LETTERS: FROM AN ARKANSAS HOME SCHOOL FAMILY

Dear Bro. Beller,

We were looking at the Hot Buttons page on your web site and are interested in #11 A Baptist Philosophy of Education. We have been home schooling for about 11 years and are beginning to realize that a lot of theory and philosophy behind home schools is not lined up with our Baptist beliefs. In our case we go to a Baptist church in the ABA (American Baptist Association). The Pastor is not hostile to home schooling, but his wife is a teacher in the public schools. He is a sound preacher; but his situation causes him to be totally naive about home schooling. This created a vacuum my wife and I have tried to fill outside the Church. Even though I think it would be safe to say Baptist make up a large majority of North West Arkansas; the home school groups in the area are not dominated by conservative Baptists.

We are beginning to think there should be a Baptist home school group, and more support from the local Church. We believe that if this doesn't happen a group that could be a positive thing for the Church will become influenced to the point of leaving or worse undermining the local Church.

If there was a sound work on Baptist Philosophy of Education it could help resolve this problem. Could you tell us what work has been done in this area and what resources we might look at?

ATI is not academically challenging. My wife called the institute and ask for some statistics on how well their students did on math and reading. They had none! When asked what to do should our child have to pass a standardized test, the lady on the phone said "we find if you just meditate the night before the test the child will do just fine."

In 1995 when we started home schooling in Arkansas you had to take a standardized test and be close to grade level in order to keep home schooling. In 1997 they changed the law to where you still had to take the test but only the parents would see the individual child's scores and the state would only get the overall statistics. I thought the law was great at the time and still do in theory. (I knew of one lady who's 5th grade son could not read at all; after home school him for a year or so he was still a year behind which made it illegal to home school him -even though she was doing a good job.) Everyone knows the result of Arkansas public school, so what right did they have holding home schoolers to a higher standard than they could keep? 

What I have noticed at the local home school book fair since the law change is that there is no longer a mad rush to get the Abeka and Bob Jones material at the used book sales. In fact, in the last couple of years I hardly see any at all. The academics are rigorous enough in those to guarantee passing the test. Prior to the law change very few children flunked the test anyway and those that did usually retook it and passed it. My question is: "Could the reconstructionists be behind the move to do away with the testing in order to advance more dumbed down curriculum?"

In David Barton's book "America To Pray or Not to Pray" he claims test scores went down and a number of other problems went up after the Supreme Court threw prayer out of school in 1963. What he fails to mention is that about 10 years earlier schools quit using phonics and started using look-say. I believe this is the real cause and that this is only a diversion. If I planted a garden and didn't keep the weeds out it probably wouldn't do well even if I prayed everyday. Although I think we should pray it does not cover up neglect. Would David Barton want his doctor 1 praying and not studying, 2 studying and not praying, 3 both. I think I would like #3, would take #2 and totally reject the lazy pious fellow. If I hear one more home schooler say I'm working on "character" and not academics I'm going to scream! 

Thanks, _________________________

 

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