WhyWeHomeschool

Why We Homeschool, 11/3/2007

2007-11-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Teacher Arrested in Mexico, Boy Released - LEXINGTON, Neb. - A female schoolteacher was arrested in Mexico and the 13-year-old boy she allegedly ran away with was turned over to his relatives, a prosecutor said Saturday.

Students Arrested for Spraying Gas

Officials Seek Harder Line on Teacher Sex Offenders

Student Allowed "calming" smoke breaks at school - huh, what??

Teacher Gets Max For Student Sex Abuse

School to Apologize for Teacher's Slur

Teacher Charged With Being Drunk at School

Teacher Re-facing Child Abuse Charges

Molesting Teacher Resigns

Teacher in Sex Case Pleads Not Guilty

Teacher Arrested in Bathroom Sex Sting

Teacher Gets 3 Years in Sex Case

Teacher's Arrest "Shocks" Community

Teacher Sentenced to 30 Years for Fondling Students

Teacher Burglarizes School

Why We Homeschool, 10/22/2007

2007-10-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Sexual Misconduct Plagues U.S. Schools -The young teacher hung his head, avoiding eye contact. Yes, he had touched a fifth-grader's breast during recess. "I guess it was just lust of the flesh," he told his boss. That got Gary C. Lindsey fired from his first teaching job in Oelwein, Iowa. But it didn't end his career. He taught for decades in Illinois and Iowa, fending off at least a half-dozen more abuse accusations. When he finally surrendered his teaching license in 2004 — 40 years after that first little girl came forward — it wasn't a principal or a state agency that ended his career. It was one persistent victim and her parents.

*The above article is sickening. I couldn't stomach the whole thing.*

Why We Homeschool, 10/18/2007

2007-10-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

I know it's been many months since I've updated this blog. I am resurrecting it in response to the NEA. The NEA has once again re-issued their statement against homeschooling. See it Here, page 45

"B-75. Home Schooling The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not
participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.

The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting. (1988, 2006)"

Hey NEA, are you listening?
The following are some of the reasons why we homeschool!

Virulent Staph Infection Closes Schools - As national estimates focus on an increase in serious infections caused by an antibiotic-resistant germ, officials in the Washington region have identified more than 18 cases among students and are organizing extensive cleanups of numerous schools.

Maine Middle School to Offer Contraceptives - King Middle School will become the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available, including birth control pills, patches and condoms. There are no national figures on how many middle schools provide such services. Most middle schoolers range in age from 11 to 13.

Controversy over Body Paint - Two Bradenton, Florida teenagers, Monica Cummings and Jessyca Altenbach, were so excited when they put on bikini tops and shorts and painted their bodies with their school colors to support the big homecoming game.

Not Enough Room for Kids - Frataccia said the district is already facing serious capacity issues that are projected to get worse.

School Kept Gun Incident Quiet for Days - Parents in Surrey, B.C., were shocked to discover yesterday that their children's high school waited five days before notifying them that a 13-year-old boy came to school with a 9 mm handgun and ammunition in his backpack.

Former Teacher Sentenced - A former Northwest Catholic High School band teacher received a seven-year suspended prison term and probation Wednesday in Superior Court in Hartford after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Teacher Suspended Over Words the School Won't Release - Bradley Lamb, a learning-disabilities teacher at Noblesville
Middle School, has been on unpaid suspension since Wednesday for a comment made to students. He will return Monday.

School Shooter Had Look of Hate, Teacher Says - Fourteen-year-old Asa Coon shot teacher Michael Grassie and three others at SuccessTech Academy in Cleveland, Ohio, last Wednesday. Coon then turned one of his guns on himself.

Teacher Wants Charges Thrown Out - A former Burlington teacher charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a 13-year-old boy and possessing child pornography is seeking to have the charges dismissed.

Teacher Takes Stand in Sex Assault Trial - David Janssen, the former Hortonville teacher and coach accused of sexually assaulting two female students, will put his fate in the hands of the jury today as the evidentiary phase of his trial ended Wednesday afternoon.

Call For Hearings on Teacher Misconduct - Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted said Wednesday he plans to call for legislative hearings to investigate reported cases of teacher misconduct in public schools.

Homeschool Numbers Growing - In 1999, according to federal statistics, there were 850,000 home-schooled children in the United States. In 2003, that number rose to 1.1 million. Some estimates put the figure today as high as 2.4 million.

Why We Homeschool, March 9, 2007

2007-03-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

From Home School to College - aside from the comment about "Home-schooled students should consider rounding out their educational plan with summer programs and community college courses" this is a decent article

Man Charged in Bus Stop Abduction

Middle School Teacher Investigated for Fondling

Teacher Attacked by Students

Did Teacher Bring Porn to School?

Teacher Assistant Arrested on Child Sex Charges

Why We Homeschool, Feb. 6, 2007

2007-02-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

High School Teacher Accused of Having Sex with Minor - A high school teacher and coach has been charged with having sex with a 16-year-old student in a classroom storage closet.

Students Threaten Teacher - The 14-year old youth has been charged with one count of threatening to cause death or bodily harm. The 15-year old youth has been charged with one count of assault, two counts of threatening to cause death or bodily harm, one count of resist arrest and one count of assault police officer.

Retrial For Teacher Accused of Raping Young Children - One was between 5 and 7 years old at the time while the other was a 6-year-old.

Why We Homeschool, 9/24/2006

2006-09-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Homeschooling Offers Flexibility

Teen Sentenced in School Shooting Plot - A teenager was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for his role in planning a shooting rampage that never came about in a Camden County high school.

Same Story, Different School - The three are accused in a plan to shoot people at East High School and detonate homemade explosives.

Teacher Porn Case - The Cedarburg School Board decided today it would appeal an arbitrator's ruling to reinstate a fired high school teacher who admitted viewing pornography on his school computer. (He couldn't wait until he got home????)

Teacher Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Minor - David Mark Wolfe, 29, was arrested Friday following a three-week investigation into allegations he provided alcoholic beverages to underage students on many occasions at his home and at other locations away from school property.

Teacher Sentenced for Sleeping with 13 Year Old - A former Union City middle school teacher has been ordered to spend one year in prison for having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student.

Student & Teacher Safety Act - Just Plain Sad

Why We Homeschool, 6/28/2006

2006-06-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

It's summer and we moved, that's why things have been slow. Here's a quick update!

School Administrator Arrested for Exposing Himeself
Deputies arrested a Marion County school administrator for exposing himself to an undercover deputy at the Kissimmee Lakefront on Tuesday night.

Teacher Jailed for Having Sex with Pupil
Elvira Fairhurst, from Liverpool, began an affair with the boy when he was 14 and had sex with him up to 10 times.

Another Teacher Having Sex with a Kid
A Moncton teacher accused of sexually exploiting a female student told a jury that he's still in love with the girl.

And Another
A TEACHER at an exclusive independent school faces may be jailed tomorrow after confessing to being a pedophile.

And yet another

And another (what the heck??)

This is starting to get really sad

Why We Homeschool, April 20, 2005

2006-04-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

*I know it's been a while, sorry!*

Only 6.5% of High School Freshman Finish College - A University of Chicago study finds that only six-and-a-half percent of Chicago Public Schools freshmen graduate from college by their mid-20s.

Kansas School Shooting Foiled - (need I say more?) - Sheriff's deputies found guns, ammunition, knives and coded messages in the bedroom of one suspect, Sheriff Steve Norman said. Authorities also found documents about firearms and references to Armageddon in two suspects' school lockers.

Teacher Wins Settlement Over Firing - (but he had sex with a minor!) - Former Orbost Secondary College teacher Andrew Phillips was forced to resign in February last year after a compulsory police check revealed a prior sexual offence with a minor. As a 20-year-old, Mr Phillips pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl, in 1992.

13 Year Ol Attacks Teacher - A 13-year-old boy is being held at the juvenile detention center in Cumberland County for allegedly attacking his middle-school teacher.

Teachers Suing State Over Funding - It claims the state is not adequately funding schools so they can meet standards and performance mandates placed on them.

Teacher Under House Arrest for Sex Charges - The Clarke County high school teacher accused of having sexual relations with four of her students and conspiring with one to kill her husband was released from jail Thursday and is under house arrest.

Teacher Faces Sex Charges - A Union City teacher has been formally arraigned on sex charges stemming from an intimate relationship that police say he had with a 16-year-old female student.

And Another - A former Hortonville teacher charged in the sexual assault of a former student will not be allowed to have any contact with the alleged victim or her family, a judge ruled Thursday.

And Another - A former San Rafael Junior High School teacher pleaded no contest to one count of attempted forcible sexual abuse.

And Another - (this is getting old, isn't it?) - A former music teacher in the Okeechobee County school system was arrested late Wednesday in Highlands County, and accused of sexually molesting a student in her band class at Yearling Middle School.

Why We Homeschool, Jan. 13, 2006

2006-01-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

Happy 2006! I apologize for the delay in new stories, it's been busy :)
-Meg

Deputies Kill Student With Gun - The boy brought a gun to school in his backpack, Eslinger said, and briefly took a fellow student hostage in a classroom while other students evacuated. After a scuffle, the 15-year-old ran from the classroom and "traveled with this firearm throughout the campus," Eslinger said.

Boy Sentenced for Fire at School - Two Lincoln Park boys who pleaded guilty in November to setting fire to their school gymnasium after causing more than $2.2 million in damage didn’t do themselves any favors by flip-flopping on whether they were responsible.

Sex Offender Had Many School Jobs - A convicted sex offender was allowed to work as a teacher in several schools, it emerged.

No Charges Filed in School Bathroom Camera Incident - The McHenry County state's attorney's office has decided not to charge anyone after a hidden camera was found in an elementary school bathroom in Richmond, a decision that angered school officials.

School Shooting Injures Three - A shooting outside a South Side high school injured three people Thursday afternoon, including a student waiting for a bus, Chicago Police and school officials said.

Two Teens Stabbed After School - School safety worries resurfaced dramatically Thursday when two students were stabbed in the chest during a fight with another student's mother outside one of the district's most prestigious schools, school officials said.

Why We Homeschool, Nov. 17, 2005

2005-11-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

Teenage Girl Shoots on School Bus - A 17-year-old high school student is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting a classmate in Miramar.

5 Year old takes Heroin to School - A FIVE-year-old boy has been removed from school and placed in foster care after his teacher found eight bags of heroin in his pocket.

High School Coach Guilty of Sex Charges - a former Berkeley High School basketball star who was once named the state's top prep player, pleaded no contest this week to 18 felony charges for having unlawful sexual relationships with high school girls she met while coaching in Alameda.

School Official Allegedly Put Camera in Restroom - Danny Edward Doyen, 46, told investigators that he bought the camera with a school district credit card and placed it in a restroom to obtain nude photos of female employees, according to the McLennan County Sheriff's Office.

Teacher Gets Probation After Sexual Assault - A former Holliston teacher will spend five years on probation after agreeing to a plea deal on a charge of sexually assaulting a student on the last day of his more than four-decade teaching career.

Teacher Acused of Touching Student - Lorenza Wilson's eight year old son came home from Washington Elementary School Wednesday and said he was using the restroom when the teacher came in, placed his hand over the his mouth, and began to feel all over his body.

Why We Homeschool, Oct. 31, 2005

2005-10-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

Pipe Bomb Found in Middle School - Memorial Middle School was evacuated this morning after the discovery of a pipe bomb in the girls' locker room, the Orlando Fire Department said.

Teacher Beaten at School Dies - A teacher who was beaten at a school last week has died, and authorities said murder charges were possible against the 15-year-old boy accused of attacking her.

No Arrest in School Vandalism - Police continued to patrol Jackson area schools Sunday following the vandalism discovered Saturday at South Side High School.

Look Ma, Another School Shooting - The shooting at Birney Elementary School last week frightened many students and outraged parents in the Central Fresno neighborhood.

Sex Education Program Halted - Superintendent Pam Homan was right to suspend a new middle school sex-education curriculum, after parent complaints. She really had no choice.

Teacher had Sex with Student and the School Knew - At least two years ago, prosecutors and the school district knew of allegations a Cuyahoga Falls middle school teacher had sex with an underage former student.

Elementary Teacher Quits Due to Sex Blog - A Texas elementary school teacher resigned last week after school officials found she had used her class computer to access her blog. Her blog chronicled her sexual exploits and also referred to students as ‘Stinky Kids’.

Teacher Drunk At School - A Brandon Middle School teacher was arrested Monday at the school and charged with being drunk in public.

Teacher Put on Leaving for Theft - Hoover schools Superintendent Connie Williams placed a Bumpus Middle School teacher on administrative leave with pay Wednesday after learning the teacher was convicted of theft this summer and charged again last week.

Middle School Teacher Arrested in Sexual Assault on Student - A middle school teacher was arrested this morning, charged with taking a 12-year-old student to his home and sexually assaulting him.

Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sex Charges - A former Minneapolis charter school teacher pleaded guilty Monday to criminal sexual conduct involving two female students, ages 12 and 14, officials said.

High School Teacher Accused of Touching Student - The Summit County Attorney's Office is looking into allegations a teacher in the North Summit School District inappropriately touched a high school student in October.

Army Offers More Benefits to Homeschooled Students - The Army has recently implemented a policy change, which makes qualified homeschoolers eligible for the same Army enlistment incentives as a traditional high school graduate!

Why We Homeschool, Oct. 14, 2005

2005-10-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long! Here's the round-up today!

Here's a tip: when you want to read a story but the site asks you to register, open a second browser window and go to http://www.bugmenot.com. Follow the directions and you'll gain access to the story without having to surrender your email address!

Crowd Protests Raises Given to School Officials - School employees from around North County picketed the Vista school board meeting last night, hoping to force top district managers to give up their raises and to increase pay for local workers.

Teen Fires Gun In School - A high school student was arrested Tuesday after he donned a mask and fired a shotgun into a restroom ceiling, prompting a brief lockdown at the school, authorities said.

High School Locked Down After Pursuit - University High School in San Diego has been locked down following a high-speed chase from police.
(note from Meg - ok, I have to laugh after that sentence. It's written as if the school was running, hee heee heee)

More Schools Warn of Choking Game - The death of a 13-year-old boy from what some call "the choking game" has alerted administrators about the popularity of the potentially lethal practice among some Appleton middle school and high school students.

Bennett Quits K12 After Remarks - Former U.S. Secretary of Education William J. Bennett abruptly resigned last week from the education company K12 Inc. after his racially charged remarks on abortion and crime sparked a firestorm of criticism. (note - it is important to remember that K12 is a PRIVATE corporation trying to seep its way into the homeschooling world by offering "free" curriculum and computers!! There is no such thing as a free lunch, folks!)

And of Course Bennett's Rebuttal - Former Education Secretary William Bennett blamed the news media for distorting his remarks about aborting black babies to reduce crime, saying he had intended to make "a bad argument in order to put it down."

US Education Still Slipping - Reports of U.S. students lagging behind their counterparts in other nations have become so routine that it is almost tempting to wave off each new variation on the theme as old news and maybe even old news that is largely irrelevant.

Former Parochial School Teacher Gets Over 12 Years for Child Porn - Williams was a teacher and athletic director at Holy Spirit Episcopal School in Houston from 2000 through 2003, when he left Texas to work at a school in Las Vegas. But the Houston Police Department was investigating allegations that he had sexually abused male students at the Houston school.

Ex-Substitute Teacher Accused of Touching Kids - Zagorac already is jailed in Lake County, Ind., after being charged in March with a felony in the molestation of an 8-year-old in Hammond. He was convicted in December 2003 of misdemeanor battery for inappropriately touching two boys while working as a substitute teacher in Schererville, Ind.

Teen Held in Assault on Teacher - A 16-year-old student at a Northeast Washington high school has been arrested for allegedly dropping a fire extinguisher from a second-floor gymnasium balcony onto his physical education teacher, authorities said yesterday.

Substitute Teacher Charged with Murder - Police said in 1985 Hasanaj shot and killed his 23-year-old girlfriend, Christine Smith, in Clinton Township. She apparently tried to end their relationship. He then dumped her body in Highland Park, according to investigators.

Teacher Needs Help Controlling Students After Assault - The father of a Blair High School band student who was assaulted recently by two other students during class told the Blair School Board the band teacher needs more help supervising the large classes.

Teen Arrested in Teacher's Aide Killing - Authorities have arrested a 19-year-old Temecula man on suspicion of strangling a popular Hamilton Middle School teacher's aide and graduate student, whose body was found buried in a Riverside County creek bed.

(Another) Former Teacher Arrested for Child Porn - More than 100 images of young children were found on a personal computer in the Plain Township home of Michael Honnold, said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Denholm II of the FBI in Canton.

Man Wants Records of Former Teacher - News 3 reported Kazmarek came to the parish from the Milwaukee Diocese in the late 1960s. He's now serving 13 life sentences in a Kentucky jail for sexually abusing five boys there. Last week those victims filed a law suit against the Madison and Milwaukee Dioceses, alleging church officials failed to report the abuse to authorities.

Teacher Charged with Sexually Assaulting a Child - Last Wednesday, Donald Gene Dudley, a biology teacher was arrested at his home in Smith County. In the arrest affidavit, he's accused of having sex with a 16 year-old student.

Fifteen Year Old Accuses Teacher of Sexual Abuse - A high school teacher has been charged with sexually abusing a student she hired to do odd jobs at her home over the summer break.

Ex-Teacher Sold Drugs to Student - On Sept. 28, Fred L. Davis, 25, of Laurel, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

Former Teacher Pleads Guilty to Selling Meth - Jolene Cortez, 34, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday morning to a charge of possession and intent to deliver meth.

Teacher Takes Plea in Child Abuse Case - Thomas H. Moody entered the plea in Clark County Superior Court after striking a plea agreement that reduced the 10 counts of first-degree child molestation he had been facing to the six gross misdemeanors.

Why We Homeschool, 9/7/05

2005-09-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Girl Accused of Fatally Stabbing Another in Fight Over Boy - A 16-year-old Brevard County girl will have to face a judge on charges she stabbed another teenage girl to death with a pocket knife.

Trial Postponed for Coach Accused of Molesting Players - The trial for a youth baseball coach accused of molesting his players has been postponed to December.

Junk Food More Available in Middle Schools - Candy, soda, pizza and other snacks compete with nutritious meals in nine out of 10 schools, a government survey found.

Schools Consider Using Breathalyzer Tests - Hoping that the measure will help keep dances and athletic events under control, school officials in Sarasota County are deciding whether to use Breathalyzer tests on students attending those gatherings.

Grads Trail Peers on SAT - According to results released last week, the district's seniors scored a combined average of 989 out of a possible 1,600 on the verbal and math sections, down three points from last year. In comparison, Florida students earned 996, and those nationally received 1,028.

Teacher Who Wrote Racist Letter Resigns - The Sadler Elementary teacher who wrote a letter blasting Puerto Ricans, Haitians, Mexicans and others resigned Tuesday.

Sex Offender Screening Burdens Schools - A new Florida law designed to shield children from sex offenders is expected to cost public-school districts millions of dollars statewide and pinch the profits of contractors that work for them.

Why We Homeschool, 8/19/05

2005-08-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

Teacher Suspended over Letter - The Orange County school district obtained the inflammatory letter Thursday that led to the abrupt suspension without pay of a fifth-grade teacher accused of disparaging Hispanics, Haitians and other immigrants.

Classes Awash in Drugs - The center's report found that more than six in 10 high-school students will go back to schools where drugs are kept, used or sold -- a 41 percent increase versus three years ago.

Schools Must Offer Transfers - Nearly 400 Florida schools graded A or B will have to offer their students transfers to other campuses or tutoring services because they did not meet federal standards, the state announced Wednesday.

ACT Scores Suggest Kids Not Ready for College - A majority of U.S. high school graduates who took the ACT are entering college poorly prepared to tackle key subjects such as math and science, concludes a report by the sponsor of the nation’s second most widely used college-admissions test.

40% of Teachers Plan to Quit by 2010 - Forty percent of public school teachers plan to leave the profession within five years, the highest rate since at least 1990, according to a study being released Thursday

School Settles over Handcuffed 5 year old - The city agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman whose 5-year-old son was handcuffed by police after a fight on a school bus.

Ex-Teacher Convicted of Murder - Jurors deliberated for 90 minutes Wednesday before convicting a former Spring elementary schoolteacher of murder in the shooting death of her estranged husband last year.

Why We Homeschool, Aug. 15, 2005

2005-08-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Mandatory School Recess Plan Put on Hold - Plans to require recess in all Miami-Dade elementary schools have been delayed at least until next month because School Board members are concerned the policy is not teacher-friendly.

CA School Chief, Teachers Union Sue Governor - California state schools Superintendent Jack O’Connell and the California Teachers Association took their battle with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over the state budget to the next level Aug. 8 by filing a lawsuit that charges the governor with failing to provide schools with money they are guaranteed under state law.

State's Figures Inflated Student Success - Utah Schools Superintendent Patti Harrington now acknowledges that state Office of Education officials should have made clear from the beginning that exit exam statistics they released in May were only estimates.

Two Districts Embroiled in Racial Tug of War - About 70 white students were turned away from their schools here for two days this week as their parents, school administrators and civil rights attorneys fought the latest round in a racially charged legal battle between two small-town Central Texas school districts.

Town Sues over School Aide Plan - The Legislature, the lawsuit charges, created a new funding formula that unfairly reduces state aid to some communities by relying too heavily on median household income levels and the property wealth of a community.

Judge Seals Records on School Rape Allegation - A state district judge in Gretna Friday sealed the record of a civil lawsuit that accuses a former teacher and assistant principal at Crescent City Baptist School in Metairie of raping a juvenile student.

Teacher Put on Leave, Students Left in Limbo - School officials received allegations about Geier just before the start of school. He was placed on paid administrative leave while the allegations are investigated. Neither school officials nor Geier are saying what the allegations may involve. Interviews are being conducted. Computers have been removed from Geier's classroom

Why We Homeschool, July 18, 2005

2005-07-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Teacher Claiming Insanity in Sex Case - A middle-school reading teacher whose sexual liaisons with a 14-year-old student made tabloid headlines broke off plea negotiations with prosecutors and will claim insanity at a December trial, her attorney said today.

Scuffle Between School Officials Probed - The dispute is the latest in a series of controversies that have embroiled Laboy in his five years in the superintendent's job. Also during his tenure, concerns have been raised about his failure to pass an English proficiency exam and about the use of school funds to outfit his vehicle.

High School Teacher Charged with Sexually Abusing Student - A teacher at Point Pleasant Borough High School in Ocean County has been charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female student over a four-month period, authorities said.

Low Income Schools Lack Leaders - The disparity in teacher quality in the Fort Bend Independent School District is typical at most of the middle and high schools throughout the seven-county Houston area, according to recent research compiled by University of Texas researcher Edward Fuller.

Why We Homeschool, July 12, 2005

2005-07-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Black Leaders Don't Want Homeless Shelter Next to School - [The location of the proposed homeless men's shelter] is only two blocks from Jones High, where boosters learned only last month that a fourth consecutive F grade had earned the district a state order to improve performance or face possible closure.

Ex-Schoolboard Member Arrested Again - A former Hempstead school board member who was convicted last month for stealing a principal's ATM card was arrested again this morning for cashing a $360 check the district had given him for a conference in Texas that he didn't attend, authorities said.

Teen Sentenced to 30 Days for School Threat - A 17-year-old girl has been sentenced to 30 days in jail or on a work detail for sending an e-mail message about a bomb being planted at Kearsley High School.

Head of Charter School Quits Under Investigation - The state auditor's office is looking into whether 78 of the 112 charter schools sponsored by the Lucas County Educational Service Center opened illegally.

Police Officers Assigned to School Won't Carry Tasers - Police officers assigned to Duval County schools will not carry Taser guns when students go back to class next month, school board members were told Tuesday morning.

Male Cheerleader Impersonator To Leave Prison - A Greensburg man who lives his life as a woman and was arrested after allegedly being found lurking around a high school locker room could be released from Westmoreland County Prison as early as Wednesday.

Why We Homeschool, June 28, 2005

2005-06-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Homeschooling: It's Not What You Think - Homeschooling has gone mainstream. It has graduations and conventions, yearbooks and extracurriculars. Kids learn at co-ops, on the Internet, at museums and even at public schools.

Colorado Homeschoolers Fear Database Threatens Freedom - On April 29, Owens signed into law Senate Bill 87, which allows Colorado's health department to create a statewide database of immunization records and to contact parents directly when their children are due or overdue for inoculations.

Special Education on the Cheap - ONLY SO MUCH caring can be done on the cheap at the state's private special education schools before the cracks appear and kids fall through them.

Education's Needs: Fostering active parents, better teachers - School reform has limitations. It is not fair or reasonable to expect educators to turn every student into one who is college-bound, kind to his peers, eats well and has high self-esteem. The biggest impact comes from the home. Schools can assist, but they do not deserve most of the credit when these things happen, nor do they deserve most of the blame when they do not.

Why We Homeschool, June 27, 2005

2005-06-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

School Could Take Corporate Name - A suburban Detroit school district could join the ranks of universities, hospitals and districts elsewhere in the country by offering naming rights to buildings, athletic facilities or even events.

Teen Claims Insanity in School Shooting Defense - McLaughlin, 17, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to fatally shooting senior Aaron Rollins in the neck, and freshman Seth Bartell, who languished in critical condition for 16 days from gunshots to the forehead and chest.

Children Sought in School Vandalism - Surveillance video from Kissimmee Middle School shows three children likely caused $15,000 in damage to rooms and equipment, according to Local 6 News.

10 Year Old Held on School Drug Charges - A 10-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly supplying class A drugs to his fellow school mates.