Children In Loudoun Schools

Re: School Mess

Perhaps some of these replies can be moved to the new thread.

Lee j

 

I was fortunate that my kids got a very interesting and powerful nurturing in grade school in the public schools in Santa Monica California. My wife taught at a very special school there called SMASH. Which was Santa Monica's experimental school mainly geared to the theater and arts.

From this school they developed many programs and ideas which would eventually be used in their mainstream schools.

I always wondered why something like that is not more widespread in other school systems. This school was extremely effective in reaching and helping out all the kids. Especially making the children aware and try things that they might not otherwise try or do. Acting and art were two ways they made the children more aware and comfortable in speaking what they think. Made the kids very comfortable in front of large groups and small. Gave them tremendous self confidence. They also used the kids in the upper grades as mentors to the children in the lower grades and on and on. A very nurturing learning environment. Besides they got to walk to the beach one afternoon and surf or whatever a week and got to be in several major feature films which were filmed on the school grounds. How cool is that.

Lee j

 

That sounds like a fascinating program. It seems that school here are trying to balance that kind of creativity with the fact that we live in a time with the No Child Left Behind program (where all the children are above average) and the schools are forced to puts kids through the Virginia SOL tests. I see my daughter getting the art and music exposure balanced with the very real national need to increase STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

 

Gryphon;

You are as uninformed and just plain WRONG in this thread as you were the last time you fired up this flame fest. You may choose to home school your kids (thats fine - yay for you! ) but that does NOT mean that the LCPS System is "bad" in any way. In fact, by home schooling you are robbing your kids of some very meaningful & fun social activities such as marching band, football games, school plays (that win CAPPIES by the way), trips to help out folks in Louisiana and perform in fron t of thousands at the Cotton Bowl.

I find your assertation to be personally insulting as I have volunteered at SBHS and seen the amazing quality of their programs & faculty.

If you want to continue this conversation, please bring your "A" game - because you are dead wrong and I will defend my school.

 

Re: School Mess

I don't get the concept of relying on the government, Loudoun County's government or any other, to educate a child, much less a special needs child. Examples of government ineptitude are abundant, and letting the government be responsible for educating children is a recipe for disaster. All you get is a government bureaucrat filling your kid with his or her ideology. It's above contempt that we are tax-payers have to pay for that. I, for one, would never subject any child in my family to that.

 

And your children will get your ideologies (morals excluded).

I will take the government's EVERY time over yours, regardless if it is Dem or Rep.

 

In most regards, the Loudoun school system is likely no worse or no better that any other government-run school. The issue is that government cannot be entrusted with education if you actually want kids to learn and not be indoctrinated.

Also, there are drugs, violence, gangs, and sex in the Loudoun school system. Why don't you mention those? All you posted here was the pollyanna stuff. Why are you trying to hide the dirty truths of this government-run operation?

Dude, kids in our family do all of those activities any more. Just because home-schooled kids miss out on being indoctrinated by the government in a government-run school, it does not mean that our kids miss out on sports and other activities. There's an active network of home-school parents who get their kids together regularly to play soccer, football, basketball, etc. We also go on field trips.

If more parents relied less on big government and more on their own parenting and teaching skills, kids in our society would be better off. I think any normal human being knows that government absolutely sucks. So, why force kids to go to a government-run school for a daily dose of indocrtination? It's an abomination that kids in my family will never be subjected to.

 

Are you saying that parents should not teach their kids right from wrong?

And I will take mine over yours and mine over big governments any day of the week.

 

Re: School Mess

A big government bureaucrat is just like another other, regardless of whether it's the Department of Taxation or the Department of Education.

I do have kids, but I don't think you do. So there.

 

I agree with gryphon on this as my cousin who homes schools does a lot of activities and the kids seem tp participate fully.

I also agree with gryphon about the polyanna comment.

All we hear about are the straight A kids and the ones that shine in sports and other activities. We really don't hear about the problems unless they make the newspapers. Who are those kids that damage and steal and break into homes or the neighborhood. We don't talk about them in the context of the school system unless it is an inner city school. We cover these problems up in everyday conversations with our neighbors when it comes to our own children. I am always amazed how little some parents really know about their kids. I work at home and I can tell a few stories that I see from my Library and porch. But most of the time it is kids being kids. A sheriff told me a few months ago he is always amazed how one bad kid can have so much influence on a group a of good kids. I would say he is a person that sees far more then any parent or school system.

Lee j

 

Lee, as always (or most of the time), you speak the truth. The government does its best to cover up the all the bad stuff going on in our schools. Sometimes, stories leak out, and then they are characterized as isolated events, which they are not.

 

OK Gryph - ONE question: have ANY of your kids EVER been through an entire year in the school system?

 

Yes.

Now a question for you. While you criticize home-schooling, can you tell me if "ANY of your kids EVER been through an entire year" of home-schooling?

 

Nope - while we considered home schooling and KaosMom even went through the process needed to make certain she was "accredited", after seeing the Most Excellent Job that LCPS was doing with Kaos and Kaos Grrrl, we decided to wave off that path.

Note - I NEVER criticized home schooling - I simply pointed out that it does not offer the same opportunities (IMHO) as LCPS.

 

I'll add my 2 cents worth....what about the social/sports aspect of going to school? The awards ceremonies, being able to participate in a band or orchestra or other school functions???? My son is a graduate of Loudoun County Schools, was accepted at several Ivy League schools and decided to go to college right here in Virginia at UVA, and he was very well prepared in high school to attend college and graduated with honors. He has a wonderful job and is now on his own. Question - do home schooled kids also get home schooled for college? I would think that home schooled kids would have a rude awakening going off to college after being home schooled for so many years.

 

Kaosdad, you said - and I quote - "In fact, by home schooling you are robbing your kids of some very meaningful & fun social activities..."

I am not robbing my kids of anything, except maybe government indoctrination, which they can do without.