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lapazfarm
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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I just got a rather odd comment on my blog. A woman named Meredith commented on this post (stream mapping) and started off very complimentary. Then she proceeded to do some pretty heavy homeschool bashing. I found it odd and wasn't sure how to respond, though I never am sure how to respond to negativity. I did respond, but I am hoping I didn't come off too defensive or mean-spirited and am thinking of just deleting it. If you care to, please take a look at the comment (number 8 I believe) and my response to it. I could use some feedback.
Thanks.
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Theresa
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 5:28pm | IP Logged
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I don't think your response was out of line at all. Her comments were a bit...all over the place, maybe? She had such compliments for you and your "plan." Then she goes off about the quality of employee entering the marketplace, but that criticism doesn't seem to apply to you (  ). Is she a teacher or a hiring manager? Either way, I wouldn't pay any attention to it.
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Noreen
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 5:29pm | IP Logged
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"Being a teacher myself" or "being a hiring manager" guess she holds two jobs.. if you're being nice.
"Companies are beginning to struggle for employees who “have a clue”!"
Since homeschoolers are all the way up to what.. 10-12%? of the population.. seems like if it's that pervasive it's hardly because of homeschoolers.
sure did look like a lot of poison in the sugar. And what would she be doing at a homeschooling blog anyway? holding down two jobs AND checking up on all homeschoolers to make them do things her way?
Basically, I probably would not respond or do so very shortly. Not giving attention to something that really seems to be trying to grab attention and/or start "something"
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lilac hill
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
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Theresa, you are very gracious and thoughtful.
Your "educator" side shines through.
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doris
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 5:46pm | IP Logged
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How bizarre! Seems like she's got 'issues'. I'd have been tempted to delete. (Especially after my recent run-in with an eggy commenter.)
Anyway, you were graciousness itself. You don't need to defend yourself personally or the homeschool movement globally. Your blog is eloquent testimony to the exceptional education you are offering.
As you said to me, hang tough! (I love that expression!)
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Dawnie
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 6:01pm | IP Logged
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Teresa,
I think you did fine. Very charitable response. 
I wonder what kind of homeschoolers she is hanging around that make her think that homeschooling is an "easy way out" and that homeschooling moms are "lazy"? You know, I'm sure there are some families out there who do neglect their children's education, but I bet what happens more often is that other people perceive that a child's education is being neglected, when what's really happening is that the parents are unschooling, doing lots of real learning, or maybe waiting until their children are more mature to start "formal" lessons. To some people, anything besides sitting at a desk for X number of hours per day working on textbooks, workbooks, and tests is not education. Maybe that's where she's coming from and she just needs to change her ideas of what "education" is. 
Dawn
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J.Anne
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
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Odd, Theresa. I am sorry!
I am with Dawn in not understanding the "lazy" part of it. And how many homeschoolers does she encounter entering the workforce?
That kind of thing would really bug me. Your response was very appropriate.
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J.Anne
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 6:16pm | IP Logged
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And how many of us out there do the laundry and call it a day? Seriously. What homeschool blogs is she reading that this is the impression she has? The blogs I read make me feel remarkably inadequate and I would still put our curriculum up against the public school's any day.
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 6:19pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, ladies. I suppose I will leave it up as is. But it really was weird. Especially that last bit.
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Theresa
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Cay Gibson
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Theresa,
You did an incredible job of responding to her.
My jaw bottomed out when I read her quote:
"I think many times “home schooling” says I am lazy and this is an easy way out. I hope this is not true but based on the quality of students entering the market place, and being a hiring manager, I have to believe this is fact. Companies are beginning to struggle for employees who “have a clue”!"
...simply because I've heard that it's the public school children you can't depend on for getting to work on time, being nice to the public, doing their job properly, etc.
I'm sure most of the "students entering the market place" are a product of the school system. Why pick on homeschoolers???????
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Anne McD
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 8:10pm | IP Logged
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That was strange, and I have to say, your response was spot on.
And if so many homeschoolers don't have a clue, why are many colleges such as, oh, MIT for instance, actively recruiting homeschoolers? (I heard this on Paul Harvey earlier this week, but I've heard this from other sources re: Ivy Leauge schools) I really think that until God moves your heart in the direction of homeschooling, you just don't get it. I didn't get it for the longest time, and I don't try to persuade people any more. I have my boilerplate response for people who ask why we homeschool, and leave it at that.
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chicken lady
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You did a great job responding.....I cannot say I would have been so kind. That is just weird...big WHATEVER for the day
Myself being less charitable would have pointed out that you unschool!!! Now that would be funny 
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alicegunther
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 8:37pm | IP Logged
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It is so strange and oddly worded, I almost wonder if she made a mistake in the middle of the comment and misspoke.
Your response is PERFECT either way. It is well written, clear, and not at all hurtful. I wouldn't delete it.
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Willa
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Yes, for me, the key thing that stood out in her comment was that she has to be talking about public schooling students when she talks about incoming workers "not having a clue". That IS sad, but it's the exact problem that most homeschoolers are trying to address.
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Matilda
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Oh, you have to leave the comment if only because of your response. What an excellent example of charity!
BTW, my husband was homeschooled and he has never received less than "exceeds expectations" on any performance review yet. Not sure where this lady gets her information.
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lapazfarm
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Thanks, again, all of you. You bless me in so many ways!
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Theresa
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J.Anne
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| Posted: March 11 2007 at 9:07am | IP Logged
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My husband hires many high school and college kids every year for a physically and mentally demanding job. It is amazing how many strong, football player types don't make it through the first week (I myself made it through seven years ) His best workers have been homeschooled. NOW, I don't think this is a problem of homeschooled vs. public schooled, I think it is a problem with parents demanding much less out of their children than when we were growing up. My husband has seen a very obvious decline in work ethic in the last ten years.
I would also like to say that all you ladies are just so NICE. I would have been livid if that comment was left on my site, thinking "You just say that to my face, lady!" You all are wonderful models of charity. I hope one day to be more like you.
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: March 11 2007 at 9:15am | IP Logged
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J.Anne wrote:
I would have been livid if that comment was left on my site, thinking "You just say that to my face, lady!" |
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Don't think that wasn't my first reaction! LOL!
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Theresa
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mathmama
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This might be a little off the topic, but I am always amazed at what people think are appropriate comments especially when speaking to (or writing to) someone they don't know. I was at a basketball game last weekend and a man in his late 50s struck up a conversation with me. Somehow the subject of schooling my dd came up and I said that I would be homeschooling. You will never believe his response...he said "don't you think that is stupid."  I couldn't believe it. My retort was one that isn't my usual one but one that I thought would quiet him. I said, "no, I have a PhD". I don't like to throw that fact around, but I was really miffed. Then he mentioned that my dd would be a social misfit and that she wouldn't be able to play sports like I did in ps. I told him that we already belong to a homeschooling group (my dd is one of the most active members!) and in our state hs children can participate in extra curriculars in their local ps. And as for dd being a social misfit anyone who knows her knows that that isn't possible no matter what I try to do to "ruin" her.
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8kids4me
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| Posted: March 11 2007 at 10:48am | IP Logged
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J.Anne wrote:
| And how many of us out there do the laundry and call it a day? |
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I usually DON'T get the laundry done
but that doesn't make me lazy, just more concerned for my children's education.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: homeschool bashing
