Simple Politics Part 1

I am about to expose the depth of my political knowledge. (This will take only moments of your time.) And really, I won't be expressing knowledge so much as I will be expressing my opinion. Tis the season, right?

I'm no expert on economics. I'm not even a student of it. Start saying things like "Gross National Product" or talk about the failing banks or job losses and I'm off thinking about what the next book is on my reading list. It's not that I don't care. It's just that I'm willing to admit that the subject is too big for me. There are lots of people out there who love and understand all that stuff and for that I am grateful. I was never meant to solve the issues of Social Security, National Debt or taxes. Many are, and I leave them to it.

I also don't claim to have the answers to the education issues in our country but I do have a little more heart invested there. I homeschool my two youngest children, seventh graders, so my biggest concern is that I retain the right to make whatever educational decisions I believe are best for them. I do not want my FREEDOM to homeschool to be infringed upon. I don't believe it is the place for government, state or federal, or anyone else other than my husband and I, to make these decisions. I'm sure I get this independant mind-set from- A)just being an American and- B)it's pretty typical of Homeschoolers. I AM NOT anti-school, public or private. I have had a child in school. We are all different. Our children are all different. That's why they make chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, and that's why all the options that are available to us as parents in regard to education is such a beautiful thing. This past school year, life provided my family just the right circumstances to illustrate this point.

In mid-September of 2011, my daughter's Senior year, we were faced with difficult and unexpected circumstances that resulted in us pulling her out of school. All of the plans she had made and the dreams that I had of seeing her graduate from the school she had attended all through high school were in jeopardy. Because of overwhelming medical and emotional issues with her, my husband and I felt it was in her best interest to remove as much pressure from her as possible so the decision was made to homeshool her for the fall semester. After Christmas, after months of praying and thinking, we determined that she would not return to school for the last semester. The school was very willing to work with us and the door was open for her to return, but we felt sure that to send her back would be detrimental. She and I grieved over this. It was not an easy decision, but we are sure it was the right one. Then we had to decide what she would do for the final semester. We needed another option. I knew that the North Carolina law for homeschoolers, (every state is different), states that in order for your student to graduate, they must be 16 years of age and they must meet your requirements for your school. (Basically how it is in traditional school). She had already completed all of her core requirements at her high school and only lacked, for my requirements, her English 12. We worked as diligently as we could on that when we brought her home. I was satisfied. We got her transcript from the school, officially "graduated" her, and in January enrolled her in her first class at the community college. This was the only decision that did not cause any of us any agony. It motivated her and met all of our desires for how we wanted to see our daughter progress.

Fast forward to Feburary 2012 for The President's State of the Union address. (Link below). President Obama made a passionate argument in defense of reducing the high-school drop out rate. He stated that no student should be allowed to drop out of school until they are 18 years old. Now, I know that seems like a good thing. No one wants a nation full of drop-outs, but really, if that were to become law, without my option of homeschooling, what happened with my child would never have been possible. She was 17 years old when we pulled her out of school and I can't bear to think of what would have happened to her had she been forced to return. Or if she never had the option to leave. The education decisions for my child are mine. And yours are yours. I'm voting to keep it that way.

See, told ya my politics were simple.



**For President Obama's comments on education that I mentioned above, go to Youtube and search "State of the Union 2012:Staying in School."