National Education Association

A Direct Quote from the NEA:
'The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used. The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools. The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting."

There are so many responses I have to this statement I don't even know where to begin.
First of all when did it become the right of everyone else to decide who is capable of educating someone elses children?
Why do people feel that they should have an input about how someone else educates their own children?
Doesn't this statement sound like a constitutional violation in so many ways?
Or is it just me?

Let's see what the NEA is about:

NEA delegates buckled down to the serious business of spelling out their political goals, many of which have nothing whatever to do with giving schoolchildren a better education.
The NEA demands a tax-supported single-payer health-care plan (socialized medicine) for all residents (a word artfully chosen to include illegal aliens). The NEA supports immigration "reform" that "includes [note: this is a change from last year's verb "may include"] a path to permanent residency, citizenship, or asylum" for illegal aliens.
For many years, and again this year, the NEA urged a national holiday honoring Cesar Chavez. The NEA must have forgotten that Chavez, a strident advocate for farm workers, vehemently opposed illegal immigration because he knew it depressed the wages of U.S. citizens and legal immigrants.
The NEA supports a beefed-up federal "hate crimes" law with heavier penalties. The NEA wants federal legislation to confer special rights on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
The NEA passed at least a dozen resolutions supporting the gay rights agenda in public schools. These cover employment, curricula, textbooks, resource and instructional materials, school activities, role models, and language (with frequent use of terms such as sexual orientation, gender identification, and homophobia).
The NEA enthusiastically supports all the goals of radical feminism, including abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment, school-based health clinics, wage control so the government can arbitrarily raise the pay of women but not men, the feminist pork called the Women's Educational Equity Act, and letting feminists rewrite textbooks to conform to feminist ideology.
The NEA supports statehood for the District of Columbia. The NEA supports affirmative action. The NEA calls for repeal of right-to-work laws, which allow teachers in some states to decline joining the NEA.
The NEA supports United Nations treaties, especially the UN Convention on Women, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the International Criminal Court. The NEA loves global education, which promotes world citizenship and taxing Americans to give away our wealth to other countries.
Another NEA favorite is environmental education, which teaches that human activity is generally harmful to the environment and population should be reduced.
Here are some of the things the NEA opposes: vouchers, tuition tax credits, all parental choice programs, making English our official language, the use of voter ID for elections, and the privatization of Social Security.
High on the list of NEA policies that actually relate to education is opposition to the testing of teachers as a criterion for job retention, promotion, tenure, or salary.
The NEA wants the right to teach schoolchildren about sex without any interference from parents, but on the other hand wants its pals in the bureaucracy to regulate all homeschooling taught by parents. The NEA opposes allowing homeschoolers to participate in any public school sports or extracurricular activities.
Two of the NEA's favorite words in its resolutions and policies are diversity (that means teaching that gay behavior is OK), and multiculturalism (that means stressing negative things about America and positive things about non-Christian cultures).
The exorbitant dues that teachers pay to the NEA enable its well-paid staff to lobby Congress and state legislatures in behalf of all these goals.

Wow, I think that gives us a good idea of what the NEA is actually trying to accomplish. Were again does education of children have come in to play?

Who actually has my families best interest in mind?

Not the NEA!!!

I feel sorry for the really good teachers we have who care about the difference they make in children's lives. I have met many many great teachers who have made a huge difference in the lives of so many children. It is shameful what this organization has become. We all should remember that this does not reflect the attitude of many individual teachers. Contintue to keep them in your prayers. I know I will.

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Has anyone out there used Teacher Created Resources? I have used some of there stuff. They have a great clearnance "room."

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Constitutional Violations - Hello?

The installation of floor level sinks in various public facilities across The United States of America, a free country, that protects the freedom of it's people, to accommodate religious ceremonies was brought to my attention today.

I'm not exactly sure, but doesn't that cross a Constitutional boundary line? We aren't able to have any type of other religious paraphernalia for any other religion, why are we accommodating this particular population?

I am even more curious as to why there hasn't been more discussion about the topic. Or perhaps there has been and I have been busy. I am quite new to the whole blogging thing.

I don't think I would have thought much about it, except for years, there have been people throwing a hissy fit about the religion that this country was founded on until they had any and all reminders of it completely removed from the public eye. No one can say "Bless you" after a person sneezes without fear of being anti-tolerant. And now mainstream public facilities are making major renovations to accommodate a religious group. That is a violation of our, all of our Constitutional Rights. Or is it? Are these government buildings funded by taxpayer dollars? Or are these just employers who are accommodating their employees?

Just for debate purposes I always like to take a look at all different views.

I personally think the idea of bathing in public is ridiculous. Why can't they just use showers? Many truck stops and travel centers install showers and we don't really need to know what goes on in there. Why make it such an obvious accommodation to a select group of people? It's never been done before. Actually I thought it was policy not to accommodate any one particular religious group?

Private foot washing in bathrooms is not a custom that we are familiar with in America. It isn't that we are ignorant, it's just that there seems to be a much larger percentage of diverse religions than there was say 20 yrs ago. Foot washing has always existed in the Christian religion. Just not in public bathrooms. So has snake handling, but I don't think they would install cages to house off duty snakes.

Let's face it, this country is changing. Good, bad or ugly. And after all silence is acceptance. So many Christians stay silent, you know, so they don't not rock the boat. They refuse to stick together and stand up for what they believe in, so what can they expect? So many Christians don't even know what they are suppose to stand for, they fall for anything that sounds like it could be their religion, but they aren't really sure. (I should save that for another post)

The best you can do is know why you believe what you believe, don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and teach your children well. They will ultimately be the one's that have to suffer for the stupidity of the previous generations.

God help this country. As in, the God of Jacob, Isaac and Abraham.

College options for homeschoolers

I have been looking at the cost of college tuition for my oldest who is almost 12 yrs old. I can't believe how much the projected cost is suppose to be. We didn't even pay that much for our house. He better get busy and start studying for some AP courses.

I have heard of some dual credit high school /college programs. But, I don't personally know anyone who has experience with it.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

My rant/reaction to The Field Museum & Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

This is an email I had written the night after the kids and I went to theChicago Museum of Science and Industry and The Field Museum. Keep in mind I hadn't travelled much recently and I am used to the museums in our very conservative area.
Looking back, I was completely in shock for two reasons. First the massive amounts of artifacts they have there, second, the total ani-Christian undertones of the entire museum. I just wasn't prepared for it. Didn't think I had to be prepared to go to a museum. I guess this would sound silly to most people, but I was just amazed at what I saw.

(I have been back there now three times, I am just more prepared to ad-lib the signs and we go just for the actual artifacts.)

Dear friends,
When we arrived in Rockford, I looked everywhere for something neat to do with the kids. Finally realizing Rockford holds very very little as compared to DC, I began to look to the closest large city - Chicago. Also, I have never had the opportunity to travel like this in my life, ever. So, the kids and I were discussing this very fact, and I told them that we should be watching out for something really special that we should be seeing or learning about. And innocently Sarah asks, "Is there something here that Dad isn't telling us about?" I had to laugh, then I explained to her that I just thought it was strange how easy everything has been working out with homeschooling and us being able to travel and get to see the sights that we have been able to see to the extent that we were able to see them. And that we should consider ourselves very blessed. And perhaps God would allow us to learn something special that he wants us to learn. And so I prayed. "God, if there is something here that I should see, or some unique experience in this town that our family should experience please help me to find it, because I'm not finding anything here." This may sound silly to you all, but I am in a hotel room with 5 small children, keep this in mind. Plus, I believe very strongly that God has His hand in every aspect of our lives, and if we fail to yield to his guidance, then we are ignorant and arrogant to believe we can succeed at even the smallest chore, let alone homeschooling.

Anyway, we decided to drive two hours east to take in some Museums in Chicago. To the Museum of Science and Industry we go. It was such a neat place... for the most part. Everything was just so unique and covered every aspect of industry and physical sciences. Then, we got to a section that I didn't realize that I wasn't prepared for. I've taken my children to many many places and felt fairly confident that I could explain as we went. I was very overwhelmed. And felt very unprepared.

Now, I'm sure the kids didn't catch on at first, because I read a bit faster than they do, but I was shocked at the one sided approach to the origin of life explanation at this museum. I thought to myself, I can't wait to visit the Creation Museum so the kids and I can discuss the existence of both views. This way they will learn why we believe what we believe and they won't be ignorant of the existence of opposing views on the issue. So, I quickly took pictures of all the exhibits in that section so I could really look at it later and have a chance to let it sink in. But, in all honesty I felt sick. I actually couldn't shake it, and I kept going over in my mind the way they had it set up (the ungodly origin of life and then prenatal development, actual dead babies in containers at each stage of development) and the very subtle way they detached religion, specifically christian religion, from science. I left there with very mixed emotions. It was a great museum is so many other areas. Why couldn't they just have left out there comments on creationism? I can respect others views, I cannot respect subtle attacks on God, in the name of anything, science or otherwise.

I knew I was going to a secular museum and that there would be an obvious evolutionist view, but, I think there was more to it than that. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Here are some of the actual exhibit explanations from the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry that I saw for myself:

Titled: "Is it Science?"
The sign starts out saying what science is:
"Science is a special way of knowing, different from other approaches to understanding."

"Like everything else, science has its strengths and limitations, which are seen by comparing science to subjects that are sometimes confused with it."

"Creationism is not science because. . . "
"Creationism accepts the Word of God, as written in the Bible, as a factual account of simple historical truths."

"Evolution is a science because. . ."
"the data which test the theory are collected in the real world through observation and experiment." Real World?
"Evolution is the basis for all modern biological sciences"

By the time you are at the end of reading the sign they give another definition of science:
"Science is a body of knowledge gathered from observation and experimentation in the real world. Scientists accept these explanations because they can be tested and repeated."

I thought that I may just be tired or over reacting, but, after being inspired by what I saw at this museum to go ahead and look into scheduling a trip to the Creation Museum, after the kids went to bed I looked on the Internet and I found this: on the Answers in Genesis website. A group called Defcon encouraging "educators, media and citizens to exercise critical thinking" and to sign a petition. In the name of America's Freedom!! Against the Creation Museum. A private organization with private funding and Christian beliefs. Was that a coincidence or God?

http://ga3.org/campaign/creationmuseum

Did God answer my prayer of letting me see something he wanted me to see? I think so, and here is why, if I had not been homeschooling, I wouldn't have been able to go to DC, and as a Christian homeschooling mom I learned about reading original source documents, instead of relying on textbooks, and had I not been studying them to be able to make sure the kids were learning what they needed to learn I wouldn't have read the actual documents about the founding of our country, and realize what had been done to our textbooks. I don't think I would have been on guard as much to notice the very subtle attacks on God, or the evidence of His removal from every educational aspect of our country. It's not really us as Christians here that is being attacked, it's God. To say that the very beings that he made by hand actually began with bacteria and some heat, is an absolute attack. And implying that the belief of the Bible as factual, is why creationism is not science, is that not a very direct attack on God Himself and anyone who believes His Word as fact?

Now, after being in DC a few weeks ago, and reading up on the role God really did play in our American History and seeing how much of history I have missed because of political correctness' opposition to anything considered "christian" being allowed in our history textbooks, and realizing how free we really are not, I think I am really concerned.

Of course I know that the theory of evolution has been a heated debate since the 1800's, the only thing that I see that has changed is that within the last 50 yrs, in America, there have been more opposing than defending. Our freedom of religion country has made laws against allowing religion in education, and regulating others who choose to not attend public schools. There have been many small things that have been gradually separating our belief in God and the idea of being "educated". And the underlying stigma that in the field of science, you have to choose your belief in God, or a good science education, and that you can't have both. And the fact that when we all hear the word science, we instantly separate it from any belief in God, and relate it to a class we had is school or a field of study for professionals (usually not christian). Since they have succeeded in separating the two in the mind of the common person, we tend not to get involved in those issues when they arise. And in separating the two we have allowed medical abortions, stem cell research, cloning and other immoral behaviors in the name of science, we have allowed God to be totally removed from all aspects of the education of our God given children and replaced by political correctness and evolutionary theories.

We need to start really praying about these issues. Not necessarily that everyone is persuaded one way or another, but, at this point, we need to seriously pray that we at least have the freedom to educate ourselves and our families without major opposition and regulation. Pray for our teachers to be able to pray with students, be able to add God into their classroom, and to keep God alive in our schools through christian teachers. Let's face it, this is an enormous issue that only God will be able to help with.

Some of these things are just subtle little digs that people keep telling me aren't that big of a deal and I shouldn't worry about it. Just worry about yourself and yours. But, isn't it the gradual little changes how it works? If you put a frog in boiling water he will leap right out, but if you slowly heat up the water he will sit still and look at you while boil him. What is our water temperature as Christians? And who is really turning up the heat? I think sometimes we live in such a conservative part of the country, we think this is stuff that happens in other places and we'll just let other people deal with these issues. I'm not so sure that's such a good idea.

Also, some food for thought:

What is Science? Are we trained to think that when we hear the word science, we instantly think of the separate subject we were taught in a school? The idea that science is beyond basic understanding and that it is reserved only for the "professionals to understand". And have we been taught that science and religion don't go together? In fact, they aren't even related to each other. Religion is a belief, science is proof. Right? I can study science separately without God and giving up my beliefs, right? And if I don't study evolution, I can't possibly be well educated in science, right?
Is Creationism Science?
If you are a christian, can you teach about science without always referring back to the Bible? (If you can let me know, I've tried)
How many Christians actually believe in creationism?
Have you looked up the actual definition of science? If so, can you trust your dictionary? Doesn't that sound like a stupid question? I thought so too, until I studied Noah Webster. This link talks about the evolution of our dictionary, it's not just the schools that God is being written out of. http://www.face.net/files/Articles/1828_Dictionary.pdf

The view from the Nation Academy of Sciences http://www.nap.edu/html/creationism/ Basically the real scientists population.

Article on What is Science - Answers in Genesis http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/ee/what-is-science

How far are we willing to let things slide by before we realize it's too late? I myself am praying to God to show me a way to stand up for Him. There has to be a way to prevent the gradual chipping away of our America. What is this country going to be like in the future? I hope that we all start praying for God to show us opportunities to stand up for Him and to give us the courage, knowledge, freedom and ability to do so.

Thanks for listening. If you get a chance, let me know if anyone else feels the same way I do or at least sees my point. Sometimes I do wonder if I overreact, but it just seems so different today than say even 20 yrs ago. And many of the Christians I have talked to either don't believe in creationism, or don't think it's a big deal either way. To me it seems huge. If we strip the Biblical based moral backing from the education of our American children, what will we have in the future? A highly educated society of people who will have no desire, or even ability to seek God. What a dangerous time that will be. Especially for believers.

It just starts to make you think when you see a cute little cloned mouse at the museum. What will my great grandchildren see when they go to the museum someday? God forbid.


Jane

Math Tricks

In doing math with the kids today I found some neat links to math tricks. Here's the link:
http://www.angelfire.com/me/marmalade/mathtips.html

Here are some links worth reading . . .

Some Christians shy away from any and all reading of anything they feel may challenge their beliefs. (Some don't even read the whole Bible, go figure) I agree when it comes to reading for fun or for reading many fiction stories, The Harry Potter Series, for example, but when it comes to being able to defend your faith, I feel you need to be able to educate yourself enough to be able to discern right from wrong, especially when it comes to media

I challenge anyone to read up on this recent and most relevant challenge of Christianity so you yourself will be able to discern and more importantly to teach your children to learn how to discern right from wrong and to be able to research and read original source materials.

I would have to say homeschooling my children has re-ignited my desire to further my education. I appreciate many subjects so much more. History has become my absolute favourite subject. I never understood the importance of it before, but, I guess that was because I was being taught history out of chronological order. When you look at history from a chronological, biblical perspective, things make so much more sense. American textbooks will be the eventual downfall of public education. I see no reason to teach children out of predigested regurgitated tolerant safe information that is so publicly and politically correct that it resembles no actual truth. The only way a person will ever even think they may be close to knowing the truth is to actually be at the event. When of course this is not possible, then one needs to be able to find original source documents and be diligent enough to research and study for themselves. If people continually only listen to their local news, attend school, and take for granted that everyone out there has only the best of intentions and wants to do only what's good for them, they are sadly mistaken. There is an agenda out there be it left or right, it is out there. The best for anyone to do is to evaluate every piece of information that is presented to them, whether it be audio, text, Internet, TV, movie, sermon. You cannot take anyone at face value. Check and recheck, do your own research to determine if it is accurate and if it is Biblical. If not dismiss it and go on.

With that being said, here are some interesting links I have found (that have questionable, I'm sure) information about some of these topics. Of course read them with a discerning attitude. (I thought everyone did) And if you feel you shouldn't read material that may question your beliefs, well, that's topic for another day.


Conspiracy Theories
Priory of Sion
Mystery Religions
Gnostic's
Casting Doubt
The Truth
Mary Magdalene (interesting)
Christian Myths
Fear Not Da Vinci
Christian Logic
Proof by lack of evidence
Importance of Clarity
Random thoughts on the Da Vinci Code

I haven't read so many other links - take all these (except the good ones) with a grain of salt.

I look forward to hearing your comments.

Here's an interesting logic challenge. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennes-le-Château

The Rennes le Chateau, this is suppose to be a humble beginning to proving suspected information regarding a marriage between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalen. I find this to be a very peculiar question that has challenged many young Christians, whether they admit it or not. Yet, I have to wonder, if one had been taught Christian logic would they recognize a fallacy when they saw one?

I would love to have some discussion about this topic. Does the issue that Dan Brown poses in his novel challenge Christianity? Are Christians educated enough to even discuss it or do they just blow it off as just a foolish myth, being afraid to discuss it because they don't know enough to even discuss it?

What is the Priory of Sion?
Is this relevant in America?
Who are the key players in America?
Why is this coming to light now, and not sooner?
Does Genealogy play a part in Biblical History or not?
If not, they why does the Bible play such an important role in the book of Genesis?
Does bloodline matter?
Is it totally impossible Jesus could have had a wife?
Was this fallacy created to cause week believers to question their faith even further?

Comments welcome from anyone.