I remember being a senior in high school, 15 years ago. Our school blew the entire budget buying the football team new uniforms. There was no money for new books, the elementary grade students didn't get to take any field trips, teachers were limited to so many copies per week and so much paper per week, and things like that. This school also complained of a lack of money, but they had more than enough for new uniforms. It is the same now as it was then, they get the money, spend it, and then want more.

I am a father, who withdrew all three of my children do to a ps teacher indicating that my daughter was too slow to learn. This is not what you tell a father who sees his daughter as the apple of his eye. It took a Christian private school and a m2m program (majority to minority) school teacher to realize that my daughter had a lot of potential, providing these teachers had something that you lack...motivation, creativeness, and drive. Since then she's been tested for tag. Now keep in mind, I don't knock all ps teachers because my mom retired as one, but she didn't lack in the area of motivating the students. She dared them to dream.

My son's fifth grade ps teacher was passing him with A's and B's when he was misspelling words in just about everything. We were told that the Board of Edu. instructed that these kids had to be passed. I don't think so! Then we were discouraged from the idea of keeping him back due to him not learning. Now if my son gets up and walks around the class room for no reason, then he is bored. Where's the challenge to the kids who tends to excel quicker than others.

Now, my main reason for homeschooling my children is simple... "Teach a child a way that they should go and they will not depart from it..." (The Book of Proverbs). I choose the principles of the bible which the government only chooses to acknowledge only fall short in their abilities. We teach our children to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ in everything and give thanks. I choose these principles to homeschool over the fact what ps teaches them. I think abstinence from sex until marriage is better than saying just practice safe sex for an 11 year old, "What do you think?"

Don't take it personal unsympathetic, but we just love our children and the security of who they will become better than the complaining that you are doing. I'd like to know that my children know how to fish instead of being lazy and looking for a hand out. Even a worker ant puts back for a rainy day.

I praise God for giving us an opportunity to homeschool than some places, some people have no choice but to keep their child in ps but we have the choice to homeschool ours.

Solomon, II

By the way, to the unsympathetic public school teacher, I would like to say that work is stressful! It does not matter if you are a doctor, lawyer, construction worker, teacher or anything in between. Everyone is entitled to feeling a bit stressed now and then who needs some advice. But I am sure that anyone who has decided to homeschool their children has thought it through and knows it is best for their child. Keep up the good work all you home schoolers!! I have faith that our children will have better educations than the children who attend the finest public school in the nation!!

Marlena