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["Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>]

O.K., Ray, my question for you is the same as my question for Gloria, how do 
you know you wouldn't have gotten a more positive experience being 
homeschooled?

Also, I notice your qualifier of "actually being done."  If by that you mean 
that you don't see public school being replicated in a home setting, please 
remember that public schools are a dismal failure as clearly exhibited by 
their own "report cards."  Why would homeschoolers want to duplicate that in 
their homes, although, some do.  Is that how you judge "actually being 
done?"

Define "social skills."  This old argument really is a non-starter because 
learning to sit, ask to use the bathroom and spending time with an 
artificial group (all the same age) doesn't give one any skills that one 
might need in later life.  Or, at least in my experience, I have never 
needed "sit and shut up" or "may I go to the bathroom" skills or the ability 
to get along with only one age group.  Or do you mean the abiliity that 
Gloria found so helpful, being bullied?

And, if I've heard it once, I've heard it at least a thousand times as a 
teacher is chewing out a student, "you aren't here to socialize."

So, please tell me what you are talking about when you say "social skills."

Oh, and while you're at it, please tell me how many of those public school 
students have exhibited the exact same lack of such skills as you say you 
have seen in homeschoolers, cause, I gotta tell you I have seen plenty of 
kids who didn't have "social skills" that came out of public schools as is 
clearly exhibited by all those charming kids who work in the fast food 
industry!

Plus, I've seen way more anti-social behaviors exhibited by public school 
students than from homeschoolers.

BTW, how do you come to the conclusion that homeschoolers, unschoolers in 
particular I suppose, don't think we are connected one to another in our 
society?

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <rayzentz AT aim.com>


> Your crassness(spelled correctly) is forgiven, in fact, apology is not 
> necessary.   I merely wish to point out that I am open to other ideas. 
> My experience was publicv school was positive, and of benefit to me.    I 
> do not say it is perfect for everyone.   In fact, I support homeschooling, 
> when it is actually being done.   In general, the only problem I have with 
> homeschooled children is the lack of social skills demonstrated by many 
> (not all) I have known.   I have voiced this before, and have had many of 
> you tell me that this is irrelevant.   I, however, disagree, because 
> despite the best efforts of many on this list, we are inextricably 
> connected one to another in our society, and, pending the total 
> destruction of our society as we know it (which is not outside the realm 
> of possibility), we will continue to be so.
>
> I might add that I am a teacher, and my viewpoint is not necessarily 
> popular among my peers.   I feel that as the homeschool movement 
> increases, and the successes increase, that there will be forced upon the 
> public school system changes that will be of benefit to all.