General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI had no idea Rick Santorum's 7 kids are all home-schooled
A Catholic father of seven whose kids are home-schooled, Santorum may seem to wear his conservatism as comfortably as his sweater vests. But he's walked a careful path, keeping the more provocative opinions that helped sink his re-election to the Senate in 2006 mostly out of his presidential campaign.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
izquierdista
(11,689 posts)Poor kids. I can't imagine that a single one of them knows anything at all about biology, geology, foreign language, critical thinking, and a whole raft of other subjects. Probably can recite Bible verses and do a little cipherin', that's about all. 
rfranklin
(13,200 posts)In November 2004, the Penn Hills School District, which was paying 80% of the tuition costs associated with the Santorum's five older children attending the Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, asked Santorum to repay $67,000 in tuition costs as the district believed that he and his family were spending most of the year in Virginia and did not meet the qualifications for residency status.[161] Santorum disputed the assessment and withdrew his children from the cyber education program.[162] On July 8, 2005, a Pennsylvania state hearing officer dismissed the complaint as not being filed in a timely manner. The school district sought reimbursement from the state and in September 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Education agreed to pay the district $55,000 to settle the dispute.[163] In September 2006, Santorum asked county officials to remove the homestead tax exemption from his Penn Hills property.[164] Since 2006, Santorum has been home-schooling his seven children.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Santorum
LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)Look at those faces
RZM
(8,556 posts)I believe this picture was taken at a concession speech. I doubt they would take 'daddy lost the election' with a smile.
la la
(1,855 posts)you'll see his daughters standing behind him with that SAME expression on their faces- sweartogawd---look for youtubes or pixs---you'll see what i saw---it's sad, but hilarious---what a happy family....
LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)I wonder if they are praying to escape.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)I couldn't imagine being home-schooled by my parents and my parents are actually sane.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)
sinkingfeeling
(53,406 posts)"Furthermore, while living in Virginia, the Santorums apparently billed the State of Pennsylvania for over a hundred thousand dollars in education aid so that their children could be part of a cyber-charter school. Living in the State of Virginia, but charging the State of Pennsylvania for expensive services was apparently not well-received by Santorum’s constituents."
Whole story is here: http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/01/rick-santorums-school-scandal
leeroysphitz
(10,462 posts)HockeyMom
(14,337 posts)Send them to CATHOLIC SCHOOL. You get a DISCOUNT after the 4th kid.
Old and In the Way
(37,540 posts)Last edited Fri Feb 17, 2012, 06:19 PM - Edit history (1)
Forget the educational aspects of home schooling - I suspect for every brilliant teacher-parent, there are 10 idiot-parents overseeing their kid's education. The bigger problem is isolating them from their peers until their late teens...I think many are going to have lots of issues trying to fit into society when they are finally pushed out of the shelter into the real world.
on edit - qualify with "probably" in the subject line. Obviously plenty of anecdotal evidence to argue against the blanket statement. I even know a home-schooled person who graduated summa cum laude from Harvard and was class valedictorian. I just believe that a nation of home schooled children will weaken our social fabric and a majority of home-schooled children are not getting the education they'll need to compete in the 21st century. Being a good parent does not mean you are a good teacher. My opinion only, of course.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)There were definitely flaws in both cases, but overall I would say that my friends who were homeschooled until college have come through somewhat shy and quirky, but with a remarkable degree of integrity intact, and spared from much of the insecurity and fear of nonconformity that the very brutal social world of public school can inflict on a person...not to mention the degrading nature of "zero tolerance" and other authoritarian policies.
Again, I would not say that my education or that of my friends was perfect, and I would not say that public school has no critical role in society (I am deeply opposed to the privatization of education and I want to see schools funded, and teachers given the tools to provide a truly enriching education); but I really don't see a connection between continuous homeschooling and social maladjustment.
laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)about homeschooling. Stuffing 30 kids of the exact same age in the same class for 12 years is not 'normal' socialization ie the kind humans were designed for. Children need (and want!) to have more contact with adults, babies, seniors, etc.
Yes, some homeschooled kids get terrible educations. This is dependent on the parents. I know many adults who were homeschooled as children and they are all totally and completely normal, in a social sense. My daughter's babysitter was homeschooled for 10 out of 12 years. She also went to college. She has nothing but good things to say about homeschooling (And she's a super cool and smart and wonderful person! I'm so glad she watches my daughter all day...). And now-a-days it's so easy to homeschool because there are so many pre-designed curriculums to choose from, and many that are delivered online. I can see the appeal.
Anyhow, yeah, I agree with your post.
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)Hanging out with elementary school kids teaches you to be an elementary school kid, hanging out with middle school kids teaches you to be a middle school kid, and hanging out with high school kids teaches you to be a high school kid, but hanging out with adults teaches you to be an adult.
All of the kids I've known who were home schooled are really smart and self-directed, with none of that "Duhhh... let's go drink beers and date-rape chicks" or "I have to be dumb so boys will like me" mentality that is all too common among young people.
tsuki
(11,994 posts)pay for his homeschooling in Wherever, VA. It is one of the reasons he lost by 18%.
PS Don't tell MSM about it or the fact he was named the most corrupt Congressperson of 2005-2006. It will interfere with the sainthood they are trying to anoint him with.
Quantess
(27,630 posts)Although I'm not all that surprised. The scum rises to the top.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)So much baggage, so little time.
phylny
(8,619 posts)Used to live in Leesburg.
Ilsa
(62,341 posts)In all the pix I've seen of her, her smile is upside-down or flat across at best. I think it indicates deep feelings of either confusion, frustration, or hostility. Something isn't right. Also, look at his eldest daughter in recent pictures. Same thing.
la la
(1,855 posts)
2ndAmForComputers
(3,527 posts)But damn. The bulk of its proponents are not exactly the best advertising, now, are they?
Progression
(30 posts)Home schooled or indoctrinated?
Proud Public Servant
(2,097 posts)why not Catholic school? What, the nuns aren't conservative enough for him?
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)The things he says about birth control and kids really sound more like a Quiverful Protestant than a very observant Catholic, and the spacing and number of kids is more typical of a QF family than one doing whatever variety of sympto-thermal family planning they prefer these days.
LeftishBrit
(41,315 posts)'Now the lesson for today is about animals. How many animals can we name, that people will start marrying if we tolerate those evil gays? Good, dogs are one. Yes, cats. Elephants - yes, perhaps, but the elephant is a very noble animal; it represents my great party. Turtles, yes, very good. Jellyfish, yes, possibly. No, Mary, we don't talk about dinosaurs; that brings up the whole topic of evolution. No, you don't need to learn about that; it's something very sinful and leftist that a very sinful and leftist man called Darwin invented. It's evil. That's why it's called evil-lution. Penguins? Very good, Peter; penguins are a particularly sinful animal; someone once even wrote a book about gay penguins. That's why God banished them to the South Pole.'
w8liftinglady
(23,278 posts)They also had a lot of social interaction with kids their ages...and were allowed to be themselves.
I have a feeling these kids feel nothing but suppressed catholic Guilt...spoken by one who has been there.
Riley18
(1,127 posts)They look more like the RW religious fanatics than Catholics. No wonder that dad with 19 kids endorses him.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)creating fuck-ups for our future
Raine
(30,666 posts)and what he himself doesn't let out his opponents will. 