy. I believe it is useless to spoon feed them "facts". Instead I want to encourage a thirst for knowledge and equip them with the tools they need to be life long learners and seekers.

 

[graygables]

But, sadly (and happily...I guess) my children love school They love to eat chicken nuggets and tater tots with their friends They love their desks and school issued crayons. They love Fire Prevention Week and Door Decorating Contests. They love being Student of the Week and taking instrument lessons with their classmates. They adore square dancing with their pals in phys ed and secretly laugh at the Bad Boys that drop the F Bomb on the bus When their accomplishments get put on The Great Works Board in the lobby, they swoon. And most of all--They love their teachers

How can I compete I am fun. I get cheers when I arrive in the classroom to substitute. It is a wonderful feeling But my children don't want to be with me all day. They want school

It's not a competition and I find it somehow sad that your children don't "want to be with [you] all day". In our experience it was MUCH harder on my older 2 being pulled out of PS to HS. They had a notion of "what school is" and home did NOT measure up (and I have a degree in English/education). Once they got it through their heads that I don't run a democracy, so their opinion mattered not at all, they hunkered down and we began our journey.

I have to tell you, though, as a former high school teacher and one who was closely involved in my older DDs' "excellent" schools (elementary, MS, and HS...we had a checkered educational history with those 2), the days of tater tots and "F" bombs won't last. It will become meth hits and guns. DH and I were just talking about this very thing and how glad we are that we never exposed our younger 2 to it, so they didn't have to feel any "loss" when we pulled them out. You are either an "in" kid or an "out" kid. "In" kids are not safe like they used to be, b/c the "out" kids are growing bolder and are no longer constrained by any kind of societal moral code, much less adult discipline. "Safe Schools" is an oxymoron. Regardless of the outcry against the numbers of shootings, knifings, and parents providing weapons to their children, the situation is NOT improving and I, for one, am glad my girls enjoy my company as much as I do theirs.

 

[Kath2003]

I have to tell you, though, as a former high school teacher and one who was closely involved in my older DDs' "excellent" schools (elementary, MS, and HS...we had a checkered educational history with those 2), the days of tater tots and "F" bombs won't last. It will become meth hits and guns. DH and I were just talking about this very thing and how glad we are that we never exposed our younger 2 to it, so they didn't have to feel any "loss" when we pulled them out. You are either an "in" kid or an "out" kid. "In" kids are not safe like they used to be, b/c the "out" kids are growing bolder and are no longer constrained by any kind of societal moral code, much less adult discipline. "Safe Schools" is an oxymoron. Regardless of the outcry against the numbers of shootings, knifings, and parents providing weapons to their children, the situation is NOT improving and I, for one, am glad my girls enjoy my company as much as I do theirs.

Wow, I'm disappointed that you have such a negative view of today's high schoolers. MOST of them are happy, bright young adults who are trying to figure out their place in the world. Of course there is experimentation with lifestyles (including drugs) by some of them. Of course there are a few who, for whatever reason, have violence on the brain. But the VAST VAST MAJORITY of high schoolers are just trying to figure out the world in which they live. High School IS a safe place - the vast vast majority make it through high school! Shootings, stabbings etc. are NOT an everyday occurrence.

The REAL WORLD is scary. There are people who commit crimes. There are people that do drugs. There are people who are just down right mean, rude, selfish etc. There are plenty more people who are decent citizens, who do right by their friends and neighbours, who contribute positively to society. High School is just a scaled down version. Yes, there are "bad" kids and it IS a shame that the "good" kids have to come to a realisation that there are "bad" people in society at that age. But it's not necessarily a bad lesson for them to learn.

Equally I would not want my children to be afraid of the people around them, constantly. I would not want them to have a view like yours of the world in which they live. Aware of the dangers of today's world, yes. Afraid of it, no.

[/two cents]

 

[Ellester]

Wow, I'm disappointed that you have such a negative view of today's high schoolers. MOST of them are happy, bright young adults who are trying to figure out their place in the world. Of course there is experimentation with lifestyles (including drugs) by some of them. Of course there are a few who, for whatever reason, have violence on the brain. But the VAST VAST MAJORITY of high schoolers are just trying to figure out the world in which they live. High School IS a safe place - the vast vast majority make it through high school! Shootings, stabbings etc. are NOT an everyday occurrence.

The REAL WORLD is scary. There are people who commit crimes. There are people that do drugs. There are people who are just down right mean, rude, selfish etc. There are plenty more people who are decent citizens, who do right by their friends and neighbours, who contribute positively to society. High School is just a scaled down version. Yes, there are "bad" kids and it IS a shame that the "good" kids have to come to a realisation that there are "bad" people in society at that age. But it's not necessarily a bad lesson for them to learn.

Equally I would not want my children to be afraid of the people around them, constantly. I would not want them to have a view like yours of the world in which they live. Aware of the dangers of today's world, yes. Afraid of it, no.

[/two cents]

Well, I for one do not agree with the above. I see you are in the UK, so maybe the gun laws there make a bit of difference. Last week in the US, there was at least one shooting at a high school (the child was upset about being suspended for fighting). Thankfully no one was killed although a teacher is still hospitalized. There have also been two arrests in the past week or so of students (one now homeschooled) who were planning Columbine style assaults.

As for high school being a scaled down version of "real life", I for one have never heard of anyone being jumped in the bathroom at work and beat within an inch of their lives by workers from a rival company. (happened at my high school) I've never been involved in a drug bust while at work (routine at many high schools) or hit in the head with a full can of soda while waiting for the bus home (a reason a high school teacher friend of mine refused to monitor the bus lot without security next to her). I've never had a "lock down" drill while at work, something my kindergartener had to routinely practice when she was in public school. I do think it is a "bad lesson" for my kids to learn that you can get away with almost anything as long as you don't get caught. Believe me, my kids see plenty of the real world and they are not afraid. They know how to complete transactions at the bank, how to pay rent, how to shop for a meal, how to deal with mechanics, doctors, clergy, professionals, etc. We are not cowering at home in a self imposed shell.

Anyhoo...I'll jump off my soapbox now.

GREAT post Lisa love Pooh!

 

[hentob]

It's not a competition and I find it somehow sad that your children don't "want to be with [you] all day".

It does seem sad, but I think it is perfectly normal. Are their really kids out there that want to be with their parents all day?

Once they got it through their heads that I don't run a democracy, so their opinion mattered not at all, they hunkered down and we began our journey.

Now that I find sad I love to hear what my children care about. Their opinions are valid. Sometimes, they are off-base and I make the appropriate choices. But they are safe in our public school. They love it. So, although I would love to pull them and be with them all day, I have allowed them to make their choice.

I am amazed at the defensive attitudes here. I wrote a post of support (ie-I am jealous of home schoolers) and I was met with anecdotes of drug use and guns. I wrote how my children enjoy school and was answered with a comparison of allowing a child staying up all night eating ice cream

Not all schools are rotten. Not every child takes up drugs and murder in high school. Why get so defensive when someone posts a non-confrontational story of how their children love school?

 

[hentob]

"Safe Schools" is an oxymoron.

Do you really believe that?

 

[Jedi Master Gonzo]

It does seem sad, but I think it is perfectly normal. Are their really kids out there that want to be with their parents all day?




Now that I find sad I love to hear what my children care about. Their opinions are valid. Sometimes, they are off-base and I make the appropriate choices. But they are safe in our public school. They love it. So, although I would love to pull them and be with them all day, I have allowed them to make their choice.

I am amazed at the defensive attitudes here. I wrote a post of support (ie-I am jealous of home schoolers) and I was met with anecdotes of drug use and guns. I wrote how my children enjoy school and was answered with a comparison of allowing a child staying up all night eating ice cream

Not all schools are rotten. Not every child takes up drugs and murder in high school. Why get so defensive when someone posts a non-confrontational story of how their children love school?

I agree with you. My 4 children lead very social lives. My oldest is a band geek, the next is an outstanding athlete and the two youngers are the most popular in their classes. Because I support and encourage them as long as they maintain their grades. I just can't see my children being homeschooled. They will likely run away from home if I tried.

 

[sha_lyn]

I agree with you. My 4 children lead very social lives. My oldest is a band geek, the next is an outstanding athlete and the two youngers are the most popular in their classes.

I often hear reasons such as being social, being popular among peers, participating in band or sports as reasons to not home-school. What really makes me sad is when people say they aren't happy with their child's education or that they have mean/horrible teachers (or have to deal with other very negative issues)but the parents would never HS because of the above reasons. I'm not saying that the quote post is saying that. The post just got me on this line of thinking.

Do people really think that home-schoolers do not participate in many of the typical childhood experiences? I guess just because you don't "live" that lifestyle you don't hear about all the opportunities out there. IE earlier on this thread someone said that those opportunities weren't available in their area. However I found links to several HS organizations with 30-45 min of where the poster lives.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Your post made me jealous

I would love to home school. I am a SAHM with a degree in elementary education..... plus many additional credits. I find myself subbing often --Just to be close to my three children. I would love to pull them and HS. I would love for all of us to travel with DH and learn "on the run"

But, sadly (and happily...I guess) my children love school They love to eat chicken nuggets and tater tots with their friends They love their desks and school issued crayons. They love Fire Prevention Week and Door Decorating Contests. They love being Student of the Week and taking instrument lessons with their classmates. They adore square dancing with their pals in phys ed and secretly laugh at the Bad Boys that drop the F Bomb on the bus When their accomplishments get put on The Great Works Board in the lobby, they swoon. And most of all--They love their teachers

How can I compete I am fun. I get cheers when I arrive in the classroom to substitute. It is a wonderful feeling But my children don't want to be with me all day. They want school

I have approached my little ones several times about home schooling and have been met with tears and panic.

They love school.

Why does that sadden me a tiny bit?

Awwww...I'm sorry .

My girls wanted to go to school so they could ride the bus.

That won't happen until 9th grade..at which point I told them...the yellow school bus loses its novelty.

I just wanted to say the "I can" that I was emphasizing...was that I'm allowed to.

We have been known to create some real school at home...b/c the girls do want "some" of the stuff.

Every child is different though. I have no doubt that my kids would share the same opinions of school if they were enrolled.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Now that I find sad I love to hear what my children care about. Their opinions are valid. Sometimes, they are off-base and I make the appropriate choices. But they are safe in our public school. They love it. So, although I would love to pull them and be with them all day, I have allowed them to make their choice.

I guess I took it a different way.


I give my children choices..but when it comes down to it...they still have to do some basic things whether they want to or not.

If for whatever reason a parent needed to parent their child in any way...that when it came down to it the parent did not resort to majority rule and let the kids make the ultimate decision.

Children can voice their opinions...but in the end...we are an influenced monarchy in our household and not a democracy. (yes I made that term up) My kids can provide input, but ultimately as parents--we make the decision.

Public school isn't a democracy either--but it is silly to think that this parent has made a "sad" situation. Kids are VERY adapatable. And if in your heart, you feel a choice is the RIGHT choice the children will adapt to it and may even come to enjoy it even if it wasn't their first choice.

There are several families in our homeschool group that fit your situation. Their kids didn't want to go out. And for many of them--the kids do not want to go back at all. They love homeschooling too much.

On the flip side--there are families where the child really wanted to go to school. The compromise--they were placed in a Christian school (btw--the kids didn't mind as they do embrace Christianity).

It isn't that we don't listen to our kids--but as with most things...as parent--we just have a weighted opinon.

So far--my child hasn't had a valid reason to go to school, yet. There is no school bus...and she wants to go to class with her best friend who is one school year behind her due to her birthday. The things she wants to school for...won't happen due to location...and a calendar.


But to make exaggerations over what you perceive would happen if you brought your kids home...well let's just say you would adjust if you had to make that choice.

Your choice to keep them in school is perfectly fine. Don't feel bad because you felt you "had to" make that choice. But consider--it isn't as impossible as you think to homeschool. I think some folks write it off before ever really looking into it and then make jokes about it accordingly.

All education is parent directed...whether you direct your kids to public, private, charter, on-line, correspondence, or home to be educated.

 

[tigercat]

I homeschooled my dgrdd for several years and I really wish her Mum had allowed me to continue. She decided that it would be a good idea if she went to school in Grade 5. My dgrdd has now spent several years basically doing nothing. Grade 5, 6 and 7 she spent the time helping the secretary's, the teachers and anyone else that could use her help. She didn't however, really do any school work because she was so far ahead. Here they said they were so overworked that they couldn't really do anything that was advanced because they had too many other students who were falling behind. My dd kept saying that she was going to do something but she never did. She thought that at least she was doing something. Now, my dgrdd is in Grade 8 and has no staying power when it comes to school. She also doesn't really know what she wants to do. Now she has turned 13 so some of that would be due to her age, but I really think the years of doing no school work is the biggest thing. When I had her she was schooled and focused.
tigercat

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I often hear reasons such as being social, being popular among peers, participating in band or sports as reasons to not home-school.

FWIW--my children can do each and EVERY one of these things whether they are homeschooled or not.

State law allows them to participate in extra-curricular activities and programs following the same guidelins as public schoolers as long as they are not enrolled in a school (i.e. some folks enroll with private schools as a homeschooler) or not a 600 school (established their home as a private school). The reason the private school route is not allowed is b/c private school students are not permitted to utilized public school resources in that manner.

So if my son wants to be a football player and I want to homeschool him...he can do both!!! Tim Tebow--QB for Florida Gators...was a homeschooler but played football for Nease High School (my alma mater!). I don't have to put him in public school just so he can do these things. He is protected by law and is eligible to do these things just as any other student who wants to go out for the football team.

If my daughter wants to play in the marching band....same deal.

Heck--if it turns out they are gifted (no plans to test right now as I don't see the point to send them to any program at this stage since I customize their lessons)....they can go into the gifted program at their zoned school. (yes we know families who do take advantage of these services). Same if they had an LD that required some assistance.

If my daughter wants to take underwater basket weaving as an elective from her high school...she can do that, too.

She is eligible for the Bright Futures Scholarship just as her peers in the public school system (just the GPA is eliminated as a requirement).

She is eligible for dual enrollment for free just like her public school peers.

My girls our "popular" in a sense....they are well known among their peers and they are heavily sought out b/c they are fun to play with. I mean really--hookairs about popularity anyway?

Social--well my daughter has plenty of things..has absolutely no trouble speaking with anyway from ages 0 to 100..and hasn't a shy bone in her body.

And if we stay here in the same homeschooling group....or at least in the state of Florida...she has a prom and a high school graduation ceremony to look forward too. When she attends FPEA to graduate...she will be graduating among several hundred from across the state that represent a diverse mix of kids.

Heck--she can even order a class ring.


This isn't a defense btw...just some further insight as to what can be available to your child if you homeschool (pending state laws of course--some states will not necessarily allow these things).

It does represent..to an extent..other reasons--that if they came up, we could accomodate and still remain homeschoolers.


Oh--the icing on the cake...my 7yo still gets in trouble for talking during class.

 

[disneyjunkie]

It's not a competition and I find it somehow sad that your children don't "want to be with [you] all day". In our experience it was MUCH harder on my older 2 being pulled out of PS to HS. They had a notion of "what school is" and home did NOT measure up (and I have a degree in English/education). Once they got it through their heads that I don't run a democracy, so their opinion mattered not at all, they hunkered down and we began our journey.

I have to tell you, though, as a former high school teacher and one who was closely involved in my older DDs' "excellent" schools (elementary, MS, and HS...we had a checkered educational history with those 2), the days of tater tots and "F" bombs won't last. It will become meth hits and guns. DH and I were just talking about this very thing and how glad we are that we never exposed our younger 2 to it, so they didn't have to feel any "loss" when we pulled them out. You are either an "in" kid or an "out" kid. "In" kids are not safe like they used to be, b/c the "out" kids are growing bolder and are no longer constrained by any kind of societal moral code, much less adult discipline. "Safe Schools" is an oxymoron. Regardless of the outcry against the numbers of shootings, knifings, and parents providing weapons to their children, the situation is NOT improving and I, for one, am glad my girls enjoy my company as much as I do theirs.

Where the heck do you live.

I live in what's consider an inner-city section of Brooklyn. Meth and guns are NOT a concern at my son's high school. I'm not the lest bit concerned about his safety there. There aren't any metal detectors or security guards in his school.

Hentob your kids sound like my son. He'd die if I told him he had to stay home each day. He loves school, his friends and his teachers.

Oh yeah, he loves me also. He just doesn't need to be around me all day.

 

[Kath2003]

As for high school being a scaled down version of "real life", I for one have never heard of anyone being jumped in the bathroom at work and beat within an inch of their lives by workers from a rival company. (happened at my high school) I've never been involved in a drug bust while at work (routine at many high schools) or hit in the head with a full can of soda while waiting for the bus home (a reason a high school teacher friend of mine refused to monitor the bus lot without security next to her). I've never had a "lock down" drill while at work, something my kindergartener had to routinely practice when she was in public school. I do think it is a "bad lesson" for my kids to learn that you can get away with almost anything as long as you don't get caught. Believe me, my kids see plenty of the real world and they are not afraid. They know how to complete transactions at the bank, how to pay rent, how to shop for a meal, how to deal with mechanics, doctors, clergy, professionals, etc. We are not cowering at home in a self imposed shell.

Evidently we have had VERY different experiences of high school. I never heard of anyone being beaten, a drugs bust or any kind of assault on teachers. I'm sure they all happen, but I'm not sure they're a common occurence in the majority of high schools.

High school IS a scaled down version of the real world. It just so happens that it incorporates EVERYONE. And if you take the population as a whole, yes there are people who are affected by crime, or commit crime. Yes, there are drug users. High School just lumps them all together (much like the subway...).

Evidently high school DOES work and IS a safe environment because the majority of high schoolers a) survive, b) are not criminals and c) actually go on to make something of themselves, be that taking up a profession or going to college.

I guess things are very different in the UK. There are no metal detectors. There are no drug tests. There are no "lock downs". The kids go to school, attend their classes, meet their friends, get an education and on the whole have a great time doing so.