Heavy Heart

Five years ago, when we moved to California, the Air Force base didn't have a homeschool support group.  After a three year season of "quietness", I decided to start up a support group on the base.  Over the last 2 years, the group has grown by leaps and bounds and has taken on a life of its own.  This year, after much prayer and council from my husband, I decided it was time for me to step down as leader. 

As a bit of background info, here in CA, independent homeschoolers must file an affidavit and are considered private schools.  Another option is to sign up with a charter school, which is a public school entity.   This past month, the new leader (with my blessing) decided it would be best to only allow independent homeschoolers to become members of the group.  There were many reasons we felt lead to make this decision.  Legally, charter school members are public school students.  What this means for our group, is that when we have our coop classes, we cannot teach any public school student (either directly or indirectly) any sectarian or denominational doctrine.  We just didn't want to make the comprimise.  Now I know that there are many people that feel that we are pushing out people we could be helping.  The reality for our group was that we didn't feel we could be as upfront "this is the wrong way to homeschool".  However, the charter school members had no problem touting the wonders of "free curriculum, free computer" and such.  We just didn't want to give the appearance of endorsing this type of education.

Anyhow, I just feel a heaviness for the group.  There are a few people that are so opposed to our decision.  I can understand their point of view, really I can.  This wasn't a decision that was made lightly.  I just pray that our group would have unity despite our differences of opinion on this issue.
 

August 3, 2007

Charter Schools

I am so sorry to hear your heavy heart on this matter. I really think you are making a great decision and I see how this could be such a great thing for others in your group, those who are independent, will benefit. I started a homeschooling group at my church. Now in year three, this has become the biggest problem for me as well. So many of our members use a charter school or a private "umbrella school" that is popular in our area. Well, what happens, is as new members come in to investigate homeschooling, they don't understand that one can declare an affadavit of intent to school in the private setting of the home. They feel compelled to join the umbrella school, and soon are loosing so much of what they starting homeschooling for in the first place. I have, too, decided to step down as leader, and have decided to cultivate relationships with those in our group who file the private school affadavit. This "unofficial" group will be the ones my children grow up around, and new comers to homeschooling will be invited into our "get togethers". This is the only way I have seen to do it, and avoid major factioning of our church community. I do understand your problem so well!

_Mary Robin

~Thank you so much for your encouragement. I think you are right, sometimes we just have to lead one at a time rather than the whole herd.
Jasmine

Edited by PONDERthePATH on August 4, 2007 at 12:22 AM

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Posted by leonafrique at 10:03 PM