An argument for home-schooling

[Aimless]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1079117.html

During the 2010-11 school year, 48 percent of students in grades 7-12 experienced some form of sexual harassment in person or electronically via texting, email and social media, according to a major national survey being released Monday by the American Association of University Women.

Dunno how good the study is, and it's hard to draw conclusions about persistent jackassery... but who'd want their kids in this sort of environment?

It's not necessarily very much better here in Swedish schools either. I'm hoping to win the lottery so that I can be a stay-at-home dad and homeschool the brats.

[Loki]

That makes you a fascist according to Khen.

[Khendraja'aro]

That makes you a fascist according to Khen.

No, actually, it makes you a moron. But I'm sure that you just mistyped

[Aimless]

But a fascist with unbroken kids

[Ominous Gamer]

Not saying at all that the current school environment is acceptable, but its not like sheltering them at home is going to make the issue non-existent when they become adults...

[Loki]

I don't know of any adult that get bullied anywhere near as much as your average junior high/high school student.

[CitizenCain]

I don't know of any adult that get bullied anywhere near as much as your average junior high/high school student.

On a related note, you're an academic who's not familiar with workplace environments where that goes on a daily basis. Fully grown adults behaving worse than petulant 6 year olds are everywhere in this world, and the majority of workplaces in the world have such people who frankly require "behavioral modification therapy" in the form of a beating within an inch of their lives. People suck, yup. And unfortunately, effective corrective action is highly illegal and prohibited by statues against aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, murder, mass murder and so on.

Of course avoidance "works", just like my homeschooling idea would work

Well, sure, if you avoid all social interaction with other human beings, you won't get bullied or harassed or [verbally/emotionally] "abused," but that's hardly a solution. Nor is there one, really, other than attaining the emotional maturity and toolset to just not a give a fuck about what those kinds of people say to/about/at you.

If you try to solve the problem by having kids avoid this kind of shit, you'll end up with adults who don't know how handle or deal with it, and will be unable to function "normally" when they encounter a workplace bully or an asshole boss, or a power-tripping government official or any of the other places these people appear all throughout adult life.

So, really, this bullying study doesn't support isolation via homeschooling for childen, but is rather a very strong argument against it... because ultimately, lots of people are just assholes. Having social interaction with other humans beings means you'll encounter such people, and will be bullied/harassed/abused by them. It's something everyone will encounter and have to learn to handle at some point in their lives.

For me, it's nothing that can't be resolved with a ski mask and a nice, sturdy steel pole. I personally prefer those ~meter long poles with a diameter of about 10 cm, hollow, with maybe a 1 cm steel thickness. They're just freaking great - you can break every bone in a guy's body with one of those, and they won't dent, and you get the most fabulous, satisfying acoustics and tactile feedback smacking a guy in the grill with one of those. Um, hypothetically. I've been told... I mean, read somewhere. Not that I'd ever do such a thing as give someone the vicious thrashing with a steel pole that they deserve, of course.

But, whatever your preferred method of "dealing with" assholes, be it the manly approach of vicious steel-pole beatings doled out to those who so richly deserve them... or the pansy-assed, womanly approach of emotional maturity, it's better learned in childhood so it doesn't become a bigger problem in adult life. Isn't that what "growing up" is supposed to be about? Learning how to handle the stupid shit that "life" entails while you're young and the consequences are minor, like just hurt feelings, rather than major, life-altering consequences like an inability to function in society as a result, or the inability to hold a job, or jail time (perhaps as a result of not learning how to get away with beating someone with a steel pipe when you were 8), and the like. For example, not learning the valuable life lesson of treating your fellow human beings with a basic level of decency as a child might result in growing up into adult bully who has every bone in his face broken in a vicious thrashing with a steel pipe.

You do children no favors by delaying and avoiding these necessary "life lessons." You only create adults who will have to learn the same lessons, at a much higher price and with much harsher consequences.

[Ominous Gamer]

The article makes no mention of frequency, and the report requires an account.
and I've seen more sexual harassment between grown people via myspace and facebook than I ever recall seeing or experiencing in high school

and everyone knows how loving a place Xbox Live is. Hey, who's up for a game of Uno?

[Loki]

The article makes no mention of frequency, and the report requires an account.
and I've seen more sexual harassment between grown people via myspace and facebook than I ever recall seeing or experiencing in high school

and everyone knows how loving a place Xbox Live is. Hey, who's up for a game of Uno?

People need to stop friending people they don't get along with. I've never seen this happen, but that's because I take my own advice.

No one forces you to play X-box live, nor to read what people write there. I don't see how you can compare that to being verbally and physically attacked in a place you have no choice but to go. As a disclaimer, I've never really been bullied, but I went to giant schools where no one really knew each other (my high school had 3500 students).

[Ominous Gamer]

People need to stop friending people they don't get along with. I've never seen this happen, but that's because I take my own advice.

No one forces you to play X-box live, nor to read what people write there. I don't see how you can compare that to being verbally and physically attacked in a place you have no choice but to go. As a disclaimer, I've never really been bullied, but I went to giant schools where no one really knew each other (my high school had 3500 students).

not friending people doesn't stop the attacks from happening, or from the victim being able to see the attacks.
and you're suggesting more sheltering, when that was my original complaint

(you understand that several very popular live titles just about require verbal team involvement, right?)

[Loki]

not friending people doesn't stop the attacks from happening, or from the victim being able to see the attacks.
and you're suggesting more sheltering, when that was my original complaint

(you understand that several very popular live titles just about require verbal team involvement, right?)

Why would you friend anyone who allows someone else to post hostile things about you on their wall? I can honestly say that I've never seen any of my facebook friends attack either me or any other private person behind their back. You need to find better people to be around.

Then either find a nicer group to play with or avoid the game. It's not exactly going to stunt your emotional or intellectual development, is it?

[Lebanese Dragon]

An argument for homeschooling I'd say would be reducing certain risks, having more one on one education time for your kids, cheaper costs, more time efficient, more bonding.


The downsides are many though, they lose out on many social interaction oportunities what I've come to call SIO's. These are crucial for self-identification, diversifying one's thoughts and values, and learning how to interact and get along with different groups and individuals.

[Ominous Gamer]

Why would you friend anyone who allows someone else to post hostile things about you on their wall?

Yep, still not getting it. Facebook allows group pages. Anything from school reunions to religious groups. Facebook is also moving to turn many product and location pages into community pages, which removes the moderating power of the original owner. They've been pushing my department to make the switch for a few weeks now.

Shall we move into college culture shock now? I've got loads of memes ready for that one.

[LittleFuzzy]

not friending people doesn't stop the attacks from happening, or from the victim being able to see the attacks.
and you're suggesting more sheltering, when that was my original complaint

(you understand that several very popular live titles just about require verbal team involvement, right?)

Tough shit. If you don't want to deal with the greater internet fuckwad, then make the same decision I do, don't play those games.

[Loki]

No one forces you to look at those pages. Who cares what some losers you'll probably never meet again think about you? Again, this is slightly different to being forced to put up with constant abuse in a place where you have no choice but to go...

[Ominous Gamer]

No one forces you to look at those pages. Who cares what some losers you'll probably never meet again think about you? Again, this is slightly different to being forced to put up with constant abuse in a place where you have no choice but to go...

you did read the part where only 9% of the students acted against the harassment right? being forced to attend a certain school is hardly the issue. After all, no one is forcing them to pay attention to their classmates.

I find it funny that your only response thus far has been more sheltering.

[Loki]

you did read the part where only 9% of the students acted against the harassment right? being forced to attend a certain school is hardly the issue. After all, no one is forcing them to pay attention to their classmates.

I find it funny that your only response thus far has been more sheltering.

The idiocy of your line of reasoning is just astounding. I'll drop this discussion so you could continue your pro-bullying crusade.

[Aimless]

This internet/facebook discussion is moot. Many adults get bullied in real life, eg. in the workplace and at home. Probably many more than those who get bullied on Xbox Live.

[Aimless]

My personal theory is that it all starts in school however

[Ominous Gamer]

I'm curious how your responses can't be translated into something along these lines:
Didn't want to get harassed? Tough shit, shouldn't have tried communicating, now go back in your hole. You kind doesn't deserve to have interests or hobbies.


Yet you try to paint me as the one being pro-bully

[Aimless]

I'm getting confused here. OG, are you in fact trying to turn Lofuzzy's comments--on your claims about adult bullying--around on them?

[Ominous Gamer]

I'm trying to point out that there is a difference between continuing to subject yourself to harassment. From continuing to use a service like Live, to not going to an adult for help. And coming across the harassment for the first time and then blaming the victim for putting themselves in that position. Something along the lines of "didn't want to get raped, shouldn't have dressed slutty."

As I mentioned earlier, the article makes no mention of frequency.

[Aimless]

My guess is at least 10 of them were harrassed at least 6 times. You do understand why many do not go to adults for help, don't you?

[LittleFuzzy]

I'm curious as to why he thinks avoidance doesn't work, particularly with entirely voluntary luxury activities.

[Ominous Gamer]

I'm curious as to why he thinks avoidance doesn't work, particularly with entirely voluntary luxury activities.

I'm not saying avoidance can't work. But I'm also not of the mind for blaming the victim for falling victim because the harassment may exist in a location or event they would otherwise enjoy, or were already enjoying.

Why is punishing the harassed even an option when addressing the problems with harassment?

[Aimless]

Of course avoidance "works", just like my homeschooling idea would work

[Aimless]

Will you protect my kids from harrassment??

[Khendraja'aro]

Will you protect my kids from harrassment??

I'd actually descend like the Wrath of God upon any kid which harasses or mobs another kid in my presence.

[Lewkowski]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1079117.html



Dunno how good the study is, and it's hard to draw conclusions about persistent jackassery... but who'd want their kids in this sort of environment?

It's not necessarily very much better here in Swedish schools either. I'm hoping to win the lottery so that I can be a stay-at-home dad and homeschool the brats.

And lets not forgot that home schooled kids tend to be far less likely to commit crime to boot!

[Aimless]

And lets not forgot that home schooled kids tend to be far less likely to commit crime to boot!

They may also be less likely to confuse correlation with causation