Loser Programs????!!!

I don't usually post about a subject that my nephew has posted, but this one, once I thought about it and commented on his blog, just really ticks me off!

It seems that there is a thing called unschooling your children. It's supposed to be a form of home schooling, but instead of learning math, english, spelling, literature and the other regular subjects, the kids are taught about things that interest them. My nephew used the example of the child's interest being hockey, so I will "borrow" that analagy.
According to unschoolradical.org, this is a student-led learning situation... "If they have an interest in hockey- you read about hockey- make a hockey stick, figure out how a Zamboni works, etc. Job as “teacher” is more to facilitate learning (read: chauffeur). To suggest and expose and then run with something if they are eager to pursue or learn more." Since when do we let our children choose what and when they will learn? You can read more on my nephew's blog: justpoppedinmyhead.blogspot.com.

Well, here in Pittsburgh, we have what is called the Late Start program. This was designed for kids who cannot get up and get to school at 8 am. Instead, they start at 10 am. That way, they can go to bed late, sleep late and still go to school. This never happened in my day! If you couldn't get up for school and were late, or didn't show up at all, those kids were marked tardy or absent. if either of these occurances became habitual, seperately or combination, the truant officer was at their house wanting to talk to the parents and then issuing them a citation, which meant they had to appear in front of the magistrate and usually fines were issued! Not any more. Let's coddle our children into be losers! Once they graduate from High School from the Late Start Program, they will find that there is no late start programs in the employment world! (Unless you find employment working a second shift as a nonskilled factory worker or work in a retail store and work all afternoon or evening schedules)The types of jobs the late starters are going to find are going to be very low waged jobs on the pay scale. I think we are teaching our children that lazy is okay. It is not. You have to go to work EVERY day and be on time or you won't be employed for long. One of my pet pieves is people that call off of work, are habitually late, or leave early. (see my first post ever)

And what about Cyberschool? I don't think this is a good idea either. A child can stay at home, take their classes on line, and work at their own pace as long as they complete assignment within a certain time frame. I think it is 4 weeks from the day the assignment is given till they have to have it completed. Now, it is actually due much sooner, but they are not penalized until after the 4 week mark. I just don't understand what we are teaching our children as far as the responsibility of getting up and getting to school. On Time. With every one else. If we keep them at home, they are not learning the things they need to get ahead in life, they are not learning and tweeking their socialization skills, and they certainly are not learning responsibility!