Alternative Education (longest post ever)

It is important to be politically active, vote, and otherwise inform oneself in order to act appropriately in our society... in any society that allows the people a voice in their own governance. However, in doing so, I am not surprised why so many of my generation are disillusioned with politics and feel apathetic towards it. Now that I am trying to be more involved in the political realm, or at least have a better idea of what is truly going on, I am concerned about the politics in my community.

Usually, one does not think that School Board elections are worth expending much effort on, nevertheless, in my opinion, the education of society is the only cure for what I feel are the heart of our social problems: namely, generational perpetuated ignorance. Still, that people can support a candidate for School Board whose children do not even attend public school is baffling. But he has an answer for that:
(Quoting from Scott Bell's website) "While it is true that my children don’t currently attend public school, they have in the past. In addition to home education, we, at times, have used charter schools (public education) as well as the K12 public school curriculum that Alpine School District proudly provides to families wishing to teach their children at home.... This is the same curriculum many “in-school” teachers in our district use in their own classrooms... David McConkie recently said, “What matters most in learning is not… how much teaching experience a person has or even the teacher’s knowledge of… teaching techniques. What matters most is the attitude or spirit by which the teacher teaches.” My wife is qualified to teach our children simply because of her passion for learning and her untiring devotion to giving the best she can in every aspect to each of our children. She knows them better than anyone else, (including myself!) and is best equipped to teach and train them; taking into consideration their unique talents, interests, and even weaknesses. That being said, her focus in her higher education uniquely prepared her to teach. She received a bachelors degree in Human Development from BYU with double minors in Communications and Music." (accessed 31 October 2010)

I include so much because I wish to leave it in context as best as possible. Do his children receive the same education at home as they would at school? Since I do not know them personally I address "alternative education" hypothetically.

One, at times, it is the best option for a student who cannot acclimate to an often difficult social environment in public schools. Two, does it address the issue that his children are not, or as far as he makes clear, never have been in an Alpine School District school? I wish to address the curriculum later, but it is simply saying that his children have, for whatever reason, never been in public school. As to why, I assume from the issues well listed on his website.

Two, do alternatively educated children receive the same education that they would from a public school? Setting private schools aside, while a home school environment can be remedial in certain aspects, it lacks much of what provides the education in a standard school setting, regardless of curriculum. While a person may have degrees in human development, communications, or any other very useful and legitimate degree, this does not uniquely train them to be an effective teacher. Additionally, quoting a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on teaching in the church is hardly a credible source for the teaching of all subjects. While I wholeheartedly agree with the statement made by David McConkie, it should not be removed from the context of teaching Gospel principles, practical Christianity, and not the entirety of what a single "educator" would need to cover in replacing a teaching staff of six to seven trained teachers. It is not about the teacher's knowledge of "teaching techniques," rather the knowledge of the subject taught.

Three, would you employ the "K12 public school curriculum that Alpine School District proudly provides to families wishing to teach their children at home," when you feel it is deficient enough to list this as a reason for running? Given that you do employ the curriculum, is an education based solely on the curriculum, marginalizing the teacher to the simple role of babysitter, whilst the students absorb the information from the curriculum provided? What should be done when the interests of the student extend beyond the abilities and education of the teacher, who in this case is also trying to fulfill the role of parent and friend (an assumption that seems warranted)?
There is much more to a classroom education than just "the right curriculum." Having personally experienced Utah public and private schools, as well as a public school in Tennessee, I can say a few things for certain: all educations institutions have their problems regardless of their public or private status, there is much more to an education than what is just covered in class, the role of parents ought to always be important regardless of where the schooling is done, and the teacher is often the key to the success or failure of the whole enterprise of education. It is not only the excitement of the teacher, but their knowledge in the subject that makes a difference. Very excited and inspiring fallacies are nonetheless fallacies. Though one person can do many things, properly providing a balanced education usually catered by multiple individuals (obviously depending on the age of the student) is rarely possible, despite best intentions.

Four, there is no replacing the need to learn to function in society. Public school can be a very harsh place at times. I have no illusions about the realities children will come face to face with in a public school, even in Utah. While bullying is ever present and a constant worry of many, serious drugs are increasingly available to youth in Utah schools, sexual activity and experimentation is present, as are any number of criminal behaviors which was an issue as I was a student in Alpine School District. Nevertheless, while many foolishly disregard these realities in Utah Valley schools, to cloister children so tightly that their first exposure comes as a freshman in college or in some other form outside of the sanitary controlled environment created by the parents is dangerous and can have long lasting effects. Parents should see that their children are safe and should actively discuss their worries and the realities of life with them, but to deprive them of the skill of learning to live and work with others in an environment not perfectly suited to meet their every need is foolish. Life is not always easy, simple, or arbitrarily unforgiving at times. While this should not encourage parents to expose their children to every terrible thing that they can find or imagine, it should encourage them teach their children, help and support them, and then let them experience life.

Education is vitally important to our society, whether in the community, state, nation, or in the entire world, Education is, in my estimation, of supreme importance in an effort to improve life. I acknowledge that in certain cases, alternative education may be the solution for someone for whom there is no other option. I also feel, as a partial product of Alpine School District, that there are changes that ought to be made to many aspects of the system. Is the solution to simply withdraw, subjecting children to the well meaning attempts of parents to provide an entire education, for which they lack the education to adequately? Sadly, in the vast majority of cases, parents have neither the structure to facilitate other extra-curricular forms of learning, which occurs in simple human interactions between students themselves and with their teachers, nor the education to fully train their children in the variety of subjects necessary to compete in higher levels of education or professional life.

Can alternative education work? Sometimes. Dealing especially with home schooling, does it leave many children with much greater difficulties in all areas of life as a result of the sequestered and inadequate educational experience? I feel that it does.

In any case, that is how I feel.