Nieces' first year in public school

[Tod]

Two of my nieces' have been homeschooled until this year, when they are 13 & 11. Both are very well educated and well-travelled (Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Australia, Asia, etc) but thought they would try public school.

My brother in law is originally from Bangladesh, but has been an American citizen for many years, but anyway, their name is not a European name.

So, within the first weeks of school, the older niece has a kid taunting her, calling her an "A-rab". She came home in tears over it.

The younger one is doing fine.

[CastIronCook2]

That's probably the worst part about public school, the bullies and boors you have to tolerate.

In high school, newly arrived, I had to endure weeks of such name-taunting from one particular creep. He would spot me in the hall and call out derisively a mangled version of my maiden name. Then I networked and learned HIS last name. "Hey, StanKOWski," I yelled down the hall one day.

The teasing stopped that instant.

[Tod]

Oh....forgot....the younger one had someone ask to copy her answers, to which she replied, "No, that would be cheating."

:yes4:

[CarolAnn]

I'm sorry to hear the girls are having a tough time in public school. Sad to say the lessons that may stick longest from public school often aren't in the classroom. I'm nearly 60 and I still remember the brutality of grade school!

The question is . . . why haven't we learned how to make public schools any better after all this time? :sad:

My niece has six kids and has home schooled all of them. (Only two left at home!) They all have very high marks, are brilliant kids - the four who have left home all have gone on to college. But I've heard various family members worrying about how they'll do in the "real world" because they haven't had to endure the abuse in public school.

I wonder if the "real world" would be a better place if more people home schooled and gave the "enduring abuse" education a miss.

[cinok]

Part of being in school is learning how to deal with a diverse group of people. There always will be bullies in school and in adult life. They are hard ages for any major change they went from homeschool to public but at that age many kids have formed cliques and it would probaly be the same if they just moved from another school.

[Laura]

Part of being in school is learning how to deal with a diverse group of people. There always will be bullies in school and in adult life.

Hmmmm

I have one graduated homeschooler, one senior and one sophomore.
They have been exposed to quite a diverse group of people in their lives. They have observed good and bad behavior. They have been on the receiving end of another persons lack of discipline and self control.
However, to leave the children subjected to that kind of torture day in and day out, for 12 years?

OH, that's right, mummy and daddy are off doing "their own thing" or there is no daddy, or there are TWO daddies........

It starts at home.
Children are not trained at home. They go to school untrained to teachers who cannot deliver the butt-whoopin' they desperately need......their 'adults' then make excuses for their lack of discipline and self control, and seek out a pill to subdue them. Parents, doctors and pills then label the child and then NO ONE can touch them, or flunk them.........

No thanks. There is little 'learning' going on in those buildings.
Learn to conform to the ways of the world. No thanks
Learn to be a yes man, and not think with your own brain. No thanks
Learn to submit to authority, regardless if they are wrong or not. Nope, not interested......

If someone picked on me at work like they pick on kids at school, it would be a sexual harrassment suit in a second. One second.
If someone talked to me like kids talk to other kids in the hall, at work? They would be written up and or fired for insubordination.
If I showed up to work with butt hanging out of my pants, I'd be sent home, without pay.....then fired.
If I talked to my boss, like kids talk to teachers.....they would be fired.

We do them such a disservice to allow them to act like hyena's at school then expect them to magically "mature" and do the right thing when they get a job......
By the time they get out, they are so stupid and full of themselves, they can't make their own bed.

Yeah, no thanks......

[tufhelp]

Yeah! What Laura said! :yes4:

[Mom5farmboys]

Amen Laura!

I am fortunate that my children attend a rural school in a very small, very conservative district. There is much common sense there. Most of the teachers and staff are strong Christians. I volunteer many days of the week and am welcomed with open arms by the school.

In my opinion most public schools are just "institutions" like mental wards or prisons. The children are there for the school system, not the other way around.

[AzLoneRider]

Tod,
It saddens me that your nieces are experiencing the bullying. This is one of the many reason we chose to home educate both of our children. They are 20(a girl) and 10(a boy). The 20 year old has graduated high school and in college, she has completed her pre-reqs and is on the waiting list for a very good nursing school. She learned to think while she was being educated at home. She learned to form her own opinions based on the facts of the situation. She learned that once she has made a decision to stand by her convictions and stand up for what she believes is right.

The public school system will not foster that kind of thinking or individuality. It is what Laura said. That was a great post Laura!

[momma_to_seven_chi]

I would have kept her home. As far as them experiencing a diverse group of people? in public school? It is very artificial to put kids all of one age into a group. God created families to raise children. They should be exposed to all ages and types of people in society, not merely a group of people their own age.

I believe that God put parents in charge of families. Education is the choice of the parent not the child. And Dt. 6 gives us a good blueprint of how God wants education to take place. That doesn't include public school.

[cinok]

God has no place in goverment and that includes public education. Hiding behind god becuase your child can not adjust to public school is a cop out.

[Laura]

God has no place in goverment and that includes public education. Hiding behind god becuase your child can not adjust to public school is a cop out.

For those who do not seek, and know The Lord, His Word and His Ways....it would seem like a cop out.
We who Believe, are held to a MUCH Higher Standard than the man made systems.:wink:

It's a tough concept to get, but once you do the Benefits are Eternal!!:wub:

[AzLoneRider]

God has no place in goverment and that includes public education. Hiding behind god becuase your child can not adjust to public school is a cop out.

Cinok,
Instead of making statements that insult and inflame why not try to understand where someone is coming from. Christians are put down for the same closed mindedness that you just exhibited.

Beside the fact that this is not a thread discussing the merits of home education or public education.

[CarolAnn]

There are too many public schools that are still accepting the "kids will be savage beasts" theory - but not all do. It is NOT ok to bully and it CAN be taught in schools. It's easier not to, but in the long run it's better for the kids if they learn early that there are consequences to bad behavior. Of course, it's better if they learn this at home, but if the parents are unwilling or unable to do it, school MIGHT be the place they can learn it.

The question is . . . does the public school even try? A few do! We need more that do. They say you can't legislate morality, but that isn't true. It used to be legal to make a person of color sit in the back of the bus, to use a different drinking fountain, to shop at a different store. Now it would be ridiculous to even think of it - and that's as it should be. We still have a long way to go, though - to teach children (and adults for that matter - ) it's NOT ok to act like a jerk.

[cinok]

For those who do not seek, and know The Lord, His Word and His Ways....it would seem like a cop out.
We who Believe, are held to a MUCH Higher Standard than the man made systems.:wink:

It's a tough concept to get, but once you do the Benefits are Eternal!!:wub:
I know many non-believers that have much moral compass and raise their children better then those who praise the lord at every whim.
Cinok,
Instead of making statements that insult and inflame why not try to understand where someone is coming from. Christians are put down for the same closed mindedness that you just exhibited.

Beside the fact that this is not a thread discussing the merits of home education or public education.

I did not not see my statement as inflammatory. I did not bring religion into this discussion.

[Tod]

I just talked with one of my nieces again tonight and apparently she's gotten beyond the ignoramus classmate and is enjoying school. Her report card for the first 6 wk period was straight A's! Woo-hoo! :yes4:

[Laura]

Tod,

Good to hear.

Laura

[cinok]

I just talked with one of my nieces again tonight and apparently she's gotten beyond the ignoramus classmate and is enjoying school. Her report card for the first 6 wk period was straight A's! Woo-hoo! :yes4:

Thats great news.

[PaulNKS]

I know I'm late in this conversation.

But, personally speaking, I think both Cinok AND Laura are correct. For the Christian, he/she is taught by the Word that life is hard, not easy, downtrodden, made fun of, persecuted and the Christian is NEVER promised an easy life on earth.

The fact is that people, whether adults OR children will be mean, spiteful, hateful, and in some cases violent and/or deadly. I think it's great that this niece has to learn this lesson. A lesson better learned now than later. Not only that, it isn't so much that other people are bullies, but it's about how we teach our children to respond (or not) to the bullies and bigots and what lessons we walk away from it with.

It's a shame that she has to experience bigotry and prejudice. But it is a fact of life. I don't wish it on anyone, especially a child. But for the Christian, you know the world only gets worse and worse before the Second Coming.

The fact that she got past it and is now enjoying school tells me that she learned the right lesson from it. Who taught her how to respond to it?

Paul