Political Discussion - Controversial!

Okay, my neighbor got me started on political debates. LOL. She forwarded me a response that she received from a Kansas school board candidate in regards to a question on homeschooling. This candidate said he does know of good homeschooling families, but he also knows of very, very bad ones. He feels the Board of Education should have a lot more say in homeschooling, such as in approving choices for curriculum, and even in licensing homeschooling parents! All I could say in response to this man's e-mail was "Wow!" I cannot believe this candidate has things so backward. I know graduates from public schools who do not know how to count back change. I know of graduates from public schools who do not know how to carry on a conversation with a person who is out of their age bracket. I know of pubic school graduates who do not know basic history. And this man is saying that homeschools need to be more regulated to see if the bad homeschools are the norm? Excuse me, my mom always said someone should clean their own yard before starting to clean mine. The Kansas board of education should start with their own issues in their own schools before trying to jump into mine! Is homeschooling such a threat to public schools that the board of education feels the need to pull them down to the level of public schools? All I can say is that this man's opponent is definitely getting my vote on August 5!

Speaking of politics, does it sound horrible to say that I always pick candidates that I feel are homeschool-friendly? That is really at the top of my list in picking candidates. Other issues are definitely important, and I do consider them. But a homeschooling-friendly candidate is my top priority when it comes to who will receive my vote. And just why is it - this is just my observation and I would love to hear others who feel differently - that conservative and/or moderate candidates seem to be more homeschool-friendly than their liberal counterparts? Yes, a conservative President brought us the atrocity called No Child Left Behind. But this same President did not include homeschoolers in its regulations. - Just thinking out loud (or in writing, as the case may be).

I have recently found out about what I consider a horrible legislation called HR2343. Apparently this bill that is being considered requires mandatory state hospital visits to new parents. Parents are required to submit to home visits by nurses to be sure there are no signs of abuse. An accompanying proposal calls for mandatory screenings and testing in Headstart programs. Where exactly is the parental say in this? It's gone along with their rights.

Issues like HR2343 and all-day kindergarten, early Headstart, universal preschool, etc. are definitely important for homeschoolers. How many candidates that are for these programs are truly going to support our rights as homeschoolers? Big government control equals loss of homeschooling rights.

Kandy