My impression of the local high school is that it is not much more than a circus. But, I was feeling bad about making ds homeschool next year, even though he has acted as if he is ok with it. We got notice that tonight was his registration fair to learn all about the high school for incoming freshman. We decided to go on over and see what is going on and what they have. One would think that they would put their best foot forward. To the contrary, it was a disorganized circus. We drive around with no signs or indications as to where to park. The school is very very big so there are many parking lots to the various sides of the buildings. Then we work our way inside, with no signs of doors to be used or anything. Thank goodness the first doors we were to worked. We come inside and there are no signs, directions, staff, or otherwise to tell us where to go. But we could see people heading in one general direction so we head that way. Once there, we can see someone selling things at a table such as shirts and sweatshirts with the high school name on it. I could see past that table in to the gym where people seemed to be congregating. We walked in there and there were tables all around the perimeter. It seemed each table was for something, but no one was standing in any lines or anything, they were just call huddling around. No direction as to what to do, no staff or volunteers or such around, nothing. I could see that on a couple of tables, they were labeled for what they were supposed to be for...but the signs seemed to be hanging off the actual front of the table-meaning if a table has a bunch of people huddled around, there is no way to tell what it is. As far as I could tell, there was a table for choir and another for theater and another for science and English. I saw a couple tables with people at them but they failed to label their table. There were maybe 40 tables in all. Again, I tried to look around for any idea or clue as to what we were there for. I already knew that most clubs and groups there were very exclusive so they could not have been trying to recruit members. Only the very very select are allowed to do things like choir and theater. But overall, we could not make anything of what we were supposed to be doing or what was going on. The packet of info we got had said generalized statements like we need to come to the registration fair and that staff and counselors would be on hand to answer any questions we had. There were none. The whole thing was just chaos. We finally just left. DH made some remarks about how no wonder no one can learn anything there, it is nothing more than a huge circus, no organization, no one seems to have a clue what they are doing. Ironically, this is their BIG event for incoming freshmen. This is the sumtotal of information parents have on the school coming in. The whole thing was just a bunch of chaos. I really feel like parents who actually send their kids there and then go on and on about how great it is must have extremely low standards. DS14 made remarks about how terrible the place is. I was feeling very irritated because it was soo disorganized and chaotic, and my tax dollars go to pay for this circus. I am actually a bit upset over the whole thing. I know I have to hear from so many people about how wonderful they consider that place. But those people who say that have never even been inside. They have no clue what is going on there. Those people get very hostile. I am not talking standing up to them. I am talking...for example..one neighbor found out I homeschool. He immediately demanded, bellowy demanded to know why I homeschool. I could not even give an answer before he cut me off to inform me that HIS children go to these schools and there is nothing wrong with these schools and there are just great and if I am the one who doesn't send my child there, then I am the problem, not HIS children's school. I never said anything negative about HIS children's schools. He was just very confrontation, in your face, everyone-must-comply-to-his-whim-and-will brute. Unfortunately, I see a lot of that here. Now I am trying to think of what to say the next time one of these brutes finds out I am homeschooling and starts. I am tired of just standing there, being polite, stammering while they verbally attack me, especially when it is MY money that pays for their kids to go to the chaotis circus party.
I would consider sending a letter to the school district, telling them that your son wanted to attend the high school, and you were willing. And then telling them WHY he will NOT be attending! Maybe they will make changes in the future (or maybe not....) As for the neighbor, I'd quietly tell him that you don't fuss with him about HIS choice, and you don't wish to discuss with him YOURS, and walk away.
I have been feeling guilty lately because Crystal wants to go to public school next year. She will be in 11th grade and was in public school until the beginning of 8th grade. Your description of the high school "circus" helped me remember how wild it was the last time I had to go to the high school. Thanks.
Unfortunately when some hear that you hs they instantly think you are saying something about their kid or their kid's lack of education. It is just a matter of ignorance and feeling defensive due to the unknown. Sorry you had such a bad experience. I would send a letter to the superintendent and just let him know your perception of the event and your reasons why you will continue to hs.
The "circus" sounds a lot like the ELEMENTARY school my son went to for 4 years. How can it be anything else when there is a building full of over 400 kids and maybe 50? (probably not even that many) adults to supervise them. I hate to generalize, but right now I'm going to because I've seen it first hand - there are so many unruly, mean, disrespectful kids in ps now due (IMHO)to parents saying "how do you feel about that, what do you want to do, instead of sometimes saying "I'm the parent and this is what we're going to do-period end of story" I'm no tyrant but sometimes kids need to be told "NO" and a lot of kids in ps have never heard that word. This is elementary school so just fast forward the same kids to a high school with 2,000 kids and not enough adults to supervise and these kids still haven't heard the word "NO" and have always gotten everything their little hearts desired (except attention and discipline from mom and dad) and you have a recipe for disaster, "a circus of fools". Last week I told someone "My son will never go back to public school" I was sort of taken aback by that because I've always left that option open in my mind for him - I just think that the farther away I get from ps I can find fewer and fewer positives about it.
I take the passive aggressive stance without any shame: Oh, dear. I was so hoping you would not find us out, but now that cat is out of the bag, I must confess that I think you took the news much better than I thought you would. ~~OR~~ the bubble-head deflection approach: (Large eyes with enthusiasm.) Wow! You really have so much school spirit. Did you do cheer-leading when you were in school?
My heart is breaking over this... this story sounds so very familiar. My oldest is in 9th grade at a school just like this. Oh, on paper we are in the top 10 in the state, great SATs, demographic advantage, etc. but...it is a mess. They are very overconfident as though it is a privilege for me to be able to walk into that front door. My child has nearly 500 in his grad. class, and it will probably be 600 by the time he graduates. I really feel like with the economy people will pull out of private school, and those who do that and do not live in this district will think they need to be in this district, and move here. Please, they can buy my house. We have invested A LOT of prayer into this, and DS is very successful at this school. His Youth Pastor has a passion and an active weekday ministry in public school, and since we live in a suburb but go to church up toward town, mine is the only kid in youth group in our church at his school. He feels he is partnering with the pastor for HIS school. That is such a great thing. Plus he is involved in athletics, Youth government, etc. BUT...he is constantly complaining about the drama, dumb teachers that he & classmates are always having to correct, and the size of the school. About 5 or 6 kids he is close to at church do homeschool, and he is so jealous of hearing how his brother gets to spend time with them, etc. UGH!!! And the same deal with some of the neighbors' comments. I wish I could offer you some support or advice, but it looks like i have just hijacked your thread to out cry you. I am so sorry. I have been away from the forum a couple months, and I am feeling better already. ((((hug))) Miller
Oh...I know what I forgot... We may be next on the news. Monday of this week a teacher was forced to resign b/c anothr student found out (on facebook or something?) that she was, you guessed it, having an affair with a senior baseball player. Gross! He has turned 18 already, so I am not sure what that means legally, but he got like suspended for three games. Anyway the worst thing is that my kid and all his friends have to sit there and talk about it all day.:roll: (We do not do facebook. Even if we wanted to, we have no time!) gotta go pray more... Miller
The sad thing, Miller, is that this teacher will probably be no more than local news, and that in passing. Why? Because that's so common now-a-days. It's no longer news. The Teacher's Union, btw, is telling its members to GET RID of any Facebook pages they might have. They are saying that the info they store on them CAN be used as grounds for getting fired, and they (the Union) WILL NOT support any teacher under those circumstances!!! (One of the few times I'm in agreement with the NEA!)
I just wanted to comment on this, I`ve run into the same attitude, from family, even. My opinion of these people is that, by and large, they are insecure in their own choices and so they see others making a different choice as a personal remark againt what they chose. IE you choosing to homeschool somehow means that you think the public school isn`t good enough for your child, therefore you think you`re a better parent than he is... and if the ps is good enough for his child, why isn`t it good enough for yours... and any doubts or guilt or misgivings he may have had about the ps are brought to the forefront of his mind and he doesn`t want to be seen as a bad parent so he gets defensive. That`s what I believe, anyway. It makes it easier to ignore them, too, if you believe it`s just their insecurities talking... nothing you can do to fix it for them, after all!
Angie, I know you're right! BUT...when I chose to give my kids piano lessons instead of flute, does that mean I think piano is superior, and therefor my kids are better? Or are my soccer players superior to your baseball players? People are crazy, aren't they? My choices are just that...MINE. It doesn't negate what anyone else is doing, no more than what other people are doing negate what I am doing!
No no no, that's not what I mean! I mean that I find that those people who get all up in your face about your choices, are oftentimes only doing it because they're insecure in their own choices. I didn't mean for it to sound as though "you" are somehow coming across as superior in your choice, only that that's how the insecure in-your-facers see it in their minds. I hope that makes sense! I seem to be having problems lately with not getting my point across sensibly
Our high school has 3100 kids in it. It is supposed to be one of the top in the state too. But everything is very "elite." You cannot even get in to 6th grade beginner band without prior private lessons. All sports except football are kept to a very minimum and only the most elite people with the best of scores can play. My child had only had 1 yr of private tennis lessons so he was told to not even to bother to try out. He had been taking golf, but then we were told that out of the entire school, there were only 5 kids allowed. There are no JV teams for those who want to play but just are not as good. If you do not make the cut, you just won't play. Most people who play the competitive "select" soccer league here cannot get on to the middle school or high school team. There is 1 ordinary sized team despite being a 3100 student school. So he would not be allowed an extra curricular activities. We were already told yearbook and school newspaper were out. They allow 8 kids total out of the juniors and seniors to be on that staff.
I'm sorry, Angie! I guess I didn't explain myself well. I understood that these OTHER people are insecure in their choices, so consider YOUR choice as an affront to them. What I meant was that we make choices every day, based on what is best for US. When we make it, we do not do so to show how much better we are (as these others seem to think), but because we feel it is best for US.
Our decision to homeschool from the beginning was a personal decision and I understand the frustration one can feel when "verbally attacked" is to why we homeschool.
Mom of a few, You have mentioned the exclusivity of the district you are in before. It just blows me away. And the willlingness of people to diss...you and others on this board. I have had some negativity toward homeschooling, but mostly a sort of self depreciatory, "wow, I couldn't do that, your so brave." sort of rot. Is it a part of the country? Are you in a city? People here have been really (especially compared to some of the posted tales) quite supportive. Even when I pulled my son out of public school the Principle said "you have to do what is best for Jasper and your family." Of course for 5 years I was in her office a couple times a month...so maybe she was just glad to see the back of me. I do wonder, when I pull my younger son out, if there may be more resistance, as he tends to help plump up the test scores. Even at work, where it means I am not at all available for extra work now, they are supportive. Is it because I live in a small southwest, fairly liberal politically, but conservative socially town?!! I cannot, moaf, in any of your posts, find a good reason for your son to go to that public school! Buck up...hang in there.
