How do you handle this?

[Tradd]

When public schools are your only option (private schools too expensive and you can't homeschool - for any number of reasons - from family issues to having to work), how do you deal with any negative effects you perceive in your local public schools? These can be everything from academic issues to teaching on lifestyle issues you don't agree with.

This is not for me - I'm single and childless (although NOT by choice! ) but I have some very good friends that are going through the above situation right now. They are truly wrestling with this issue. Their children are soon to enter kindergarten (next fall), and I simply don't know how one does this. This is often a topic of discussion, so I would be interested in hearing how other families have handled this.

Do you supplement at home, etc?

Thanks!

Tradd

[CarrieMF]

Anything academic I go directly to the teacher to find out why they're teaching a particular thing, some they have no choice in doing others they do. If there is an issue within the school I go to the teacher and if that doesn't work I go to the principal. If there is information being taught which I do not agree with the perspective on, I teach my kids other perspectives. I am also teaching my kids to question everything.

[momsgotmilk4two]

We knew we'd be doing public school from the start, so we started off by moving to an area where we liked the school. Not possible for everyone, but worth it if you can, in my book. This makes buying a house an impossibility for us right now because anywhere that we could come close to affording, the schools are not good.

We have not gotton very far in ds's education yet (he is a new K student) but I am already getting involved in his school through the PTA and volunteering in the classroom. Our school's PTA makes a world of difference in the programs that we are able to bring to these kids.

No matter where my ds went to school, I would still consider his education to be ultimatly my responsibility. I would never be comfortable just sitting back and letting the school educate him without getting involved myself. We supplement at home.

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by Tradd

When public schools are your only option (private schools too expensive and you can't homeschool - for any number of reasons - from family issues to having to work), how do you deal with any negative effects you perceive in your local public schools? These can be everything from academic issues to teaching on lifestyle issues you don't agree with.

Do you supplement at home, etc?

Thanks!

My kid is too young for school, but we are firmly committed to the PS in our area (mediocre, too, not great). I think to start with, we recognize that no place will be perfect. There will be "negative effects" of any situation including Home schooling, unschooling and private school. I definitely plan to supplement with info from home, but in an "unschooling" informal sort of way. But doesn't any parent do that?

I assume for example, that since we live in such a backward place that evolution will not be taught in my public school, so I know we'll have to talk about that long before it comes up. Then again, comparative religion wasn't taught in my public school, but my mom knew an awful lot about it. And she taught us that.

[Satori]

Honestly? I consider the public school nothing more then free daycare and social time for dd and figure she will learn a couple of things but for the most part she's way above what there teaching already and do major supplementing at home. They assure me that in a couple weeks when things settle down they will group the children by ability but this should have been done when they were enrolled and not end up wasting time figuring out who knows there colors and who’s already reading/doing basic math.

[mykidsmom3]

My son is doing things in the public school that he has known how to do for awhile (he's in Kindergarten) As a former teacher though, I couldn't care less..He feels smart, successful and confident. And that is how school should be (esp. in the first years)...We will (probably) always go to public school and I will handle it by living somewhere that I like the school, staying very involved in their education and doing whatever I need to do (supplementing at home, getting them involved in things outside of school, etc) to make sure that they learn the things they need to learn