Homeschool World Forum

sunnie_skys · User Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: MD

I cant believe Edwards pulled out!! That saddens me! I guess it would have to be Obama then. I have not found a Rep. that I like or how he views the issues this time round.
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Sunny

Decrease · User Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Verona VA

Edwards could actually be King Maker. If Hillary and Obama are too close and neither get the majority, then Edwards' delegates could be vitally important. There are a lot of if's, but if this is the case he may become the most powerful man in the country, selecting the Democratic Presidential candidate.

Theodore · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:32 am Post subject:

Theoretically, Edwards was running on "change", and Obama exemplifies that better than Hillary, so Obama should get more of a boost from Edwards pulling out. It would be nice if he won so we at least don't need to worry about Hillary in the general election.
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The Farming Game - Software Edition for PC, Mac, Linux
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

jkenney1973 · User Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

The shame of it is that Edwards probably won't endorse either one. He's got to keep his VP options open.

bunnytracks · User Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 2 Location: az

PositiveMommy · User Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Houston, TX

Here's a couple things that will help to shed some light on Barack's views:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/602673/does_barack_obama_support_homeschool.html

and

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education
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"We can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union" - Barack Obama

Decrease · User Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Verona VA

I didn't see anything on his website that really addressed the issue and the article simply said, "His possible views". Really, this said little as to his policies but it actually scared me. IF we do not meet his standard of success... what would he do? This also does not say whether he believes it should be more regulated. It simply says that people do it and some do a good job and he applauds that. That is fine, but a lot of stuff said with nothing really said.

PositiveMommy · User Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Houston, TX

I feel like it does at least give us something to think about. While Barack's plan doesn't mention homeschool, nothing in there looks like it would keep us from homeschooling and for me, that's most important.

Even if the elected president doesn't exactly support homeschooling, there would be way too many loops they'd have to jump in order to ban it - that's even if they were to pursue it at all.

They'd have to mess with parental rights laws, private school laws (some home schools are under those), and a host of other things.

Since I homeschool myself, it is extremely important to me, but I really don't think it can be messed with because of all the other issues that would be tied to it.

Also, homeschool laws are tied to state jurisdiction, rather than federal, so a federal law to ban it would likely not happen.
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"We can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union" - Barack Obama

Decrease · User Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Verona VA

What has surprised me about Obama, is as I was researching his general education voting record, I learned he is on one of the committees which deals with education and yet, there is very little he has done insofar as spearheading anything with education. Of the eight education bills (some say nine) that the Senate voted on in his tenure, he only voted 4 times (five if you count the nine). He did propose a bill on the Pell Grant and then signed onto other bills. Yet, nothing in those bills give us a clear understanding of where he stands.

I personally do not believe we have enough information to draw a conclusion on what he would do once in office. He could enforce regulations on homeschooling or nothing at all. I do not think there is enough evidence either way.

PositiveMommy · User Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Houston, TX

Thanks for the voting information. I think that's important to look at.

Also, if you do an internet search on barack's contributions to education, there is tons of stuff that comes up.

He has introduced a great deal of bills involving education and has even had success getting some passed.

There are way too many to list here, so if you're interested, I would suggest doing a search. I used keywords like "Barack's contributions to education" "barack introduces bill on education", etc. I'm sure you know how to search. LOL

Anyhow, even though the voting record you described doesn't show alot of progress, other things he has done do show progress in education. Alot of the things mentioned in his plan on that issues link I gave you are things he has introduced or referred as bills before.

That's why it took me a bit to respond back to you. I actually sat and compared the bills I found info on to what I saw on his plan and found alot of matches.

Based on what I have seen, Barack seems to hold education to a high regard, which is very important to me.

Anyway, I hope you find that info useful in your decision. I know I did. Smile

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"We can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union" - Barack Obama

Theodore · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject:

Just to be the devil's advocate here, the road to hell is paved with good intentions Smile

I don't think that Obama actively means us harm, but that doesn't necessarily mean harm won't result anyway as a side effect.
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The Farming Game - Software Edition for PC, Mac, Linux
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

momo3boys · User Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 574 Location: Western Mass

reading the site about his views is scary! He wants to have children in school as infants! You've got to be kidding. How early is too early, can't these children be children?

But the most unnerving is that he promises throughout the statements all of the things he is going to "double the funding" or increase or send more money too. where is this all coming from? He promises a lot but doesn't talk about how he is going to do it.

I had also heard that he doesn't like the national anthem, (i know about the whole pledge and anthem picture) I'm talking about the idea that he would rather the anthem be less violent and would like to stand behind "I'd like to teach the world to sing" He also is reported to have said that he thinks that the American flag is a symbol of pain and fear to many other nations. ( I know the whole flag in the heart speech too)

Any comments?
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Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

sunnie_skys · User Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: MD

He linked the infants to child care because most families are a 2 working parent family. So he wants to tie in the infants and learning while at child care. He also linked that into better head start and more of them for toddlers. Its not scarey. If parents are working and need child care why not have them learning at the same time..wow what a concept. Please give me the link you are talking about.

If we pull out of Iraq he "could" double it since we have spent how many trillions of dollars over there????

And you "heard" he does not like the national anthem. I would not even throw that in there unless you know its fact. Most people know as I am sure he does what the national anthem stands for. Anybody running for president would surely not say they dont like it or the flag thing. That would just be stupid and not get him elected.
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Sunny

Theodore · Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

In point of fact, the amount of money spent specifically for the Iraq war only comes to maybe a few hundred billion dollars over a period of 5 years. The majority of the money goes towards developing new technologies (being tested in Iraq) and boosting our military to effective levels again. If we'd continued to maintain our military at pre-Clinton levels, for instance, the overall bill now would be significantly lower.

Basically, we could save maybe $60 billion a year by not being in Iraq. Given the $11,000 per student we're paying for grade schoolers (which I doubt would be much less for preschoolers), that's enough for about 5 1/2 million children. But you have to realize that war is temporary, whereas we'd be stuck paying this until doomsday, and studies have shown that preschool offers no significant benefit in terms of education. Honestly, the best thing children of that age can do is just play with building blocks, and daycare will work equally well for that.

Not that I really support daycare either.
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The Farming Game - Software Edition for PC, Mac, Linux
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

sunnie_skys · User Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: MD

my son was 3 and doing 1st grade work. He was in a Montessori while I was working. He was preschool age, a toddler. Do you think building blocks would have been fine for him? 60 billion would go a long way for more daycares that are montessori like. I dont like daycare either but people have to work since that is the society we live in now.
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Sunny