Anti-homeschooling article
Home Schools Run By Well-Meaning AmateursBy Dave Arnold (a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois)
The article starts with.....
"There's nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task. Certain jobs are best left to the pros, such as, formal education."
The entire text can be found here: http://www.nea.org/espcolumns/dv040220.html
The link came through on one of the many homeschooling list I am on. Unfortunately, there is no link to email the author, poor guy would be bombarded by homeschooling parents if there was one!
Can't wait to hear what you think!
Laura<~~~teacher "wannabe"
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
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12 comments:
Is this guy for real?! As a former teacher I could write a book on how I don't want my children exposed to the public school experience. I certainly do want to be the one who shapes their minds, careers and futures! Who else is qualified for the job? and don't get me started on socialization! I used to spend half of my time as a teacher keeping the kids from socializing! Nothing wrong with my kids, they are VERY social! I'd better stop before I hurt something. Traci deshelestraci@aol.com
I just couldn't believe it when I read the article. Sounds to me like he is more concerned with keeping the schools full and keeping his job than he is with the welfare of the children.
I always love it when people comment on socialization. Why they think my child needs to hang out with a room full of 9 year olds to learn "socialization" is beyond me. When else in their lives are they going to be in a situation where they have to "socialize" with people the exact same age who just so happen to all live within a few miles of each other?
Like I said, thought the article would make for some interesting comments!
Head Custodian? Where I am from custodian means "janitor".
So is the NEA taking advice from a guy that plunges toilets?
The NEA is a TERRORIST Organization!!!
This is Matt on Valerie's computer.
HE IS A JANITOR!! Where I come from Custodian is another name for JANITOR. Is the NEA taking advice from a guy that plunges crappers?
The NEA is a TERRORIST orginazation.
Uh, shouldn't that title read "Homeschooling Article Written By Well-Meaning Amateur"?
Why on earth did the NEA even publish an article written by a custodian?
Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois.)
Head custodian? Hmmm....our commode is backed up. Maybe I should call him to clean it out!
Hi! Came upon your blog searching other articles or info on Dave Arnold.
Valerie asked, "Why on earth did the NEA even publish an article written by a custodian?"
I was wondering the same thing! In my search I found that Arnold is a regular columnist on the NEA site! I sent them an email asking some of the same questions posed here. Is America supposed to believe that the local school janitor knows more about educating children than the children's own parents? This is too ridiculous! But of course...it is the NEA. LOL!
Thanks for letting me wander in! Blessings!
The school janitor is right about one thing: I believe in leaving the shaping of the minds, careers and futures of [my] children to "the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task" - ummmm parents. As for his comments about socialization, the janitor needs to go to the nearest local college and take a couple of classes: one in child development and the other in logic. I would love to email him the article I recently wrote on my blog about socialization. GRRRRR. As for the NEA, I've got stories that would curl your toes.....
Ooh, I almost forgot, I'm off to pick up my 17 who just got back from camp where she was a YCL and was voted "Happiest Camper" and given a special award for being the YCL who always "drew the circle big enough to include everyone". Poor little social misfit.
I was pretty upset over the article, so much so that I had to write a very long response to almost all his paragraphs in my blog: Arrogance of Public School. (Too bad blogger doesn't have auto trackback feature...)
My main point: We home educators don't have to be "professional" to be effective.
The thing that amazes me the most, or maybe I should say, baffles me the most, is that NEA puts that he is a custodian at the end of the article....why not put "is employed by" instead? Maybe it is their "safetynet"..after all when we complain and get upset...it is a janitor we are mad at...not a teacher?
Certainly proved to be food for thought though, didn't it?
if he really felt like he was confident in backing up his nonsense claims he would have left an email address.
i never respond to articles..but in this case i would have, as i tried to google his name .
happy homeschooling to all!!!
elaine
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