Day 4: Really?

I don't know why I thought I should be surprised. Today was our 'meeting' with the 'district criminal attorney' about Logan's 'truancy'. For some reason I expected to have a serious meeting with some very serious people who would discuss the very serious matter of Logan's academic pursuits in a very serious way. Then we arrived at the 'court house' which was actually a converted old school or extra gymnasium for Farrington Field. Out of two doors were droves of people, mostly with middle-school children and older, lined up for this 'meeting' with these very serious people to talk about the very serious matter. We even drove by it because I just couldn't believe that was the place that this sort of matter took place at. So, we realized we were at the place we walked up and like aimless cows in line at the meat packaging plant we waited our turn in line to be 'processed'.




Through the metal detector, past the very tall, very scary looking police man looking for issues to a person who told us to go to a table with a number. Since there were so many schools, they went past a lady who was preparing to usher people in and told us we couldn't go past. Finally that matter was cleared up and we talked to a sweet old man who reviewed our information and told us we didn't have to be there. We knew this, but we wanted to talk to someone anyway but we quickly realized that there would be nobody to talk to. Just a bunch of people doing their job, and would remind us very quickly that they are only willing to do exactly what they are paid for (not that I mind, but even most people are 'helpful' and don't scowl when you wonder exactly why you're there in the first place). So, with a anonymous stamp on our paperwork and a thank you very much, we were sent from the belly of the beast back into the real world.



It amazed me to think about how much of my tax dollars go to pay for stuff like this. It made me wonder, how if people had done their job at the school, there wouldn't be the need of this "Truancy Resource Center" as a plastic makeshift banner stated on the outside of the building. Finally, it made me wonder, why do I subject myself and my family to this? Being treated like cattle? Getting to see the underbelly of what our public school system is has really opened my eyes. It really, really scared the shit out of me.

Day 2: Forecast- cloudy.

I'm not sure what I was expecting by coming out to the world that I had this wonderful idea of homeschooling. I want to find something to equate it to, however, I don't see this as life-changing as much as life altering. My best parallel is what the LGBT community uses with coming out of the closet and I wonder if they too had the realization that once their little secret was known that it wouldn't be the balmy, sunshine-filled day they would hoped it would be.

I think, sometimes, that people mistake my optimism for insanity. Yes, I have hopes for the human race and that one day we will all live in peace and harmony with each other. Our abilities as a species and the unofficial stewards of this world will one day benefit the universe. Okay, maybe it's a little insane but that doesn't mean that I'm without skeptism or reality. I want my hope to transcend reality, but realize that it may never come around in my lifetime or ever.

I don't know why I hoped people to easily brought on board with the ideas I have about my sons education, but I wanted to believe that my explanations and reasonings for why I want to give this a try would suffice even the hardest skeptic. I want the best for my son. What more of a reason could there be to try something out?

The sad thing that I've found is that already I have had to polarize myself, where I have to defend not only my conception but the marriage of that to my convictions. Marriage is a heavy word and it takes commitment that I'm not sure I'm ready for, but is that a reason to give up on an idea? Is it so, that an interlude of imagination and inspiration cannot be expressed without the dedication of a composed thought? Not every thing is bright in this world but we don't know unless we discover it!

So, in some senses sadly, I've had to galvanize and make this blanketed statement: GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FAMILY'S BUSINESS. I don't tell you what is wrong with you or with yours, I've got enough respect for you know that you're going to weather the storms and come out of it okay, can you give me the same? I am not going to mess up your friend, your grandchild, your child's friend, your nephew, your future 'whoever' by seeing if a different way of learning would suit him better. Did you ever stop to ask what he may want out of his education? I did, and I'm glad to predict a sunny day.

Day 1: We're in a box and we want out!

I should have started this blog sooner.....



This week has been a very trying one. Logan is sick. Very Sick. He also has been truant according to his school. Very Truant. And now we have to make sure that everything is cleared up with the District Criminal Attorney so, as Logan says, "We don't have to go to jail because he's been too sick." :(



This whole mix up could have been remedied if the attendance clerk has accurately reported his sick time being excused, but sadly, talking to her friend in the office is more important than her job. Imagine my astonishment to receive a glowering look of distaste for coming in there and interrupting her conversation about so-n-so to clear up the status of his absences was accompanied by a condescending jab about how I need to understand the importance of Logan being to school, everyday and on time.



Needless to say, I didn't take to kindly to the idea of someone saying that I am irresponsible and undermining my son's education. And did I receive an apology for the mix up that it wasn't reported correctly? Of course not! But now I know that I have to hand deliver notes and watch over her shoulder to make sure she does the job my taxes pay her to so that our family doesn't suffer the affects of gossip being more important than job duties.



This situation has now become what I will refer to as "The Straw". My sanity, my anxiety and my love for all that is good and great in this world has said, "Enough!" This is the latest thing that is now added to the laundry list of what can best be described as failures my son has been either directly or indirectly subjected to.



With private school being economically our of the question and charter school proving either impossible to get into and still subject to many of the same complaints in public school, what do we do? This is when homeschool entered my mind and has not left since suffering this latest bout of incompetency.



Yes. I said it. Homeschool. More commonly known as "religious-closed minded-sheltering-freak making-antisocial-hoity toity-anti establishment- brain washing" homeschooling. There. I said almost all the noted reasons for why I shouldn't consider it and those reasons have been considered. Rest assured, it is for most of those reasons that have brought me to this point. We are realizing the limitations of this box we've allowed ourselves to be in and we want out!

The plan:

Logan is going to continue through his kindergarten year because as hot under the collar as I am, I am not going to make a rash decision about his educational pursuits. This is his life and he needs what will work best for him. So, once school is out for the year, we're going to take a good break and work on this adventure. I want to set up the yarn/old toy dumping ground, aka the office, as a 'learning center'. I'm going to do a little research on what 1st grade is suppose to be like and what we're going to do that will help him should he return to public school because homeschool is not right for us. But for this time, we're going to give him and his education the chance we feel it's not getting in public school.

So, for now, this is it. My big plan and hopefully not too shocking or polarizing. I hope you enjoy reading about our Adventures in Loganland and our journey out into the unknown. Stay tuned for Day 2 where I hope to have a little more focus and hopefully not have to re-write a post because blogger has decided to be crap-tastic.

Loganism for the day: "There is not enough art in Art Class. We need to go to a museum because we can see more than in Art Class."