Both my older children started the year in the local public schools this year. My daughter, who had homeschooled all along, found it extremely easy academically. But, we still had to pull her out as a boy had become obsessed with her and was pretty much stalking her there and saying horrible things to her and spreading graphic disgusting rumors about her. That is the short version of what happened, but you get the idea. But for my son, at the begining of the school year, I missed the orientation due to giving birth. Well, they have everything on the computer basically, from the lessons to the assignments to grades. Each teacher has a website and each student has a sign in name with a password, and each teacher website has a password, etc. To top it off, I was having computer problems as of the begining of the school year. Basically, new computers that I had not gotten all the way set up before I gave birth. The printer kept uninstalling itself and stuff like that was going on. I tried and tried to work with the school over the issues, but they refused to give my son any hard copies of what was being put out on the teacher websites. So, he was missing things like vocab lists before going in to vocab tests. He was also missing assignments. Finally, around Nov, I managed to get a meeting with the school to discuss this and after negotiating for an hour, they finally decided to let him have hard copies of what he needed for classes. This did not really last, but we did eventually get the passwords straight for his classes to get access to the websites. But in addition to all this, I made the mistake of breastfeeding at the school, in the back of a large classroom, with no one in the room except my own children and the English teacher. It was about a half hour after school let out. The teacher herself recently had a baby. This, apparently, led to a huge blow up where I was informed by the principal, basically (again, shortening this for sake of finishing this post today) that I was not to be on campus anymore, I needed to stay at the front and breastfeed only in a bathroom they provide for me. The principal was cruel and nasty. This is a principal who has a rep for his controlling, tyrant behavior. This was quite soon after the baby was born too and I was having a lot of complications so it was very hard to take. Though, the women from the local playgroup (very large area group with forums online but get together in person too in smaller groups) came to my aid and did basically an emailing campaign about how wrong this was. Plus, it turned out the state has a breastfeeding office and that office contacted the local district to let them know of the laws. Then the assistant superintendent called to apologize about how I was treated. I never heard from the principal. I did hear though, that this principal is not going to be ok with having been "overruled" on anything and watch my back. I have always been very nice to everyone up there at that school. But, the English teacher has not been giving back my son's written assignments, as in his papers. There have been no grades on his papers. Then I got an email from her saying that my sons papers were unacceptable. He is getting zeros on them and could not pass the class because of it. I asked for a parent teacher conference. Instead, I heard back from the assistant principal that my son is flunking this class and there is nothing I can do about it and that my request for a parent-teacher conference is denied. The email from her was so hateful, I forwarded it on to my husband and my sister (who works from the school, but has a different last night as she is married so no one knows we are related I don't think). My husband went off on a rant about how evil this email was and just shows how nasty the public schools are and how he never wanted any of our children there anyway. My sister tells me this just figures, the principal is a tyrant and even she is transferring her own kids out of the district. There is so much more to say even beyond this. But I am just frustrated and upset and hurt and angry and cannot even really describe how I am feeling about this. School lets out at noon today and my son won't be going back. I cannot sleep. My anxiety since the birth has gotten the better of me often and even the homeschooling has been bothering me so I did not want to have to do it. I am using a local private school that has a homeschool program right now. But I still lay in bed at night with everything I have to do running through my head. I breastfeed my new baby while reading math books and novels I don't even like so I can homeschool. I wanted school to work out, but it is clear that even if I wanted to put up with the bad education they provide (they don't teach a whole lot and then put their lessons online for the kids to get at the end of the day) that I cannot possibly send my children there because the people running the place are evil and vicious and now that I breastfed on their precious campus (that they seem to have forgotten is a PUBLIC school, belonging to "the people") and got away with it that my son will be used to punish me. I guess I should be happy. I prayed over and over again to God to please show me what I should do, to help me make decisions. I guess all the smaller things were not enough (like the endless web of passwords and user names to get to all the teacher websites and assignments and all, or the fact that my children seemed to learn little at school and then would come home and face signing online to get their lessons, or the fact that nasty disgusting people like the boy who was stalking my daughter are still there and my son was just not mentioning them, but no doubt, he was exposed to this stuff too, even if it was not directed at him). But I feel sad and frustrated and overwhelmed at homeschooling high school. My husband is thrilled, but I am up at 5am crying after having not slept all night. So, thanks for letting me cry on your 'alls shoulders.
(((((HUGS!!!))))) Sometimes God just makes everything crystal clear! You're going to do highschool just fine! You're more than qualified! You're their mother.
How can a request for a parent/teacher conference be denied? I do hope you will report all of this to any and all authorities over the school -- the superintendent, the school board, the local newspaper, state reps, state education department, etc. I'm pretty sure that you could get a lawyer to sue them over the computer stuff. There is a federal law that says education must be accessible to all children... even ones without working computers or internet connections. I'm pretty sure that they violated that law by refusing to give your son hard copies of the websites since access to the web was essential to his ability to learn. You could sue them for the cost of homeschooling since that is what you had to do for your children to get an education in a non-hostile environment. I'm not sue-happy, but what you've described is outrageous and should be stopped. Even if you don't pursue it, keep all your e-mails and correspondence and jot down dates and things about your interactions with them so that you can support anyone who does decide to take them on in court.
My first thought when reading this was that it is absolutely illegal for them to require internet access.
I'm so sorry you have so much going on in your life right now. It's pretty clear from this and other posts you've posted that you are under a lot of pressure and very stressed. Since your husband is supportive of homeschooling, is there anyway that he can take over some of the work involved in homeschooling the kids? Maybe you could also take a few weeks off of homeschooling and try to think of ways to reduce the actual work you need to do in homeschooling the kids. During that time, get some rest, but also make a list of the things you are expecting yourself to do and remove half of them from your list. One thing that comes to mind immediately is.... why are you making your kids read a novel that you don't even want to read, lol. How old are the children you are homeschooling? If you have younger children, could you use a program like Time4Learning for a little while... at least until the baby is older? With Time4Learning, you don't really "have" to do anything but make sure they've done their assignments. I'm so sorry for what you are going through right now.
If everything is so horrid why are you here complaining about it and not there pulling your kids out? I have never seen a school administration as wacked out as what you have described so if it is really that insane and you have really had that many issues why would you continue to put up with it while you complain about it instead of changing the situation? Just my honest opinion.
Can't pull them out at 5am, am doing it at noon. Finals are done today at noon and I wanted the term done to get the credits. The other child was already pulled out last fall.
Big hugs to you; it sounds like it's been EXTREMELY SRESSFUL!!!! You made the right decision, and you're going to do great. So try and just take a deep breath now (lots of them), and relax. You can do this, and you know it.
I am so sorry!!! I would let your kids come over here and learn with my kids if you lived by me! I know how stressful it can be with a new baby and I PROMISE it gets easier!! I agree with actressdancer about it being illegal to require a computer or internet access, and it is legal to BF ANYWHERE in a public place whether you cover yourself or not. I would take my story to the press and the state board of education. Go straight over the heads of those in the school and the district. Hang in there and know we are here for you!!!!((hugs))
Wow. That sounds absolutely dreadful. I would write a letter or put in a phone call to the superintendent. I have never heard of a parent being denied a conference. I honestly didn't even think that was an option if the parent asked. Although, if it comes to that, who cares what they would have to say in a conference setting anyway! Homeschooling would be 110% better than that situation.
What an awful experience! Remember that answers come to us with patience and the passage of time. I believe firmly that parents are the only ones who really care about and are motivated to raise and teach their children. It will all come together for you.
My heart goes out to you. Remember, it will get easier. Hang in there! It is amazing that so many people are mean. Why must people be that way. If it was me, I would take my kids out of that public school, which sounds like you already made that decision, and move on to greener pastures. I would do my best to forget that experience. Perhaps it would help others if you report the school to the newspaper, officials, etc. but for my own well being and my family, I would drop the whole idea. Reporting the school would just keep my anger alive. For your high schooler and even lower grades, have you thought about doing a curriculum where everything is all planned. Some places even do the grading and transcripts. Those places would probably save you a lot of time and energy. They generally cost more but may be well worth it.
I feel for you! I know you wanted to do what was hopefully best for your family - but now maybe you are just being shown that you CAN do it at home. I do agree with the people who say that this should be made public - write the newspaper with a copy of the teacher denying you a parent-teacher conference - stuff like that! Wishing you the best - take a deep breath You can do it and you will probably be a stronger and actually LESS stressed person because of it!
WOW! I think the principle I dealt with last year must be related to the one you had this year. Outrageous and unjustified. You are doing the right thing and you will be great at it. You made it this far. At this age they should be able to do the work with minimal supervision. It can't be any worse than the school sending the work home to be done via computer. They were basically homeschooling through the school, just with a lot of stress.
