DR> As for socialization, most of it is negative that I've seen. I'm not
 DR> thrilled with it. Besides, most homeschoolers get involved in a
 DR> homeschool support group with park days, field trips, an dother
 DR> "schoolish" activities. 
And a majority of them are being taught at home by parents that have dropped
out of school without completing highschool.  Have no idea what a lesson 
plan is for, or what education is all about.  If you think that I am talking
about socialization outside the classroom, maybe you better go back to 
hool.
I was refering to the student having to put up with the name calling and
the missing of assignments, the "put-downs" as well as the "lift-ups" from
the other students.  This thing they used to call character that is missing
in our society since the mid-60's.
Children, in our society today need a lot better education than they can get
at home.  Not just the 3 R's, but the rest of the alphabet thrown in to boot.
and one or two adults cannot do it alone.  
I noticed that there was no rebuking me for the statement that less than 1/10
of 1 percent of the homeschooled students ever make it into college...the
reason is not because of lack of money....the reason is because of lack of
being able to keep up with the rest of the students.  Don't get me wrong,
your child may or may not be the brightest kid in the world....the fact is
that a majority of homeschooled children will wind up dropping out before 
they ever finish highschool.  And I have to tell you this, the idea that a
GED is as good as a diploma from an accredited school is no more than a
make believe story.
I am not sorry if I offended you, not if it made you stop and think for just
a minute about what is best for the child.  And no way can you convince me
that a parent is a better teacher than the professional.  If that were the
truth, then the students in Bangledesh, Somalia and Zaire are the most 
educated
students on the face of the earth......they learn everything from their 
parents.
Take care, luck be yours and God bless you and yours til next we met!!
James Prior
... If parents are so damn smart.....why do they have kids?
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