Teacher Unions Target Homeschoolers
There’s a headline that probably shocks you! Not really. Think about it…teacher unions exist only for and because of public schools. Public schools exist because children go to them. If large numbers of parents keep their children out of public schools, there is less need for them, thus, possibly making the reason for teachers unions nonexistent.
EAG News reports that the National Education Association had published a list of resolutions for the 2014/2015 school year and that in that document there resides an almost funny statement on NEA’s position on homeschooling:
The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.
The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.
Let’s dissect this, shall we?
The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience.
The phrase “based on parental choice” negates the entire sentence. Parental choice. That is paramount. Anything else you have to say will fall on deaf ears.
If comprehensive education experience means that your child is introduced to “concepts” and “theories” rather than facts and knowledge, and a morality that you don’t agree with, strange behavior management systems and the like, then by all means, you should send your kid to public school.
When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress.
Why should homeschoolers be exposed to the same racist, unfair, abusive tests that the NEA and most teachers rail against? Is that equality?
Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.
Why should it be limited to the children of immediate family? Is this a way of discouraging learning co-ops? Again, parental choice. If my choice is to send my children to my neighbor’s house to receive education because a retired teacher lives there and offered to teach them, who is the NEA, or government to tell me I can’t?
Why should I have a license to teach my kids? Life is education. I don’t need a license for living life, do I? If I receive a license am I going to be forced to be in the teachers union? If teachers are now mental health experts than by the same auspices, I can be a teacher without a license.
Curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.
Wow, there’s an argument for educational freedom, isn’t it? Why would you homeschool your kids in the first place if you had to do the same stuff the schools do? Well, maybe that’s their intention.
I really like the “all expenses borne by the parents/guardians” bit. Trust me, all expenses are borne by the parents when it comes to homeschooling. All expenses. And they are not insignificant. Also, don’t forget, homeschoolers are still paying their taxes that go to the public schools.
The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.
Seriously? That’s just mean and I believe to it’s a way to keep the parents in check. If my kids can no longer participate in sports when they reach high school age because they aren’t enrolled in a brick and mortar school than there’s a chance that I will send my kids to public school so they don’t miss out on extracurricular activities.
This is a punitive and petty measure and it already exists in my district. Shameful. Where’s this equity the teachers union likes to push? How’s it equitable to let public school kids do things and not the homeschooled kids? Especially when, everything being equal, the parents still pay the taxes to those schools!
Maybe it’s a gigantic hidden conspiracy meant to keep homeschoolers away from public schoolers! After all…there’s a possibility that one of those public school kids could be converted. The horror!
