I had a bad EBay experience today where I purchased a power cord and when I got it, was not happy. The seller was dismissive about it. He then demanded positive feedback. I replied that I would not give feedback at all. You see, I told him, feedback is a privilege to be earned, not a right. Let us just say that this is where it got ugly.
So what does my EBay experience have to do with homeschooling? Well I saw an interesting correlation. (I am a homeschool blogger; I would see a correlation in a ham sandwich) There are rights, and there are privileges. Homeschooling is a right that comes with the ability to birth children. The state does not give the right to homeschool. The state only ads restrictions to homeschooling. My right to homeschool does not (contrary to popular opinion) have to be earned.
This right is a legal right. There are laws on the books that say as long as I fulfill requirement A, B, and C, then I can educate my children at home. Likewise there is no law on the books that says I am legally obliged to give feedback to a seller, good, bad, or indifferent whether I am pleased with the transaction or not. I guess what I am saying is that I am tired of folks presuming that I need to explain myself when I have legal rights to back up my actions. I can legally homeschool. I can legally decline to give feedback. Enough said.
On the other hand, a privilege is “an honor, or permissive activity granted by another person or even a government. A privilege is not a right and in some cases can be revoked” (worldnet.priceton.edu). I.E., I revoked the privilege of feedback to the rude seller. There are individuals who mistakenly feel that homeschool is a privilege they can revoke. This often comes in the form of local school district officials who add additional requirements to homeschoolers that the state has not approved. Just like the EBayer who today tried to scream, and kick, and bully his way to positive feedback, they are also mistaken by the extent of their power and importance.
This summer many homeschoolers will be filling out their intent to homeschool forms. Many will fill them out for the first time as they plan to start homeschooling in the fall. Every year local officials try to alter these forms to meet their specific requirements. They ask for information that you are not required to give. They also try to deny approval, which they have no right, in most cases to do. Please communicate with other homeschoolers, and join some local homeschool email lists to ensure that make sure that someone who mistakenly feels you need to earn the privilege to homeschool is not stepping on your right to homeschool.
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
*Want to know more about homeschooling? Start with the 2006 homeschool blog in review!
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?