[bobthecockroach]

This will be a one-on-one debate between myself and God's Jedi on the subject of homeschooling.

Jedi, since you are claiming many problems with homeschooling, I will let you go first. This debate will be done one point at a time.

Readers should note that God's Jedi has been homeschooled and in public school and that Bobthecockroach has only been homeschooled.

Let the fun begin!

[God's Jedi]

I'm now glad that I took a debate class last year....

Please note that these points are from MY POINT OF VIEW and relate to MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES and those of my friends. I don't claim to know everything about public school life or homeschool life for others. Also, I am unable to drive.

Mainly, I belive homeschooling to be anti-social. Not as bad as I used to think it is, but it is still quite bad. When I was in school, I was well liked. No one picked on me, no one hated me, and stuff like that. I had many friends. Everyonce in a while, I see people that I used to go to school with, and I miss them terribly. I see how great they have turned out and wish I could share in their lives now.

Today, I have quite a few friends at church. I'm still well liked, no one picks on me (although this might have something to do with the fact that I'm over a foot taller than most of them), and no one hates me. Yet, I can't help wondering what I'm missing out on, what friends I could have if I wasn't forced to spend over 14 hours a day couped up in my room.

I've been apart of a homeschool group since I started 6 years ago. I have found many of the people in it (plus many other homeschoolers) to be HIGHLY sheltered, and sometimes even SNOBBISH about the fact that they are smarter and "better" christians than anyone else. Now, I won't deny the fact that many of us are smarter than public schoolers, but I feel we shouldn't GLOAT about the fact. These are not the kind of people I want to associate with. But these are what I have to live with other than the 1-2 days a week I see my friends at church.

I know that at school there are goths and satanists and atheists. But that's what I believe is a good thing about school: it helps you learn who you should and shouldn't associate yourself with. It generally prepares you for life. I've known people who homeschooled their entire lives. They went to collge and discovered things they never knew existed. They party and drink and do drugs and all sorts of other stuff that they know is wrong. They've been taught that it was wrong their entire lives, but they've never had real experiences with them. All of a sudden they are just hit with a rush of stuff, and they can't stand up to it. I've seen and heard of many who fall this way.

These are my main points on antisocialism. I'll post more if they are brought up or thought of.

[bobthecockroach]

Hehe, I took debate last year too.

Originally Posted by God's Jedi

Please note that these points are from MY POINT OF VIEW and relate to MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES and those of my friends. I don't claim to know everything about public school life or homeschool life for others. Also, I am unable to drive.

Noted.

Mainly, I belive homeschooling to be anti-social. Not as bad as I used to think it is, but it is still quite bad. When I was in school, I was well liked. No one picked on me, no one hated me, and stuff like that. I had many friends.

These statements don't mean much to argument. Lots of people in public school (and homeschool) are hated and picked on.

Every once in a while, I see people that I used to go to school with, and I miss them terribly. I see how great they have turned out and wish I could share in their lives now.

If you were never in public school you would've never known them and therefore never cared. If you went on a 2-week camp and made some great friends you'd certainly miss them after you went home. So, in this case, homeschooling is not the cause of the problem. The cause is rather the change from public schooling to homeschooling. It could work the other way too. I would have very little contact with my homeschooled friends if I had to go to public school.

Today, I have quite a few friends at church. I'm still well liked, no one picks on me (although this might have something to do with the fact that I'm over a foot taller than most of them), and no one hates me.

Again, these comments have very little relevence to the discussion. No matter where you go there's gonna be people who are liked and people who aren't liked.

Yet, I can't help wondering what I'm missing out on, what friends I could have if I wasn't forced to spend over 14 hours a day couped up in my room.

I'm gonna need some more explanation on this point before I can answer it properly. Is this 14 hours the amount of time you do school or simply the amount of time you are at home?

I've been a part of a homeschool group since I started 6 years ago. I have found many of the people in it (plus many other homeschoolers) to be HIGHLY sheltered, and sometimes even SNOBBISH about the fact that they are smarter and "better" christians than anyone else. Now, I won't deny the fact that many of us are smarter than public schoolers, but I feel we shouldn't GLOAT about the fact. These are not the kind of people I want to associate with. But these are what I have to live with other than the 1-2 days a week I see my friends at church.

The attitudes of the homeschoolers you have come in contact with cannot be blamed on homeschooling itself. There are plenty of homeschoolers, myself included, that even though they ARE smarter than publically schooled peers do not gloat about the fact. (It should be noted that even though this statement sounds like gloating it is for the sake of the argument and should not be taken as gloating.)

You had something going with the sheltered bit. The rest of the argument is really not against homeschooling but against your particular group of homeschoolers. This is known as a fallacy of composition (applying the traits of a few members of a group to the whole group.) I would advise expanding on your point about shelteredness.

I know that at school there are goths and satanists and atheists. But that's what I believe is a good thing about school: it helps you learn who you should and shouldn't associate yourself with. It generally prepares you for life.

We SHOULD associate with goths and satanists and atheists. We cannot minister to those we are called to minister to if we have nothing to do with them. Jesus Christ ate with whores and tax collectors, the least we can do is befriend atheists.

Certainly in life you will have to learn how to deal with different people but it is not impossible to get this same experience from homeschooling. If you stay active you will run across plenty of people with noticeably different viewpoints. I know I have.

I will concede that public school more easily provides an environment of diversity.

Counterpoint: Everyone in your school is the same general age as you. This is the opposite of preparing you for life. In real life you will not always be among your peers. I have learned how to converse with toddles up to seniors because I have had to throughout my schooling. Public school kids spend a vast majority of their time among only their peers.

I've known people who homeschooled their entire lives. They went to college and discovered things they never knew existed. They party and drink and do drugs and all sorts of other stuff that they know is wrong. They've been taught that it was wrong their entire lives, but they've never had real experiences with them. All of a sudden they are just hit with a rush of stuff, and they can't stand up to it. I've seen and heard of many who fall this way.

This is an interesting argument. However, I don't think it is always the case or always needs to be the case. I will not party and drink and do drugs because I know better. I have been raised morally as well as academically (something that doesn't happen in public school). I've seen and heard of many who have fallen in public school. I attribute it partly to the fact that public schools do not (are not allowed to) teach morals in addition to academics. If the teachers are good homeschoolers will have a BETTER grasp of what to do and what not to do because they are raised morally as well as academically.

In conclusion, there are no serious anti-social problems to be found in homeschooling that cannot easily be fixed with sufficient involvement from the parents and child. There are also several ways in which the socialization that homeschooling gives is better than the socialization that public schooling gives.

[Luke]

Thread closed due to an excess of a month of inactivity without notice.

Grace & Peace
Luke