Drama on my Freecycle Group!!!

[ScreamingMeemie]

:bounce:

It finally gets exciting.

I agree with the man who wrote the wonderful letter FWIW:

Here's the original post to Freecycle, with the quote in question (names removed):


Taken- - Pokemon Valentine's Cards - Children only!


Thanks to all who expressed interest!

Happy Valentine's Day.

Public schools are the nurseries of all vice and immorality
- Henry Fielding 1707-1754


Here is this man's response: (he accidentally posted to group but I am glad that he did.)

Please advise this person that it is inappropriate to include
editorializing here. I'm for free speech, but I don't think I should
have to put up with stuff such as the quote below in e-mails from your
list. Just because an English novelist (author of Tom Jones) and
satirist who lived a long time ago said something doesn't make it true.

I note that the sender is interested in home schooling, but that is no
excuse to insult my wife, our daughter, our son-in-law, me, and
countless colleagues who are doing or have put forth considerable
effort and large parts of our lives to educate children. They have, in
fact, educated most of our country's doctors, teachers, astronauts,
business people, and engineers, as well as millions of good solid
ordinary citizens in various other walks of life. I taught science in
public schools for four years (junior high and high school) and at
XXXXX Community College for 35 (including 25 years of environmental
science), and my wife is an elementary teacher (age 73 and still doing
a great job with learning disabled kids in her public school).

The sender evidently thinks her home schooling is superior to what the
public schools are doing, and she is entitled to her opinion. Time
will tell whether home schooling is the nursery of any vice and
immorality, but I think one could find that some originates from other
sources than public schools, so they definitely are not the
"nurseries" for all of it. One could make a case that some vice and
immorality develops because people drop out of school. There is no
need to bash them here or anywhere else. Instead, why not support them
and work to correct perceived deficiencies?


***I've been a member of Freecycle for over a year and, aside from the couch with the small 38 caliber bullet hole (with no explanation) this is the best exchange yet! :hi:

[marzipanni]

1. English author, Henry Fielding, was probably referring to what we call private schools

from Wikipedia:

An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the investment yield of an endowment.

Though the terms independent school and private school are often synonyms in popular usage in the U.S. and in Canada, independent schools themselves have increasingly come to favor the former term. Independent schools may have a religious affiliation, but the more precise usage of the term excludes parochial schools and other schools with financial dependence upon outside organizations.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the more prestigious independent schools are known as public schools, sometimes categorised as major and minor public schools. Membership of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is often considered as what defines a school as a public school, though this includes many independent grammar schools.

So, that teacher need not be so offended!

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Teacher is offended because the woman doesn't know that and is

continuously using very disturbing siglines to bash public schools. If she used it in context he'd be okay with it I am sure. This woman is constantly looking for homeschooling materials.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Too bad the teacher didn't call her for not understanding the reference.

I assumed that the quote meant what we call private schools because of the author, but then I'm a product of the evil American public school system.

[marzipanni]

6. Yes, if he explained the reference, and then asked her

"now that you know this, how do you feel about private schools? As an example, Phillips Andover Academy, alma mater of George W. Bush."
I realize people homeschool for different reasons, but if she is part of the CRW Bush base that might stick in her craw.

[Momgonepostal]

4. HA! Good for him! nt

[GoneOffShore]

5. Great response

Will you keep us up to date if any more drama occurs, please?

Sometimes the lounge is better than daytime TV.

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. I will do that...

:hi: