Scouting Meets Homeland Security

In keeping with both our family's pledge to do something every day to better our family's circumstances and independence, and my midwife's orders to take things easy for an extra two weeks, my project today was to research a few homeschooling links and topics online.  Our biggest hurdle with homeschooling is likely to come from family, and their fear that our kids won't have opportunities to socialize, I figured I'd explore a few organizanations that would provide both skills and socialization.  First stop, the Boy and Girl Scouts of America.

I was surprised to learn there was a co-ed program in the Boy Scouts, the Explorer Program.  It has also been called Learning for Life, the Exploring Program, and the Venturing Program.  I had never heard about the program  before, so I did a search and found the New York Times article, "Explorer- Scouts Train to Fight Terrorists, and More".

The article details how Homeland Security has partnered with the Explorer Program to teach children how to take down terrorists.  According to the director for Learning for Life, John Anthony, "Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many posts (in the Explorer Program) have taken on an emphasis of fighting terrorism and other less conventional threats."

Less conventional threats?  That line in the article brought me back up to the very first paragraph where teenagers were being trained to take down a gun-toting, murderous, disgruntled, Iraq War Veteran.  I have to ask the question, is Homeland Security expecting so many of our Iraq War vets to come home mentally unstable that even our children need to be recruited to subdue them?  And if so, why?  (Ok, conspiracy theory moment over.)

We should not be teaching our kids that veterans are a "less conventional threat." We should be honoring them for their service and sacrifice, regardless of the policies that send them to war.

Do I think these kids will be called in if there is a disgruntled Iraq War veteran emergency?  No.  Professionals would be called in to deal with such a situation.  I am, however, concerned that these drills of American children battling American Veterans even exist.  It has the potential to predispose these young adults into thinking of Veterans as unstable, violent, and a threat. I think it is a dangerous message to send to our impressionable youth.  I also find it a slick bit of spin that the "disgruntled veteran" stereotype is being pushed along side of criminals, such as illegal border crossings and drug traffickers in this training. 


What we have here is a battle for our childrens' minds being played out through Homeland Security sanctioned role playing.  And, I find that disturbing.
 
While this is just one program associated with Boy Scouts of America, I think we'll just keep looking for other socialization opportunities.
 
Live better, a little every day.

Homeschooling And Socializing

Today, my mom stopped by to spend some time with her grandkids.  We see the world very differently, and she was less than enthusiastic when I gave her the news that we are going to homeschool our children.  "Children need to have socialization!"

Who ever said that homeschooling would prevent them from socializing?  The way I see it, there is more time and opportunity for socialization with homeschooling than in public school.  The typical school day lasts about seven hours.  The only time children have during these seven hours to socialize are during lunch (about 30 minutes), moving from class to class (only a couple of minutes), during recess (two 15-minute sessions, for younger kids),

That means that students are sitting at their desks for just under six hours a day, and longer for older students.  When they get home, they get to spend 1-4 hours a day (depending on age) doing homework.  All told, children are spending between 7-11 hours each day on school work.  How much time does that really leave for socializing? 

And what are our kids getting in return for sitting dutifully at their desks for those 7-11 hours a day?  Are they receiving an education that inspires them, stimulates critical thinking, and encourages creativity?  The answer, in most cases, is a big, resounding, "NO".  They primarily are taught to take standardized tests.

It doesn't take much effort to locate email lists, groups, or forums that can put you in touch with other local homeschoolers.  Homeschooling parents can coordinate museum trips, concerts, science fairs, visits to the zoo, and basically any other field-trip that kids mights attend through their school.  Parents can divide up the various subjects based on each parent's skills and specialized knowledge to teach the children in a group environment.  There are so many other outlets- 4H clubs, scouting, little league, etc., that socialization (or lack there of) should not be a reason to avoid homeschooling.

Our children are still very young.  Before they are old enough to attend kindergarten, I'm sure my mom will overthink this issue and come up with a dozen other reasons why homeschooling is a bad idea.  My husband and I, however, believe we can do a better job of educating our children at home than in a crowded public school with underappreciated teachers where high scores on standardized tests are the only real goal (and rarely acheived).

And now, it's up to me to network, research, and prep for homeschooling our children.  While Karl has been a bit of a late talker, he's now saying lots of words, letters, numbers, and it is exciting to watch him learn, especially since we were part of it. 

Live better, a little every day.