Today we were out buying Easter shoes - every year at this time I realize my girl needs nice church shoes and it always turns into a big ordeal, but as usual I digress - around 10 am: school hours! The gal at Payless was very helpful, looking for sizes and generally being nice. Though it is not always this way, my kids were polite, pleasant, and helpful today. They "showed well."
As we were paying, the clerk asked "no school today?" She was not confrontational, just curious. Maybe not even that; maybe just chatty. It must be boring there in the shoe store during school hours. So I just replied "Oh, we homeschool. We did some work this morning, and we'll go home and do some more after this."
I don't remember what she said, but she responded pleasantly and positively. Maybe it was just "cool." Which can also be interpreted as "dismissively." Anyway, the point is:
- she wasn't rude
- we weren't rude
- we didn't assume she was being confrontational about homeschooling and didn't feel we need to defend our right to be out buying shoes during "school hours."
- she might, if she has any memory of us at all, remember homeschoolers in a positive way.
Isn't that be better than remembering us as being rude and snarky for daring to ask why two obviously-school-aged children are out messing around when it seems they should be in school?
Showing posts with label hostile homeschoolers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hostile homeschoolers. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Hostile Homeschoolers
This post has been rattling around since the California homeschool ruling and was helped along by Falling Like Rain's post "What Will Two Cents Buy Me in California?"
Most homeschoolers have encountered hostility somewhere along their homeschooling road. Sometimes it's from family members, sometimes from friends, even strangers get into the act. It should be expected, at least till homeschooling is considered as much of a default option for education as public school is. So, not in my lifetime!
But there are a lot of hostile homeschoolers too. Since I've been reading about the court decision in California (saying that homeschooling parents need a teaching credential), it's really ratcheting up.
From snarky comments about teacher union reps to anger over "stupid judges," there's a lot of righteous indignation out there. And I wish people would tone it down, because that attitude is harmful to homeschoolers. In particular, Christian homeschoolers should absolutely not be indulging in insulting, hostile commentary. Really, what kind of witness do you think you are when you make insulting comments about "ignorant public-school supporters"?
Let' s keep the level of discourse up here. If someone asks you about homeschooling, assume goodwill and curiosity on their part. If the grocery clerk asks "what, no school today?" you don't have to go off on the fact that education isn't limited to "school hours." Just answer the question, politely and positively. Keep the negativity off the blogs, too, please.
You want the nonhomeschooling public to have a positive view of homeschooling? You have to give it to them. How are you doing on that?
Most homeschoolers have encountered hostility somewhere along their homeschooling road. Sometimes it's from family members, sometimes from friends, even strangers get into the act. It should be expected, at least till homeschooling is considered as much of a default option for education as public school is. So, not in my lifetime!
But there are a lot of hostile homeschoolers too. Since I've been reading about the court decision in California (saying that homeschooling parents need a teaching credential), it's really ratcheting up.
From snarky comments about teacher union reps to anger over "stupid judges," there's a lot of righteous indignation out there. And I wish people would tone it down, because that attitude is harmful to homeschoolers. In particular, Christian homeschoolers should absolutely not be indulging in insulting, hostile commentary. Really, what kind of witness do you think you are when you make insulting comments about "ignorant public-school supporters"?
Let' s keep the level of discourse up here. If someone asks you about homeschooling, assume goodwill and curiosity on their part. If the grocery clerk asks "what, no school today?" you don't have to go off on the fact that education isn't limited to "school hours." Just answer the question, politely and positively. Keep the negativity off the blogs, too, please.
You want the nonhomeschooling public to have a positive view of homeschooling? You have to give it to them. How are you doing on that?
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