Parents have a lot on their plate nowadays. But to Rick Santorum, that's still not enough.
Can you imagine
throwing home schooling into the mix? Are you up for it? That is Santorum’s
solution to society’s woes, economically and morally. Let’s leave it up to the
whims of parents when it comes to competing globally for economic and
educational dominance.
It sounds crazy because it is, and it is over the top lunacy. Warning,
reading what Santorum said might reduce your IQ. NY Times:
Rick Santorum questioned the legitimacy of state-run public education systems” … he said the idea of schools run by the federal government or by state governments was “anachronistic” … he takes a dim view of public schooling. He and his wife home-schooled their children. “Where did they come up that public education and bigger education bureaucracies was the rule in America? Parents educated their children, because it’s their responsibility to educate their children.”
Really? I don’t remember that as part of our history. Do
other industrialized countries depend on home schooling? Even a little? Santorum does make sure that private interests will
continue to get a large share of taxpayer’s dollars:
“Yes the government can help,” Mr. Santorum added.
The following is what many call “crazy talk.” I don’t know
what history book he’s getting this stuff from, but I’m sure it's hot on Santorum's particular home schooling circuit.
It goes back to the time of industrialization of America when people came off the farms where they did home-school or have the little neighborhood school, and into these big factories, so we built equal factories called public schools. And while those factories as we all know in Ohio and Pennsylvania have fundamentally changed, the factory school has not.”
To sum up; those anti-American big box schools are nothing
but the ugly side of progress, an aberration that caught on globally, but
nevertheless needs to faded away like American manufacturing.
“It’s about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology,” he said. “But no less a theology.”
Just shoot your mouth off Rick - see what sticks. We're glad you hqve no qualms about telling us how you really think.
ReplyDeleteWe only wish the our very own political sociopath Scott Kevin Walker would have done the same.
As a homeschooler who is totally opposed to the politics of Rick Santorum I'd like to ask for a little respect for the homeschoolers of Wisconsin who oppose Scott Walker, the Fitzgeralds, and the shameful Republican actions. We protested at the Capitol. We circulated and signed recall petitions. And, yes, we read your blog. Good job with the blog, by the way. Except for this post. Don't be so sure Santorum's ideas are "hot on the home schooling circuit" -- and by the way, we have a circuit? Who knew?
ReplyDeleteHomeschoolers are a diverse group. A lot of assumptions get made about homeschoolers, many based on prejudices (in the sense of pre-judging, without knowing much about or doing much investigating). Don't assume we're out to destroy the public schools (I've known homeschooling parents who teach in public schools), or that Rick Santorum speaks for us.
There's an interesting discussion going on over at Slate online magazine where an article against homeschooling by Dana Goldstein has triggered an outpouring of comments, including impassioned defenses and illuminating personal stories of homeschooling. If you want a better idea of who homeschoolers are, it's worth reading some of the cogent, articulate, and sometimes very moving comments people are posting there.
Thanks for the thoughtful response on homeschooling. It's true that at times I make sweeping generalizations, like this time.
ReplyDeleteLet me reframe Santorum's idea as something many conservatives will latch onto. But also a qualifier:
Just like virtual schooling, home schooling is the right fit for some, but not a majority of others. Santorum, as you can see in this story and video, is dead set on blowing up the public system.
Many times in these blog posts I focus light a laser on one group, person or both. In this case though, I could have thrown a little of that passion aside to make a distinction.
Again, thanks for bringing your point to everyone's attention.