Seriously, though, we have to acknowledge that there are some parents–and I hate to use that word to describe them–who really don’t care about their children. I’m not sure that they would be better off in school constantly, but they would certainly do better in life if they were nurtured. That said, I’m not sure the state can change the heart of a neglectful parent. The neglected kids will not necessarily show up to school, the kids who would otherwise be in daycare will show up, and then we can cry about the ones who fall through the cracks and come up with another way.

As to making it possible for one parent to stay home with the kids, I think that is more a function of culture than of money. We believe–we want to believe–that we NEED all the fancy stuff, the bigger house, the newer cars and stuff, stuff, stuff and the monthly storage fees to house it all.

There are many families who make it work so that one parent stays home or the parents alternage work schedules. It can be done. It isn’t always pretty, but it can be done.

On the subject of taking kids all over to lessons–is there no value to spending time with one’s children? I mean, outside the drive-thru lane?

One other point, if I may. Adding in more hours/days to the school schedule is just another money grab. The ongoing mantra is “more money for education.” I might even support that idea if they did away with tenure and introduced ongoing competition for jobs–you keep your job if you are good at it, not because you’ve been here for 63 years and have a garage full of materials you have accumulated over the years. In such a scenario, schools might start to attract the best and the brightest.

I even understand why that is presumed though. I think it has to do with the poor and the not so poor. Middle class people and up feel like kids in an impoverished family have much better chances of getting nutrition, mental stimulation and a future if they are in school. They have an idea that some kids are being ‘homeschooled’ because their parents just don’t want to enforce attendance, or maybe the kids are being put to work. I’m sure this happens in some cases but I think it also is a sign of mistrust for the poor to think that they don’t know how to raise their kids. For me the bottom line is the same as yours, all children are with their parents part of the time, and if abuse exists it has little to do with whether they go to school or not. There is no way to prevent abuse by policing every household. It is something that has to be done by prevention education and good neighbors and friends and family who step up to help people.

When we talk about class issues, we are talking about families who are doing all they can to financially survive. Yes, sometimes children in those circumstances don’t get as much care and support as they need. The solution is not to take them away from their parents for the majority of the day/year and house them in an institution. The solution is to directly help those families…

Make it possible for all families to have a parent stay home with their child. If those families had the financial ability to have a parent stay home with their child, without worrying about how they are going to afford food and shelter, I have every faith that they would be able to find it within themselves to support and love their children. How bout putting all the money we’ve been spending on war to support *that* program? Or the money that is being spent on school programs? Money spent on school programs would certainly be better spent on a program to allow children to be with their parents for a majority of time.

You know, you are right about feeling personally attacked. Let me explain a little so I don’t sound so crazy. I live in the middle of Oklahoma, I’m surrounded by Native Americans and reservations, and I am a quarter Cherokee. So when I read mandatory schools with longer hours, longer years, and starting sooner to try to save the children from their parents I immediately go here. So yeah, I do get a bit defensive. LOL

1. Middle class family has good jobs, good insurance, good home has baby. Has the same family Dr. throughout. At the first year check-up the Dr. notices the child might have missed a milestone. Dr ask to follow-up. Dr. suggest a Birth to Three program. Birth to three comes in and notice child’s speech is behind. Speech Therapy comes out to the house works with child. When this child enters kindergarten he is level with all kids his age, no one notices there was delays

2. Young mom has child, lucky to get into clinic to have child checked. Clinic is staffed with many Dr, child sees different Dr. every time. Check heart, weight height child okay, misses slight speech disability. Child starts kindergarten is far behind child his age. Has a lot of catch-up can’t catch-up, acts out set aside “problem child.”

Comparing lower economic class schools with middle class schools is not fair. If ALL schools were a level playing field, if EVERY parent were made aware of programs in their state to help young children. If EVERY parent was granted equal health care to catch possible learning disabilities. Sadly it is not that way. Look beyond the school, the home, and look at society as a whole.

I will send my son to a brick and mortar school and planned to be involved. I was a parent who was blessed to find my sons disability early, he has a chance.
What stings is the generalization, as all parents that home teach are evil child beaters. As an educated man he needs to EDUCATE himself.

FYI here is a stat by state list of early childhood programs. In WI it is Birth to Three. http://www.nectac.org/contact/ptccoord.asp

I don’t homeschool my kids nor do I feel qualified to do so. In keeping with all of that I also never help them with their homework… you know, failure and all.