Jeanne Says: It is official: I teach but not at home.

Jeanne's Original Post

"This is what I think of the homeschooling population."

This is Jeanne's entire blog entry. No, really, I'm not making that up. It's not a link to something that explains how she feels. It's not accompanied by a cute cartoon or a photograph. It's just one horribly sad little incomplete sentence.

Jeanne is about to get a graduate degree in education. She is about to start teaching in Florida. She even has an undergrad degree in journalism. Sadly, she is quite incapable of telling us what it is, exactly, that she thinks of homeschoolers. Perhaps her "duh head homeschoolers" comments of posts gone by is supposed to be enough. I can't decide if this makes her a poor student, or if she just had a sub-par education.

That sentence alone makes me glad she won't be teaching my children, and grateful that I do teach, at home.

Since You Were So Kind...

Jeanne, since you were so kind to share Florida's state standards with all of us, I thought that perhaps you'd be interested in knowing the state laws regarding homeschooling. Now, I know that you have a hard time believing that us "dumbschoolers" could actually comprehend legal terminology, but we can and we do.

Turns out that the state that you adore has absolutely no issue with homeschooling.

Florida State Homeschooling Laws

I'd love to turn this around and ask if you believe that your state is so vastly superior to anyone else's, why they allow such an abomination as homeschooling to occur within it's borders? Of course once I asked about swamps and hurricanes, and was informed that God made and loves swamps. I concur. It's just a shame you can't see that the same holds true for forrests, rivers, and, yes Jeanne, even snow.

No, I don't think my state is superior to anyone else's. I just think it's funny the amount of energy she puts into explaining (repeatedly) that she's from Florida.

Are You Aware?

I wonder if the FMIFA blogger is aware of how many of the Catholic links in her sidebar are pro-homeschooling. Oro-et-Laboro (now defunct) was actually the blog of a Catholic homeschooling mom. Fructus Ventris is the blog of a Catholic midwife who I know supports homeschooling because she's a commenter on a number of Catholic homeschooling blogs. Same goes for Two Sleepy Mommies. And that's just a few.

Either she's unaware of how many of the links she has are supportive of homeschooling, or perhaps she just thinks they are wrong about their stance.

Remember that job She interviewed for? She was hired to teach!

Jeanne's Original Post

My response:

Jeanne, homeschoolers know what curriculum means. If you knew even half about homeschoolers what they know about public school, you would know that already.

Most Catholic homeschoolers don't just use a Bible or Catechism to teach their students. While these are valuable tools, they don't begin to encompass the many resources available to homeschoolers these days. Even, Catholic homeschoolers.

I can't think of anyone who would have told you not to have a blog. This is still the United States and you have the right to free speech, however insane it may appear to others.

It does frighten this blogger, however, that anyone trusts you to be in a classroom. Actually, Jeanne, I hope you keep blogging. I think you could single handedly increase the rate of homeschoolers in Florida who choose to do so simply out of the fear that they might have you for a teacher.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: SHE NOW HAS CHILDREN --100 OF THEM.

Jeanne's Original Post

"Somethings to note: I will never homeschool my kids. I need the retirement money which when you retire: don't come to see me. I am not lending money to you.

TOUGH."

My first note: All caps make it look like you're shouting. I understand that your degree in journalism probably didn't cover proper nettiquette, so I thought I'd let you in on that little idea. If you mean for it to look like you're shouting in so many posts and blog titles, so be it. But it does add to the general hysterical feeling one gets when reading your blog. It makes it sound like you're on the edge of sanity and really just barely hanging on.

Now my second note: Not all homeschooling parents stay at home and don't make any money. I would venture to guess that a great majority do, but not all. For those that do work outside the home, they will be earning the money to support their family and themselves and won't need your help.

For those who do stay home, plans are made and money is carefully budgeted. They also won't need your help, or money.

I understand why that's difficult for you. I think your bitterness over your infertility and your jealousy of those who are able to so completely devote themselves to family is hard for you to swallow.

No one wants your money, Jeanne. No one is coming to you for retirement money. We have our own plans. You should probably stop worrying about us and focus on your own issues. Please. You appear unstable.

HEY SAHMS: JEANNE WONDERS WHERE IN THE HEAVEN WERE YOU TO HELP THIS LADY!

Jeanne's Original Post

Jeanne has a deep seated issue regarding Stay-at-home-moms (SAHM's). She thinks that they're wasting their time raising children, or keeping their homes. She thinks that they won't be financially secure, won't be able to afford living in retirement, and that they think they're superior.

The idea that she has that SAHM's think they're superior is the one that most makes me think she needs to take the plank out of her own eye.

In any case she has referenced the tragic story of two children left in a hot car to die while their mother went to work. And she thinks that this is somehow the fault of SAHM's. How? Well, she doesn't really explain that, exactly. Nor does she explain how a SAHM was supposed to have stopped it.

So, let me turn this question around, Jeanne. Where were you? Where were the working moms? Where was anyone who could have helped her? Where was her common sense?

This is a horribly tragic event, but SAHM's have nothing to do with it. In fact, if she'd stayed home they'd be alive.

Oh, and I couldn't care less who you see at Hooters. It just points out your bitter prejudice.