BR: Contemplative Youth Ministry

This is the first book review related to my reading/study of the Emergent/Emerging Church. Subsequent reviews will be posted as books are completed.
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Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus
by Mark Yaconelli

I received this book as a Christmas gift from a gentleman in my church (a Sunday School co-teacher, to be exact) this past December. At the time, I had only recently become aware of the Emergent/Emerging Church and the role that contemplative spirituality plays for some people within that movement. Interestingly, I reciprocated his gift with a seven-volume set of sermons written and delivered by Martin Luther during the years 1532-1534. Nothing like exposing our philosophical/theological positions! Modernism (or earlier) vs. postmodernism in the same classroom. Suffice it to say, our discussions can be quite thought provoking…but I digress.

This book was a real challenge for me for a number of reasons. First, it wasn’t the best starting point for learning about the Emergent/Emerging Church, the whole point of my Church/Christian reading list for 2008. It didn’t define terms like “emergent,” “emerging,” or “spiritual formation,” vocabulary that is common to discussions of this rapidly growing trend within Christianity. In fact, the movement wasn’t even mentioned. Instead, Mr. Yaconelli discussed the use of Lectio Divina, the Ignatian Examen, and centering prayer, making this the kind of book that youth ministers/workers (or pastors) could use to guide the implementation of worship and praxis once a congregation had embraced the contemplative path. Of course, the poor choice of a study starting point isn’t the fault of Contemplative Spirituality; that is my fault for reading the first book that dropped into my lap. To begin a study of the Emergent/Emerging Church (which, as I stated, was my intention), I would start instead with Stories of Emergence by Mark Yaconelli or They Like Jesus But Not the Church by Dan Kimball. Those books do a much better job of explaining how the Church leaders who are espousing these ideas came to hold their beliefs, why they feel the Church desperately needs to embrace a different (more postmodern) philosophy, and what exactly postmodern non-Christians (the primary target audience of the Emergent/Emerging Church movement) don’t like about the Church.

Second, the author came across as very anti-parent/anti-family, although this was everywhere implied but never explicitly stated. For example, in the introduction, while addressing “those of us who seek to share faith with youth” (remember, this book was written for youth ministers/workers, not parents), Mr. Yaconelli stated the following (emphasis mine):

We don’t know how to be with our kids. We know how to entertain them, market to them, test them, and statistically measure them. But we’ve forgotten how to be with them.

Who has forgotten, parents or youth ministers? And, again, in a chapter on teen angst and adult anxiety, the author said:

We worry about the young people in our care. We don’t know what they look at on the Internet. We can’t keep up with the electronic gadgets they play with. We’ve never heard of the bands or celebrities they talk about. We don’t know what they do after school. We’re unaware of the subject or codes in their e-mail conversations.

Does this paragraph not describe the concerns that parents have for their children (or should have for their children)? Yet, Mr. Yaconelli doesn’t prompt parents to move into these anxieties. No, instead, he says the following, admittedly not about parents directly but certainly about the world inhabited by children, a world that includes both parents and family:

…youth are being raised in a culture of people who no longer live from the center of their lives.

And then later:

This book is born of my hope to provide every young person with a handful of adults who incarnate the love, compassion, and presence of Jesus…I pray that our churches might be filled with adults willing to move beyond words and ministry programs --- adults willing to take the time to seek out the young people in their communities, to sit with them, to listen to them. May every congregation be filled with adults who view the young people in their lives and communities with the eyes of Jesus, beholding in each and every one of them a unique revelation of the presence of God.

Again, does this paragraph not describe the type of relationship that exists (or at least should exist) between parents and teens? Yet, Mr. Yaconelli doesn’t mention parents at all. Instead, he leaves the reader with the impression that parents are part of that “culture of people who no longer live from the center of their lives,” that group of people who do not “incarnate the love, compassion, and presence of Jesus.” Instead, Mr. Yaconelli says that youth workers and people at church are the adults who should be interacting with teens per their spirituality. Again, why does the author not prompt parents to fill this role, especially when Scripture so clearly states that it is their responsibility?

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. --- Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. --- Proverbs 22:6

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. --- Ephesians 6:4

Please note: I do understand that many children are without a consistent parental presence in their lives for a variety of reasons. But wouldn’t it be better, in the long run, if youth ministers worked to bring parents back into the lives of children instead of consistently attempting to replace parents with other adults (assuming, of course, that the parental influence is neither dangerous nor unhealthy) or consistently assuming that children (especially teens) don’t wish to interact with their parents?

Third, the general tone of the book struck me as replete with a negative view of modern culture --- the speed of life, the pressures of the world, a lack of fulfillment, etc. For example, in chapter five, I found this narrative:

Imagine a woman sitting on the front porch at the end of the day, calling to her husband inside the house, and saying, “Work was so draining today. I couldn’t wait to get home. Come sit next to me on the porch.” The husband then comes to the doorway and replies, “Isn’t it interesting how work takes up so much of our lives. I mean, here is this activity that we have to engage in to pay the bills; an activity that we hope will be satisfying at some level. Yet at the end of the day, we feel like we’ve been, as you say, ‘drained.’ Like something has been taken away from us or maybe we’ve given a part of ourselves that we now notice is missing. It’s like we leave our true selves at work and…

Granted, in the book, the point Mr. Yaconelli made with this example was that the husband missed the point about sitting with his wife and, instead, stood in the doorway and yakked about his philosophy of work. My point in using it as an example is that the passage typifies the sad perspective of everyday life that seems to permeate the book. Here are some other examples:

…we’ve become “dispirited.” We live narrow lives. We tend to act as if we’re nothing more than our roles and our jobs.

…the burned-out life of materialism that deadens spirits and kills creativity.

Do you know how to become yourself despite the constant messages telling you that you’re lacking? Do you know how to keep from becoming overwhelmed by the pain and suffering in the world? Do you know how to find a home, a place of welcome and relationship? Can you tell me how to stay hopeful and creative in a world obsessed with violence, death, and conformity? Do you know where I can offer my gifts meaningfully in a world that feels consumed with trivia? How do I stay alive? How do I remain open to God and others when so many people seem closed, distant, and angry?

…as any parent knows, domestic life can quickly make anyone fatigued and cranky.

Where in your life did you stop singing? Where in your life did you stop dancing? Where in your life did you stop telling stories? Where in your life did you stop listening to silence?

Well, to answer these last few questions, I haven’t stopped doing any of those things and I am forty-six years old! I sing everyday in the shower and every week at church. I often dance around my house to old music and am desperately trying to get my husband to take a ballroom dancing class. Oh, and allow me to tell you this story…about silence:

My mother taught me how to listen to and appreciate silence by taking me out into the countryside of southern Minnesota on a cold winter evening so I could “listen” to snow. This was either in December 1973 or January 1974. One night, when the temperature was well below zero, my entire family climbed into our Chevy station wagon and drove into the farm country west of my hometown, parking alongside one of the rural truck routes, in order to see a comet. Our science teacher had heard about Comet Kohoutek and had encouraged all of us to view it if possible. While waiting for this astronomical wonder to appear, my mother asked us all to stop talking so we could listen to the snow skim across the cornfields, cornfields that were lying dormant with nothing but the yellow-brown stubble of dead plants peeking out from under a blanket of frozen, white precipitation. I can still see all of us, sitting there, shivering in the cold green car, gazing up at the stars, searching for the comet and “listening” to the snow. What a memory.

Ok, getting back to reality. Lest you think I found nothing at all redeeming in Contemplative Spirituality, I must admit I was intrigued by the advice that Mr. Yaconelli gave on how to conduct meetings and call volunteers. Being the co-coordinator of a homeschool support group, I am always looking for more effective ways to connect with volunteers and “do business,” so to speak. Dubbed “the discernment approach,” the process employed by Mr. Yaconelli prompts those in authority to put their managerial tasks back under the authority of the Lord (rather than under their own authority) and to wait on His direction, all while receiving input/feedback from the group they are charged with directing, be it a congregation, a support group, or a book club. The idea of actively and intentionally engaging in conversation with God while planning activities and prioritizing tasks for any group is a reminder we all can use now and again. I know it prompted me to rethink how I do some of my work.

Overall, I cannot say I enjoyed this book. I disagreed with much of the philosophy and theology embraced by Mr. Yaconelli. That said, however, I would recommend it for those who are searching for a way to walk more deliberately and actively with the Lord in their decision-making process, whether at church or in their private lives. To read more about this book, to read additional reviews, or to purchase a copy, visit this page on Amazon.com.

Somewhat helpful. Plush Duck Rating: *****

The Perfect Coffee Press

Two years ago, for Christmas, I gave my husband a Starbucks coffee press, which he has used in fits and starts ever since. He likes it well enough, but the wire mesh filter at the bottom of the press, even though he purchases the correct grind of coffee, still allows a few grounds through now and again. Actually, a little more often than now and again, but he solves this problem by cutting and using a size 4 filter (the kind used in drip coffeemakers) in conjunction with the wire mesh filter to catch the stray grounds. He seemed content with this solution, but it is somewhat more time consuming than a drip coffeemaker. Because his mornings are pretty tight on time, King Richard has, of late, entertained the notion of replacing his coffee press with a new coffeemaker. The primary requirement for this new appliance: it cannot burn the coffee.

Now, I gave up my daily dose of coffee (try twenty-two cups per day) almost seventeen years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter. Occasionally, I will take a sip of my husband’s brew but, these days (generally speaking), I am a confirmed tea drinker. So, when he said he wanted a coffeemaker that wouldn’t burn his coffee, I thought he meant he didn’t want a coffeemaker that would make more coffee than he could drink in one sitting, a coffeemaker that would leave the additional coffee sit in a carafe on a hot plate and bake all day. Even that kind of confused me because I figured he could just turn off the coffeemaker as soon as the coffee was finished brewing and put the extra coffee in a thermos or something. No, and this demonstrates how far removed I am from my coffee-drinking days, he wanted a coffeemaker that didn’t have a hot plate under the carafe because the extra heat transferred while the coffee dripped into the container was too much additional heating. That, apparently, is when the coffee begins to burn and lose its flavor. (???)

My initial reaction to this statement, I must confess, was somewhere along the lines of:

“You have got to be kidding.”

Followed closely by:

“Are you nuts?”

Ok, call me insensitive, but I thought he was carrying this “burnt coffee” idea a little too far. I just shook my head and wandered around the Gray Goose Cookery store looking at fondue pots and food samples while he examined all the coffeemakers, coffee pots, and coffee presses the owner had in stock. Eventually (and not a moment too soon for my daughter), King Richard came away with this: the Aerobie® Aeropress™ Coffee Press for ~$30.00.

And how does he like his newfound gadget? I believe his exact words were “This is awesome! I can finally duplicate that cup of coffee I had in Hong Kong twenty-five years ago.”

Now all he needs to do is find the perfect tool bag and all our problems will be solved. :-) Anybody need a Starbucks coffee press? I have an extra one hanging around my kitchen.

And So It Begins

For several years now, one of the Episcopal churches in my area has been making a stand against the policies of their national organization, the Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA). As a result, this local congregation recently made the decision to affiliate themselves with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), a group that is more orthodox. Needless to say, the ECUSA is not happy with this turn of events; in fact, they are so displeased that, this week, they declared the local parish vacant. Quoting from an article by VirtueOnline (VOL):

The diocese made a grab for the church this week. Seabury church received letters informing them that bishop James Curry, acting as ECC (Bishop Andrew Smith is on sabbatical) had appointed a Priest-in-Charge who would take over the parish immediately…The bishop appointed the Rev. Canon David Cannon as priest-in-charge of the orthodox evangelical parish.

The local response:

“We are not intimidated by the tactics of the diocese,” [Father Ron] Gauss told VOL. “The diocese did not follow their own canons. They did not consult the vestry as required by Canon Law because they believe the Vestry was 'fired' last October.” Not true, said Gauss.

How un-intimidated are they, you ask? In January, the congregation renewed their serving priest’s Civil Contract and re-elected their “terminated” vestry. For all rights and purposes, they consider themselves a functioning, vibrant community of believers, united by faith in Jesus Christ and service to their fellow man.

Some of my dearest friends attend this church and, sad to say, they have been expecting this development for quite a while (hence the title, "And So It Begins"). Where will the conflict go from here? VirtueOnline has this quote from Father Ron:

“If we are pressed, and I hope we won’t, we will go to court to keep the property. WE WILL NOT leave the building. We built it…It is not an historical building. The historical building in Connecticut is now the Mosque --- the Islamic Center of New London. We will see the diocese in Court before we relinquish anything.

Given that statement, I don’t expect resolution anytime soon. In the meantime, I pray for all involved and that God would be glorified regardless of whether this particular congregation is part of the ECUSA or CANA.

If you would like to read more about the conflict between Bishop Seabury and the ECUSA, check out these articles:

Priest Threatened With Ouster
Episcopal Diocese Appoints 'Priest-in-Charge' to Groton Church
It's All About the Property, As Usual
Episcopal Diocese Attacks Another CANA Congregation

Too Bad We Can’t Swap

I find it interesting that over the course of just a few days I have found articles that tell me:

1) In England, very old churches with exceptional, traditional architecture (like cathedrals) are closing as places of worship due to a lack of parishioners. Many of these facilities are being remodeled into restaurants, clubs, warehouses, and mosques. See story.

2) In America, the “unchurched,” those folks who were not raised in an atmosphere of regular worship attendance or home devotionals, prefer churches that look more like the medieval cathedrals of old than the contemporary buildings many congregations are choosing to construct nowadays. See story.

How sad that we can’t dismantle some of their gorgeous old churches and reconstruct them over here! I would love to attend church in a building like this. The acoustics for handbells would be phenomenal!

Note: check out a medieval church in Wales that was dismantled and moved to a new location fifty miles away. It can be done.

Who Needs McDonalds?!

While cleaning off my desk the past few days, I found this from RealAge.com:

Eating selenium-rich foods --- like eggs --- could help keep your memory sharp and your brain speed on high as you age.

In rural China, researchers found that elderly people who got at least the U.S. recommended daily value of selenium (about 55 micrograms per day) had cognitive test scores that put them in a league with people 10 years younger.

Oh, that’s all very interesting, but this is what I thought was cool: the TEM500 Egg & Muffin Combo Toaster/Egg Cooker. Here is a description from the Digital Kitchen Store:

And you thought the drive-thru was fast! Make your favorite breakfast sandwiches --- at home --- in minutes. The Egg & Muffin Toaster brings innovation to the toaster category by combining the functions of a toaster and an egg poacher into one easy-to-use appliance. It even heats your breakfast sausage or bacon! The Egg & Muffin can be used solely as a full functioning toaster or poacher or can be used simultaneously to make the ultimate breakfast sandwich in just 4 minutes! Simply add the necessary ingredients and start the machine.

Features:
- delivers in about 4 minutes
- boils up to 4 eggs
- simultaneously toast the bread and cook an egg (poached or steam-scrambled)
- warm a pre-cooked slice of ham or sausage
- wide toasting slots for everything from bread to croissants
- auto shut-off
- easy to use and clean control touchpad
- light to dark toaster settings
- removable crumb tray
- cord storage
- egg lid keeps heat inside
- warming tray to place meat
- steamer tray for hard boiling eggs

And at an average price of $29.88 – $59.95, the little treasure will pay for itself in no time depending, of course, on where you normally buy your egg sandwiches in the morning. With a gadget like this in the kitchen, who needs McDonalds? Bon appetit!

Speaking of Rich Mullins

This is one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs. Enjoy!

Golden Ear Awards

This week, an article over at Christian Post had a preview of the Golden Ear Awards, an annual readers’ choice poll from Ignite Your Faith magazine. Quoting:

The winners for Best Vocalist are listed below:

Male
1. John Cooper, Skillet
2. Trevor McNevan, Thousand Foot Krutch
3. Matt Thiesssen, Relient K
4. Jeremy Camp
5. Jon Foreman, Switchfoot

Honorable Mentions:
- Mark Hall, Casting Crowns
- Jason Dunn, Hawk Nelson

Female
1. Lacey Mosley, Flyleaf
2. Alyssa Barlow, BarlowGirl
3. Tricia Brock, superchick
4. Krystal Meyers
5. Rebecca St. James

Honorable Mentions:
- Plumb
- Bethany Dillon

Being forty-six and the mother of a musician/composer who prefers classical music (more specifically 16th/17th-century sacred music), I have never heard most of these artists. However, being the co-teacher of a high school class at my church, I have heard of these people. I should probably check out their music for the sake of being current and understanding why the kids like it so much. It’s just that most of it is “hard rock” and that just isn’t me. I prefer “old stuff,” like Keith Green and Rich Mullins. Steven Curtis Chapman’s Speechless or Declaration is about as adventurous as I get. Sorry!

Rescue!

About a month ago, I saw this article in the Daily Mail about an experiment that is being conducted in London. The purpose? To reduce the number of injuries suffered by inattentive cell phone users when they bump into other pedestrians and “street furniture,” like lampposts and the like. Why is this needed? Because:

Around one in ten careless Brits has suffered a “walk ‘n text” street injury in the past year...

The 6.6 million accidents have caused injuries ranging from mild knocks and embarrassing cuts and bruises through to broken noses, cheekbones and even a fractured skull.

Almost two thirds --- 62 percent --- of Brits concentrate so hard while texting that they lose their peripheral vision, researchers found.

- snip –

Britain’s 48 million mobile users together send 4.7 million texts an hour.

Wow! That’s a lot of distracted people. And what does this experiment look like?



I’m sorry to be insensitive, but I can’t help but giggle at this exercise in rescuing folks from their own distractions. I have a more cost-effective solution: put the phone away.

Housing Crisis Presentation

ScrappinSandi from Florida sent me the link for this. I found it quite interesting and, so, have decided to share it with you. The gentleman in the video is The Ticker Guy. His website is Market Ticker, "one investor's view of the financial markets with a focus on both current headlines and longer-term analysis of economic trends." Credit an economics major for my interest in this, but I think it is instructional for all of us in the current economic climate. Enjoy and learn.

How Does This Work?

This morning, I received an online newsletter from a homeschool support network in my state. I am on their mailing list, but I don’t really ever participate in their activities, mostly because they are too far away. I stay on the list to keep in touch with what other homeschoolers are doing, what they are thinking, and how they “do school.” Increasingly, I am finding this sort of scenario mentioned, not just in the particular newsletter I read this morning but also in blogs and online forums. Maybe you have seen similar situations described as well.

I am a mother of four, stepmom to three, and pregnant with number eight. I homeschool my four biological children...

I work full-time at a non-profit agency where I am responsible for developing programs, networking, and doing fun things like organizing our annual community fair. I “go to” an online university in pursuit of getting a degree...

In my spare time, I run a book club that I really enjoy.

How does this work? How can a parent work full-time and homeschool? I can see if you are a telecommuting parent, or a parent who works out of your home because you would be there to supervise and care for your kids during the day. How does this work if you are employed outside of your home during regular office hours?

I do not mean to be judgmental; I just don’t know how this works. I have homeschooled for over ten years, always as a stay-at-home mom who keeps up her “work skills” by volunteering with community organizations, etc. I sincerely wish to know how people do this.

Our New Bird Feeder

This afternoon, after a busy day at church, my family and I stopped by our local Wild Birds Unlimited store to purchase a replacement bird feeder for our backyard. The current feeder was wooden, mildew-ridden, and rotting, not exactly the kind of dining room that we want to provide for our feathered friends. After thirty minutes of discussion, we chose the EcoTough™ Ranchette Retreat. This is the description from the company website:

A Bird’s Dining Dream Come True

- Two perches
- Seed capacity: 2 gallons
- Suet Capacity: 2 cakes

The EcoTough™ Ranchette Retreat is a fully functioning bird buffet that holds two gallons of seed and two suet cakes. With such a variety of food, you’ll likely attract many different species such as jays, chickadees, woodpeckers and more. Also, the Ranchette Retreat’s screen bottom lifts out, making it easy to clean. (Birdfood and pole not included.)

EcoTough™ feeders and houses are environmentally friendly, high quality products that are made from recycled plastic milk jugs. These feeders and houses prevent used milk jugs form making thier way into our landfills. EcoTough™ feeders and houses won’t rot, crack, fade or warp like wood can. They also come with limited lifetime guarantees.

Dimensions: 11” x 16” x 17”

As you can see from the photograph, the new addition to our backyard has already been installed. So far, my daughter has seen two downy woodpeckers and a number of nuthatches. I can only imagine what will happen when we put up a thistle feeder.

Hanging with Spencer

This evening, while Katherine the Great was in church choir rehearsal, I got a chance to hang out with Spencer, the choir director’s son. He is a bundle of energy whose frankness reminds me very much of my daughter when she was four years old. Tonight, he said I looked “older.” I think that was because I was wearing a gray mock turtleneck that (somehow) manages to highlight every gray hair on my head. Anyway, over the course of an hour or so, we ate some wheat crackers, discussed his Halloween costume, and watched some old Disney cartoons, like this one:

Re-Hearing Granted!

Praise the Lord for small miracles! The California Court of Appeal has granted a motion of rehearing in the case of In re Rachel L. Here is the article from the HSLDA website.

On March 25, the California Court of Appeal granted a motion for rehearing in the In re Rachel L. case --- the controversial decision which purported to ban all homeschooling in that state unless the parents held a teaching license qualifying them to teach in public schools.

The automatic effect of granting this motion is that the prior opinion is vacated and is no longer binding on any one, including the parties in the case.

The Court of Appeal has solicited a number of public school establishment organizations to submit amicus briefs including the California Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and three other California teacher unions. The court also grated permission to Sunland Christ School to file an amicus brief. The order also indicates that it will consider amicus applications for other groups.

Home School Legal Defense Association will seek to file such an amicus brief and will coordinate efforts with a number of organizations interesting [sic] in filing briefs to support the right of parents to homeschool their children in California.

“This is a great first step,” said Michael Farris, chairman of HSLDA. “We are very glad that this case will be reheard and that this opinion has been vacated, but there is no guarantee as to what the ultimate outcome will be. This case remains our top priority,” he added.

The most important part: the prior opinion is vacated and is no longer binding on anyone!

An Update on SB162

Recently, a piece of legislation was introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly, the goal of which is to allow parents to withdraw their children from public school without a potential referral to the Department of Children and Families. This post is a message that was sent to my homeschool group summarizing action on the bill to date.
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By now, many of you may have seen the latest update from NHELD on the status of Senate Bill 162. Unfortunately, the news is challenging. However, if we rally together, pray for favor, rely on God, and remain vigilant, we can prevail. If we do all these things and are still handed increased regulation, we know that the Lord can (and will) use it for our benefit and for the benefit of the homeschooling movement at large. Remember:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. --- Romans 8:28

That said, in this particular message, I would like to review what has occurred thus far using a timeline from the Connecticut General Assembly Bill Tracking webpage:

2/14/2008 Referred to Joint Committee on Children
2/15/2008 Public Hearing Scheduled 2/19/2008
2/19/2008 Public Hearing on SB162
2/28/2008 Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference Education
2/29/2008 Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office
3/3/2008 Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners’ Office
3/4/2008 Favorable change of Reference, Senate to Committee on Education
3/4/2008 Favorable change of Reference, House to Committee on Education
3/18/2008 Joint Favorable Substitute
3/19/2008 Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office

If you recall, the desired original bill (the O’NEILL VERSION) was supposed to alter only a portion of Statute 10-220 (Duties of Boards of Education) and was supposed to read like this:

Purpose: to allow parents to home school their children and to require the board of education to respect their decision.

…when a parent or guardian of a child provides by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the principal of the school that the child attends, to the superintendent of schools for the school district in which such school is located or the local or regional board of education for such school district, written notice originated by and signed by the parent or guardian of the child stating that the parent or guardian is withdrawing the child from enrollment in a public school and will provide instruction for the child as required pursuant to section 10-184, the principal of the school that the child attends, the superintendent and the local or regional board of education shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn form enrollment in the public school immediately upon receipt of such notice…

But, somehow, when the legislation reached the Joint Committee on Children, the bill had been rewritten to alter Statute 10-184 (Duties of Parents) by adding an entirely new section to that law. This version read thus:

Purpose: to create a procedure in which a parent or guardian is to follow when withdrawing a child from enrollment in public school.

…If the parent or other person having control of a child elects to provide the instruction required pursuant to this section to such child, such parent or other person may withdraw such child from school upon providing the notice described in this subsection to the principal of the school the child is attending or the superintendent of schools for the local or regional school district in which such school is located. Such notice shall (1) state that the parent or other person is withdrawing the child from school and that such required instruction will be provided by the parent or such other person, (2) be in writing, (3) be signed by such parent or other person, and (4) be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested. Such principal and superintendent of schools and the local or regional board of education for such school district shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

Thankfully, the Joint Committee on Children passed an amendment changing the bill back to the original intended wording (the O’NEILL VERSION) and causing the legislation to, once again, alter only Statute 10-220.

This favorable version of the bill then proceeded to the Joint Committee on Education. A hearing was held on February 19, 2008. Encouragingly, no one spoke in opposition to the legislation and no representative from the Department of Education bothered to show up, leading the homeschool community to believe that the bill would be voted out of committee with the original desired wording (the O’NEILL VERSION).

Well, homeschooling advocates should never become too complacent when life is humming along, seemingly in their favor, for some unexpected event is sure to ambush them. And, boy, were we ambushed. On March 6, 2008, National Home Education Legal Defense reported on their website that the Commissioner of Education contacted the sponsor of Senate Bill 162, Representative Arthur O’Neill, and proposed his own changes, the clear text of which I do not have. It is also my understanding that many of the Commissioner’s ideas were incorporated into yet a third permutation of the bill, a permutation that was eventually offered up at the last meeting of the Education Committee. I refer to it as the GAFFEY VERSION because Senator Gaffey is a Co-Chairman of the aforementioned hearing body. This version reads thus and is the version that was approved by the Education Committee and that will be voted on in the Senate (unless another amendment is offered changing it back to the original desired form). I have highlighted the new portions in orange:

(b) The parent or person having control of a child sixteen or seventeen years of age who does not intend to provide equivalent instruction to such child pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may consent, as provided in this subsection, to such child’s withdrawal from school. Such parent or person shall personally appear at the school district office and sign a withdrawal from. The school district shall provide such parent of person with information on the educational options available in the school system and in the community.

(c) The parent or person having control of a child five years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is six years of age and the parent or person having control of a child six years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is seven years of age. Unless the parent or person having control of such child elects to provide equivalent instruction pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the parent or person shall exercise such option by personally appearing at the school district office and signing an option form. The school district shall provide the parent or person with information on the educational opportunities available in the school system.

(d) (1) If the parent or person having control of a child elects to provide the equivalent instruction pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to such child, other than through enrollment in a nonpublic school, such parent or other person shall provide written notice pursuant to this subsection to (A) (i) the principal of the school the child is attending, or (ii) if such child is not enrolled in school, to the principal of the school such child would otherwise attend due to the child's residency, or (B) the superintendent of schools for the local or regional school district in which such school is located. The parent or other person having control of such child shall provide notice in accordance with the provisions of this subsection each time such child resides in a school district other than the district for which such notice was initially provided.

(2) Notice provided pursuant to this subsection shall (A) state that the parent or other person having control of such child intends to provide the child with equivalent instruction pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, (B) be signed by the parent or other person having control of such child, and (c) be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested. The principal or superintendent and the local or regional board of education employing the principal or superintendent shall immediately accept such notice as evidence that the child is receiving such equivalent instruction.

It is this latter section, section (d),that appears to carry the most danger. At least that is how I see it. I will explain further in my next posting.

Drug Testing Run Amok

You will have to forgive my rude reaction to this news article, but can someone please tell me when the UCI changed its name from the Union Cycliste Internationale to the United Confederation of Imbeciles! Listen to this from Velonews, quoted in its entirety:

Belgian cyclist Kevin Van Impe was taken for a routine drugs test just as he was at the crematorium filling in papers following the death of his baby son, media reported Saturday.

The Quick Step rider was at Lochristi crematorium when a drugs tester turned up and demanded he provide a sample, warning that otherwise he could face a two-year suspension.

“He wouldn’t even come back later in the day. It was either do it right on the spot or it would be taken as if I had refused,” Van Impe told web site www.sport.be.

Van Impe was arranging the funeral of son Jayden, born prematurely on Monday and who died just six hours later.

Asked to comment on the incident Flemish minister for sport Bert Anciaux said authorities were to determine how better to organize random tests to avoid a repeat in such delicate circumstances.

“The law is the law but you must take a human perspective,” the Belgian news agency quoted Anciaux as saying.

“I can well understand the rider had other things on his mind at the time of the test.”

For those readers who are unfamiliar with the sport of cycling, the UCI monitors professional road cyclists in order to detect doping and to deter riders from participating in doping. While their program is rigorous and is considered one of the most comprehensive in the world, and while the riders agree to both in-competition and out-of-competition testing that is so random a drug tester can, literally, show up at any time (as evidenced by the above story), the regulatory body certainly shouldn’t have the ability to interfere so completely in the life of an athlete as to show up during a time of mourning. What’s next? Are drug enforcement officials going to interrupt an actual funeral?

I think the UCI has finally overstepped the bounds of reason and gone beyond zealous in their pursuit of a clean sport. I, for one, hope their “more human perspective” involves some extensive training in socially appropriate behavior for their drug testers. Maybe they can take some direction from the English and use one of those Anti-Social Behavior Orders to stop their employees from being so incredibly insensitive.

Needed: Organists!

With a shortage of organists looming on the horizon, several organizations are attempting to get young people interested in the instrument. For example, local/regional chapters of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) are sponsoring Pipe Organ Encounters around the country. Here is video from one in San Francisco, California.



Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana has also joined the effort. This summer, they are sponsoring two five-day workshops for organists. Here are the class descriptions. If you need more information on how to participate, call the seminary at (260) 452-2224, or visit this page on their website.

Organist Primer
June 16-20, 2008
Organ instructor: Kevin Hildebrand
Theology instructor: Richard Resch

This beginning workshop is designed for organists who donot use pedals, who us only one foot, or who wish to learn more of the basics of service playing. It will include instruction about fundamental music understanding and organ vocabulary. Kantor Hildebrand will demonstrate appropriate and easy service music for the Lutheran organist. A daily study of Lutheran theology will be taught by Kantor Resch.

Level I
July 14-18, 2008
Organ instructor: Richard Resch
Theology instructor: John Pless

Each day participants will have a one-hour session with Professor Pless teaching the Theology of Worship. Kantor Resch will teach service playing, hymnody, church year, music for weddings, funerals, and talk about the pastor/musician relationship. He will work with the individual organists who have taken the Primer Level or are using both feet in their playing.

Tuition for each workshop is $206; on-campus room and board is an additional $175.

DYK? ASBO

I must admit I did not know that ASBO stands for Anti-Social Behavior Order. It is a civil legal order that operates in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The following groups can apply for one:

- police
- local authorities (councils)
- transport police
- registered social landlords
- housing action trusts

Evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, must be presented in court to support the request for an ASBO. A magistrate makes the final determination for issuance. If issued, the ASBO lasts for a minimum of two years.

Behaviors considered anti-social and, therefore, within the purview of an ASBO: anything that causes harassment, alarm, or distress to one or more people who do not live with the person being considered for an order, or a pattern of behavior that affects so many people that it needs to be addressed by the community. Here is a sample of suspect behaviors from an extensive list on AntiSocialBehaviour.org.uk:

- abusive verbal behavior
- arson
- assault
- begging
- boom-box cars/vehicles (noisy car stereos)
- bullies and bullying
- criminal behavior
- criminal damage
- damage to property
- domestic violence
- drug and alcohol misuse/abuse
- harassment/harassing passers-by or local residents
- homophobic behavior
- prostitution
- neighbor intimidation
- nuisance animals
- overgrown, unkempt gardens
- racist behavior/racial harassment
- running a business from home
- stalking
- use of inappropriate places for sport/activities
- vandalism, graffiti

Well, I would probably be in trouble because of the slow progress on my exterior home remodeling projects and, possibly, because of my non-immaculate yard in the summer. Then again, I could be in trouble because I homeschool!

That aside, what drew my attention to this in the first place was the use of an ASBO against an eight-year-old boy, Michael Brachter, who was ordered not to go outside his home with a hammer, saw, screwdriver, nails, chisels, knives, scissors, or secateurs (pruning shears). Apparently, young Michael likes to use these tools to play Bob the Builder games in his neighborhood, an activity that residents of his housing trust felt was out of hand. To read a more complete article about that, click here.

Personally, I think there is more to this situation than meets the eye because children younger than ten are not supposed to be subject to an ASBO, and because the mother in this situation is also banned from several activities, among them allowing cannabis in her home, playing loud music, and having more than three visitors a day at her residence.

One final piece of information: if you break an ASBO, you could get up to five years in prison.

I am so glad I live in the United States.

Note: Please know that I do not condone anti-social behavior. I just don’t think the ASBO is the best way to deal with it.

Maybe I Should Get That Flu Shot

In late February, twelve-year-old Jasmine Levy of Minneapolis, MN complained to her mother that she wasn’t feeling well. That was Sunday night. By Monday morning, Jasmine was dead, the first child to succumb to influenza this season in the state of Minnesota. Jasmine’s younger sister, Danielle, also contracted the illness, the same evening as her sister. Rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance, Danielle was admitted to intensive care and placed in a drug-induced coma for several days. She survived. Neither girl had a flu shot because their mother lacked health insurance. Jasmine, an asthma patient, was definitely a candidate for the vaccine. Sadly, she also developed a staph infection as a complication of the flu. Death came quickly as her lungs filled with fluid.

Late this week, a second child also perished from influenza. This time the victim was five years old (also from Minneapolis), had no underlying health condition, and had received a flu shot after she had become ill. Unlike Jasmine Levy, who contracted an A strain of influenza, this child was infected with influenza B.

What is the difference, you ask? Quoting from the Influenza: A to B page on the University of Florida College of Medicine website:

The influenza viruses are a group of RNA viruses designated as types A, B, and C. Type C may not be a true influenza virus and usually causes only mild or asymptomatic disease. Influenza B virus usually causes a minor illness, but it does have the potential to cause more severe disease in older persons. Influenza A virus, however, causes pandemics. The reason for the recurrent outbreaks is that the virus undergoes periodic antigenic shifts in its two outer membrane glycoproteins --- hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) --- for example, from H1N1 to H2N2 in 1957 and from H2N2 to H3N2 in 1968, thus introducing a new virus into a population that has no protective serum antibody. No different subtypes of H and N have been identified for influenza B and C.

So, I can contract the flu and it will manifest symptomatically as a mild upper respiratory infection, bacterial pneumonia or, as in the case of the older child referenced above, rapidly fatal viral pneumonia. Given those choices, it makes me wonder why I didn’t get that flu shot. Maybe next year I will.

Another Minnesota Hero

Back in August 2007, when the I-35W Bridge collapsed, Matthew Miller of Fridley, Minnesota was part of a construction crew that had been on the span. At the moment the structure buckled, he was on the shore taking a break. Only twenty-one years of age at the time, he leapt into action, helping to save eight people, including the Coulter family. Recently, Matthew described the situation in an interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper:

It was just before 6 p.m. on a blistering hot day on the job, and some of the crew had some downtime before heading back out on the bridge.

- snip –

“I looked at the traffic stop, and then I noticed that a female in a car was kind of freaking out. She was waving her hands. I thought she was crazy. Then she rolled down her window and said the cars were ‘bouncing.’ I said, “Bouncing, what are you talking about?”

Miller turned --- and saw nothing, except dust and smoke.

“After about a minute, I realized there was no more bridge. So then I went from chaos mode to panic.”

Miller worked his way down into the river gorge, across train tracks and woods, to where a huge canopy of highway was resting at a sharp angle.

He jumped down an 8-foot embankment, grabbing a tree branch to break his fall.

- snip –

Then he got to the place he calls Ground Zero. “There [were] eight lanes of concrete hanging 15 feet above me.”

In an instant, he found himself praying. “I said, ‘God, help me not to focus on that piece of concrete, that piece of highway hanging above my head.’ From there, I didn’t look up.”

- snip –

Among the first people Miller found was a woman trapped in a car upside down. He crawled into the car and ripped out the head rests so she could be pulled out through the back seat.

Strangely, she was calm. “She was very uncomfortable, I could tell,” Miller said. “But she was more calm than I was.”

More haunting was the crushed minivan carrying the Coulter family --- mom, dad, and two teenage daughters from Savage.

“I couldn’t tell it was a minivan because it was crushed. I thought it was a sedan,” Miller said.

He found one of the girls standing by the wreck, in shock, under the sloping concrete. “I told her we’ve got to get moving. It’s either I pick you up or I’ll help you walk. She wouldn’t move. She was scared. I ended up picking her up.”

A co-worker helped the other injured girl.

They were able to help the father walk through the rubble and concrete, supporting him with his arms over their shoulders, like an injured football player.

“He wasn’t responding to anybody,” Miller recalled. “He wasn’t making any noise. And for him not to respond to his daughters screaming, I knew something was wrong.”

By the time they got to the mother, who appeared to be the most badly injured, they had found plywood to use as a makeshift stretcher to carry her and others to waiting ambulances. Some were loaded into the back of a company truck that was pressed into service.

Miller would later splash into the water to help land boats that were coming in from the river, carrying victims, rescuers and other construction workers.

Since Mr. Miller was accompanied and assisted in these rescue efforts by other members of his road crew, he never imagined that people would single him out for recognition; yet that is exactly what has happened. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society has nominated him as a finalist for the Above and Beyond Citizen Honor. Quoting from their website:

These awards will celebrate the best of America by profiling spectacular stories of individuals who demonstrate service over self. The heroic examples of the Medal of Honor recipients, along with the Above & Beyond Citizen Honorees, will continue to inspire long after the presentation ceremony. These remarkable citizens stand to remind each and every one of us that for Americans, anything is possible.

Retired General Colin Powell will present the awards on March 25, 2008. Check your local cable provider for a list of stations carrying the event.

Happenings in My Hometown

I thought it was about time to catch up on the news from Minnesota.

FAIRMONT, MN --- New director for Opera House
Tom Dodge will be starting as managing director for the Fairmont Opera House, replacing Michael Burgraff, who took a position as executive director of the Black Hills Playhouse. According to the Fairmont Sentinel:

His ties to the Opera House date back to when the historical arts center was renovated in the 1980’s.

“I was shoveling dirt and working closely with Doc Arneson,” Dodge said, referring to Dr. Robert Arneson, who organized efforts to save the Opera House.

The work Dodge will put into the Opera House as director is “kind of a tribute to the Arnesons, for what they did for the community.”

“This is going to be more a labor of love than anything, taking care of the Opera House,” he said. “This is going to be a way of putting back into the community a lot of what the community has give to me.”

A native of Truman (the same town where young Nick Graham, a high school student, rescued a grocery store from extinction), Mr. Dodge wants to build on the mission of the Opera House as an educational facility, and work toward more coordination with other local cultural venues, such as the Red Rock Center, the Fairmont Film Society, and the Martin County Historical Society.

ST. PAUL, MN --- Minnesota college costs twice the national average
A recent report says that the “net cost of a public college education in Minnesota is nearly twice the national average.” Apparently, the cost is also higher than other Big Ten schools. Of course, I have trouble digesting this because the one Minnesota school that my daughter is even marginally considering, Bethany Lutheran College (a private institution), averages $24, 640 annual tuition. The local Connecticut school that is tops on her list is the fourth most expensive college in the country --- Connecticut College --- with an annual tuition fee of $48,000. Even given differences in income and geography, from where I sit, Minnesota still looks like a bargain.

ST. PAUL, MN --- State Senate limits payments to I-35W Bridge victims
The Minnesota State Senate recently voted to limit compensation for the victims of the I-35W Bridge collapse to $400,000 each, an amount many feel is woefully inadequate. Rather than pay survivors according to their individual losses, the state would like to create a $25 million compensation fund, out of which awards would be paid. The Minnesota House of Representatives voted NOT to cap individual awards. The plans will now go to a conference committee that will be tasked with reaching a compromise.

Apparently, the $400,000 cap in the Senate version of this legislation already exceeds the state liability limit of $300,000, a point that is not lost on some legislators. Senator Ron Latz, for example, believes that it isn’t fair for bridge victims to receive more when their injuries are no different than those suffered by others in other incidents, but who are bound by the liability limits.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN --- City ranks one of top ten for childbirth
A survey by Fit Pregnancy found that Minneapolis is the second best place in the United States to have a baby. Beaten only by Portland, Oregon, this North Star city received the following grades in various categories on a “birthing report card:”

Affordability: B
Maternal & Infant Health Risk: A
Breastfeeding: A-
Birthing Options: C
Stroller Friendliness: C
Fertility Laws/Resources: B-
Access to Hospitals/Doctors: A
Child Care: C
Safety: C-

What was good about Minneapolis? Low infant mortality rates, low cesarean section rates, and progressive laws that guarantee a nursing mother the right to breastfeed in public. What needed improvement? High hospital costs, the availability of licensed day care centers, and state laws that do not require health insurance companies to offer fertility-related services. The weather was also a big detractor (shocking!). It isn’t always conducive to getting out and working off those extra pregnancy pounds. Oh, well. No place is perfect.

Other impressive statistics:
- Minneapolis has one doula for every 37 live births; the national average is one per 649.
- 16% of Minneapolis mothers breastfeed exclusively (meaning no solids, formula, or other liquids) for six months or longer.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN --- Radio and TV legend Bill Carlson dies
Bill Carlson, a legend in the broadcasting community, passed away in late February after a protracted struggle with prostate/liver cancer. I can remember Mr. Carlson from my childhood in Minnesota. For me, he was the face and voice of WCCO; he and Dave Moore. I remember Mr. Carlson’s wife as well, Nancy Nelson. She is best known for her role in numerous infomercials, as well as various talk shows in the Twin Cities area over the past decades. A memorial service honoring Mr. Carlson was held in early March and was attended by more than 800 people, common folk and celebrities alike. He will be sorely missed.

DYK? Green Tea Booster

The antioxidants in green tea, known as catechins, lose their punch once they enter your intestine. In fact, according to my weekly Real Age tip, close to 80% of the catechins in green tea are left by the wayside. To boost the absorption of these helpful substances, researchers suggest flavoring your tea with freshly squeezed lemon, orange, lime, or grapefruit juice (lemon is best). Apparently, the vitamin C from the citrus increases the acidity of your small intestine, thereby increasing the absorption of catechins. Good thing my homeschooling friend gave me a bag of lemons last night!

Also from my weekly message:

More green tea news:

- it may help you lose weight
- it may help keep your knees young and strong
- it can help your skin look great
- it can help you stay sharp

For more Real Age tips, click here.

This Week in CT Education

As a homeschooler, I like to keep track of the happenings in public schools across my state. Some weeks the news from “the other side” is pretty quiet. Not so, this week:

DANBURY, CT --- Teen sues over hearing loss
The parents of a fifteen-year-old student from Danbury High School are planning to sue the Danbury school district on his behalf for damages related to the hearing loss he suffered when his math teacher slammed the palm of her hand on his desk during class. Apparently, she was attempting to wake the child; he had dozed off during her lecture.

From Fox News:

[The boy’s] father, Soel Robacher, claims that his sleepy son’s left ear was resting on his desk on Dec. 4 when math teacher Melissa Nadeau slammed her hand down so hard that his eardrum burst. Robacher says his son experienced an almost complete loss of hearing.

Since then, though some of his hearing has been restored, the boy has been through extensive medical treatments with ear, nose and throat specialists and could require surgery to fully rectify the damage...

NEW HAVEN, CT --- Students suspended for purchasing Skittles
A fourteen-year-old boy from the Sheridan Communications and Technology Middle School was suspended for buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate. The price: $1.00. Not a bad deal, you say, but definitely a bad decision. You see, the district has a “no candy selling” policy that students were repeatedly warned existed. So, the young man with the sweet tooth had knowledge that he was breaking school rules, as did the “candy pusher” when he offered the sinful snack to his classmate. Result: suspension for both offenders. The boy who purchased the Skittles also lost his position in student government (student council vice president) and was kept from attending an honors dinner, a pretty harsh sentence for a misspent buck. Both boys eventually saw their suspensions expunged from their records and the student council vice president was allowed to return to his post.

BRIDGEPORT, CT --- Another student brings gun to school
Another student? Brought a second gun to school? In a week? I didn’t even hear about the first student with the first gun! The school district response: crack down on security. Well, I would hope so. From WTNH News Channel 8:

Metal detectors were installed in all high schools in the city Thursday --- including Bassick High. That’s [where] a ninth grader was found with a gun in the school’s second floor crosswalk Wednesday. Another student reported seeing him with it. Tuesday, a seventh grader was found with a loaded gun at Roosevelt Elementary.

- snip –

Until now, wand metal detectors have been used in all of the schools. More resource officers have been assigned to Roosevelt Elementary and Bassick High after this week’s incidents.

And people wonder why I homeschool.

A First Poem

My daughter is taking a poetry class this term that consists of reading through and completing the exercises in The Grammar of Poetry: Imitation in Writing by Matt Whitling, as well as participating in a class where she reads through “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare. I also plan to add some poetry memorization later in the year.

In Lesson 11 of the curriculum, Katherine the Great was asked to write a poem using iambic tetrameter. This is her result:

The Cave

There is a cave upon a bay,
Upon an ocean wild and gray;
And many a traveler long has sought
This pirates trove long since forgot.

For in that cave there lieth gold
And silver, diamonds, treasures old,
All mold’ring in the dank and gloom,
Their seekers sailing to their doom.

Now to that shore remote I came,
The pirates treasure for to claim;
But lo! the love of Christ I found
More precious than the fortune ‘round.

Call me a proud parent, but I think her initial foray into poetry turned out quite well.

DYK? Anti-Inflammatory Diet Suggestions

According to the American Dietetic Association, March is Nutrition Month.  Who would have guessed? As part of this recognition, Dr. Weil has been doing an e-mail series of “kitchen makeover” tips that focus on improving the quality of food in America’s pantries. Part 1 dealt with cleaning all the unhealthy food out of my cabinets. I was supposed to ditch anything that was refined, presweetened, or made with white flour and replace it with an organic, high-fiber, whole-grain alternative. He also suggested I remove all instant soups, rice/noodle mixes, and instant drink mixes. The soups were to be replaced with natural, whole-grain soup ingredients like brown rice, dried beans, lentils, and peas; the drink mixes with green, white, or oolong tea. So far, so good. I followed most of those recommendations fifteen years ago when my husband was a cancer patient. The good doctor also suggested including some anti-inflammatory spices in my pantry like sage, basil, thyme, and rosemary. No problem there, either.

Part 2 of the “kitchen makeover” series came today. It recommended that I pay close attention to nutrition labels the next time I go to the supermarket so that I steer clear of these ingredients (listed below), which promote inflammation and, consequently, work against healthy aging. Are you ready for this list? Be prepared to look at a bare cupboard if you are new to the health food scene. Also, say goodbye to most of that Easter candy you bought for the kids. It is usually laced with palm kernel oil.

Animal fat (such as lard)
Artificial sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners
Coconut oil
Corn oil
Cottonseed oil
Fractionated oil
High fructose corn syrup
Hydrogenated oil or vegetable shortening
Margarine
Palm or palm kernel oil
Partially hydrogenated oil (source of trans-fat)
Blended vegetable oils
Safflower oil
Soybean oil
Sunflower oil

I don’t have much of this stuff in my pantry. I will occasionally purchase margarine when baking cookies from my “vintage” cookbooks but, for the most part, I have avoided most of these ingredients for a while now.

So, what is a mother to do in the face of such recommendations? Mostly, do as the doctor ordered: pay attention to nutrition labels and begin switching to healthier choices. If your local supermarket looks pretty dismal after this exercise, hunt up a health food grocery store, or find a natural foods cooperative to order from. That’s what I did. In fact, I have to pick up my order this afternoon. Bon appétit!

At Least Florida Makes An Effort

In the same week that California attacked homeschooling with an unfavorable appellate court ruling (see article at Bending the Twigs), Florida Governor Charlie Crist issued this proclamation:

HOME EDUCATION WEEK

WHEREAS, the State of Florida is committed to excellence in education and to public policy that strengthens the family and recognizes parental choice in pursuit of that excellence and the importance of parental involvement in education; and

WHEREAS, from the earliest days of our nation, there have been some prominent Americans who were home educated including George Washington, John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Booker T. Washington, Helen Keller and Sandra Day O’Connor; and

WHEREAS, home education has existed as a statutorily protected educational option in the State of Florida since 1985, providing parents the ultimate authority and responsibility, under God, for the care, character development, and educational opportunities for their children; and

WHEREAS, in support of home education, the State of Florida extends and embraces the opportunity for home educated students to participate in and benefit from scholarship programs, college courses, Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and Florida State Music Association (FSMA) extra-curricular activities; and

WHEREAS, over two decades of studies indicate most children who are home educated exhibit self-confidence, good citizenship, exceptional academic test scores, higher than average college attendance and success and many have proven devotion to their country by faithfully serving in the armed forces of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the State of Florida and its citizens benefit from reduced educational expenditures and classroom crowding each year given the daily sacrifices and commitment of thousands of home schooling parents;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Charlie Crist, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing March 30 thru April 5, 2008 as Home Education Week.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed at Tallahassee, the Capital, this 29th day of February, in the year two thousand eight.

The Governor Speaks

Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued this statement regarding the appellate decision in In re Rachel L. I am not always a fan of the “Governator,” but in this particular instance, I am happy for his support:

Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children’s education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don’t protect parents’ rights then, as elected officials, we will.

Well, thank the Lord someone in the Golden State is thinking clearly.

Sign the Petition!

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is asking homeschoolers everywhere to support homeschool freedom in California by signing a petition to “depublish” the recent appellate decision in In re Rachel L. So far, 87,983 people have committed their names to the effort. For more information, read on (from the HSLDA website):

A California Court of Appeal recently decided that homeschooling is illegal in California unless a parent is a certified teacher.

The case arose in a confidential juvenile court proceeding. The family was represented by court-appointed attorneys and HSLDA did not become aware of the case until the Court of Appeal case was published on February 28, 2008.

The Court could have restricted its decision to the facts before it, but instead it issued a broad ruling that effectively outlaws home education in California. The Court also certified its decision for publication, which means that the decision can now be cited as legal by all other courts in California.

The family and their California counsel are planning to appeal to the Supreme court of California, which could result in reversal.

Another option to keep homeschooling free in California is to petition the Supreme Court of California to “depublish” the opinion. If the opinion is “depublished” then it cannot be used by the other California courts and this threat to homeschool freedom will be neutralized for other California homeschoolers.

HSLDA will be formally petitioning the California Supreme Court to depublish the opinion. We would like to show that many other people, both in California and across the country, care deeply about homeschool freedom in California.

Please show your support for this effort by signing the petition today.

We, the undersigned, request that the Supreme Court of California depublish the Court of Appeal opinion in In re Rachel L., handed down on February 28, 2008.

To reach the petition, click here.

Bach & the Organ

Last week sometime, my Google reader returned a posting on the CyberBrethren blog entitled, “Bach and the Organ: Why the King of Instruments is Still King.” At the time, I thought it would be an interesting read for Katherine the Great, my budding organist. Well, yesterday, I finally checked the posting for myself and this is what I found: a wonderful video of the inner workings of an organ and more. Watch it. Homeschoolers, get your kids to watch it. I was inspired by it. May you be inspired as well.

Cats Rule!

This may be distressing news for dog lovers. A study from the Minnesota Stroke Institute at the University of Minnesota has suggested that cats prevail...at least when it comes to reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke. I was notified of this development in my daily Dr. Weil e-mail. Curious, I went looking for more information. This is what I found, an article from MedicineNet.com:

A new study shows that cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases than people who have never had a pet cat.

The findings emerged from an analysis of data on nearly 4,500 men and women, ages 30 to 75, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. All were free of cardiovascular disease when they entered the study in the 1970’s.

Over half, 55%, reported having a pet cat at some point in their lives.

Compared with cat owners, people who never had a pet cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack over the 20-year study period. They were also 30% more likely to die of any cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure, and chronic heart disease.

The results held true even after the researchers took into account other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including age, gender, race, blood pressure, and smoking.

The researchers found no such link for people who had a pet dog.

So, in the interest of healthier living, my canine fancying friends may want to adopt a cat from the Humane Society. Of course, that might put their dogs at increased risk for stress-related issues. Hmmm. I wonder if anyone has studied that phenomenon.

NOTE: Controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes are also critical in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Readers should always consult their physicians about their current or ongoing health concerns.

Minnesotans for Global Warming

My daughter’s friend, The Magical Storyteller, posted this video on his blog a while back. His mom sent me a note about it. Being from Minnesota, I guess she thought I would be amused. I was. I actually thought setting the flamingo free was the funny part since my daughter and I have been known to go “flocking” for fund raisers and such. When you are done with the video, you might want to check out Minnesotans for Global Warming (M4GW). They have some amusing stories on their blog, plus an article about International Falls being officially designated the “Icebox of the Nation.” As one commenter put it:

Does anybody even know what an icebox is anymore? Maybe we should go for the “Ice Cube Tray of the Nation?”

Whichever designation you choose, the fact is that Minnesota is cold and snowy in the winter, as demonstrated by the scenery in this video. Enjoy!

Winter Storm Destiny

What exactly is destiny anyway? Well, I found this definition on Dictionary.com:

des • ti • ny [des-tuh-nee]
--- noun, plural – nies.

1. something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
2. the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.
3. the power or agency that determines the course of events.
4. (initial capital letter) this power personified or represented as a goddess.
5. the Destinies, the Fates.

Ok, that’s interesting, but what does it have to do with a winter storm? Why did the weather service name the latest storm “Destiny?” Because it was just our lot in life here in New England to get hammered by the latest blizzard? Or because it was inevitable that it would hit the Northeast? In that case, the weather service should name every blizzard Destiny, since by the time the storms get to New England, it seems pretty inevitable that we will be experiencing the effects of snow and ice. Is it because someone at the weather service thinks a “power or agency” has determined that a blizzard will hit here? I can’t necessarily argue with that since, as a Christian, I believe God controls everything. I do not, however, think that a goddess made the storm happen, or that the Fates of Greek mythology had anything to do with the storm dumping six inches of snow in my driveway.

Which brings me back to a form of my original question: why does the weather service name winter storms? My guess is so that meteorologists can more easily distinguish one winter weather event from another. Hey, if it makes their work easier and more organized, great. Just so they realize that some of us, non-meteorological types think the practice is somewhat corny.

At any rate, here is a picture from the latest winter storm to hit my backyard. I did not name the photo, in case you were wondering.

Tour of California Stage 5

I didn’t tune in for much of the race today, even though I generally enjoy watching individual time trials; but “watching” them on a computer by reading a play-by-play really stinks! Most of the information is either advertising or a single sentence stating “this rider started” or “this rider finished with this time.” Live video coverage is far superior! So, if anyone at Versus is listening, could you please carry the Tour of California live in 2009? Or could someone convince Adobe to make some TourTracker software that works on all computers, not just PC’s? I know at least one race fan that would really appreciate it.

Route: Solvang - Solvang
Riders remaining: 105
Distance: 15 miles
Climbs: None

The photos of Solvang on the Tour website look like the town should be situated in the Netherlands, what with the windmills dotting the skyline and the thatched roofs adorning some of the buildings. The picture itself, and the fact that Sunset magazine named Solvang one of the “Ten Most Beautiful Small Towns in the Western US,” made me curious enough to visit the city website. After reading a little there, I checked a local real estate website to see if any Danish-architecture homes were available in the area, just out of curiosity. Sadly, the homes for sale there look just like the homes for sale here in Connecticut and at the same outrageous prices --- $499,000 for a standard American ranch with a miniscule kitchen (and that was the cheapest house listed on Realtor.com). I guess I won’t be moving anytime soon. I may visit, though, if I can convince my daughter to add Solvang to the itinerary of our summer trip.

My favorite race moment: since I didn’t “see” much of the race, I would have to say the finishing podium --- two ex-Posties (Leipheimer/VandeVelde) and a Scotsman (Millar). How could I not be pleased with that! From what I understand, Levi Leipheimer put in a stunning performance, coming in almost 30 seconds ahead of David Millar who, by all accounts is a time-trial specialist. Congratulations Levi!

Stage 5 Standings
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Christian VandeVelde (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Varsson (CSC)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)

General Classification
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Christian VandeVelde (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Varsson (CSC)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)

My husband has the day off tomorrow. Maybe I can convince him to fire up his PC so I can watch the race live. I am sure you will hear about it either way. :-) See you later.

Tour of California Stage 4

With a daughter recovering on the couch this afternoon (and setting her homeschool studies aside for the day), I took some time to work on a homeschooling article and watch yet another stage of the Tour of California. Truth be told, I also ate too many Andes mints, just to maintain that stereotypical image of a stay-at-home mom eating bonbons and watching TV. Sadly, some riders could have been sitting home with me, having dropped out of the race overnight and yesterday: Edvald Hagen (High Road) and Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom); they left the race on Stage 3. Non-starters at the beginning of today: Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Scott) and Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner).

Route: Seaside - San Luis Obispo
Riders Remaining: 115
Distance: 135.3 miles
Climbs:
- Big Sur (category 4)
- Highway 1 (category 4)
- Highway 1 (category 3)

Rain at the start saw riders, once again, in jackets and warmers. Steady rain and stiff winds along the way made for an incredibly long and less-than-stellar day in the saddle as well. Then again, no one ever said the Tour of California would be a “walk in the park”, so to speak. At least the competitors got a few glimmers of sunshine around the halfway mark.

With Levi Leipheimer in the golden jersey, Astana spent the day in charge of the peloton, chasing down attacks that began immediately after the neutral zone. CSC and Quick Step were attentive at the front as well, protecting their men, Cancellara and Boonen respectively. A break of eleven men eventually escaped, managing to stay ahead for most of the day. Riders involved: Camaño (Saunier Duval-Scott), Hincapie (High Road), Mollema (Rabobank), Hivert (Credit Agricole), Belgy (Bouygues Telecom), Wyss (BMC), Kilun (Toyota-United Pro), Rollin (Toyota-United-Pro), King (Bissell), and Mead (Jelly Belly). The eleven eventually became ten when Julien Belgy abandoned the race. By the end of course, a few more competitors dropped behind, bringing the breakaway success count to six. Holding off the pack at an approximate two-minute gap for the duration, an admirable accomplishment given the wind and the weather, the closing sprint became a contest between Hincapie, Rollin, and Camaño. Rollin prevailed to take the prize. Hincapie was second, while Camaño took third.

My favorite race moment: Hincapie taking second after a day of hard riding and cruddy weather.

Stage 4 Standings
- Dominique Rollin (Toyota-United Pro)
- George Hincapie (High Road)
- Iker Camaño (Saunier Duval-Scott)
- Gerald Ciolek (High Road)
- Mark Cavendish (High Road)

General Classification
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Larsson (CSC)

Withdrawals on course today
- Jonathan Sundt (Kelly Benefit),
- Dymtro Grabovskyy (Quick Step)
- Matt Crane (HealthNet)
- Patrice Halgand (Credit Agricole)
- Julien Belgy (Bouygues Telecom)
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United Pro)
- Tom Danielson (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Jackson Stewart (BMC)
- Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell)

Tomorrow is the individual time trial. With thirteen seconds between first place Levi Leipheimer and second place Fabian Cancellara, the action should be tense. I will definitely be tuning in. Hopefully, the sun will be shining. See you then!

A note about Scott Nydam from the race website:

His father was diagnosed with leukemia two weeks before the Amgen Tour of California began…

My Thoughts on SB 162

As you may have noticed, a fair number of the recent posts on Gooseberry Lane have referenced CT Senate Bill 162, An Act Concerning the Withdrawal of a Child from Enrollment in a Public School. To date, most of what has been posted is logistical stuff --- hearing times, hearing locations, that sort of thing. Today, I would like to take a moment to discuss the bill itself and why I think Connecticut homeschoolers should think twice before supporting it in its revised form. Please be advised that I am not an attorney and the following statements are merely my opinion.

AN ISSUE OF WORDING AND APPLICABLE STATUTES

First, and most obvious, the wording of the current legislation is not the wording that was originally proposed. This is the original wording:

Original Wording

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That subsection (a) of section 10-220 of the general statutes be amended to provide when a parent or guardian of a child provides by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the principal of the school that the child attends or to the superintendent of the local or regional board of education, written notice originated by and signed by the parent or guardian of a child stating that the parent or guardian is withdrawing the child from enrollment in a public school and will provide instruction for the child as required pursuant to section 10-184 of the general statutes, the principal of the school that the child attends or the local or regional board of education shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from enrollment in the public school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

For those who may not know, Section 10-220 of the general statutes enumerates the duties of boards of education, and the list is quite long. Per homeschoolers, boards of education are responsible for causing our students (of applicable age) to attend school in accordance with the provisions of Section 10-184, which means they can request a demonstration of equivalent instruction. The applicable portion of subsection (a) of Section 10-220 currently reads thus:

Pertinent Text of Statute 10-220

…shall cause each child five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age who is not a high school graduate and is living in the school district to attend school in accordance with the provisions of section 10-184...

As you can see, the original wording of CT Senate Bill 162 would be added to this text. The purpose for this change would be to allow parents to homeschool their children and to require the board of education to respect that decision once it is made. The burden of compliance, if you will, per the notice of withdrawal would fall heaviest on the board of education. Parents would need to file the paperwork, of course, but once filed, it could not be interfered with by any action on the part of the board of education. Their only duty/responsibility would be to take the notice into their possession, acknowledge receipt of it, and immediately remove the child from the enrollment records of the school. No questions asked and no additional requirements beyond what is already enumerated in section 10-184 of the general statutes (equivalent instruction).

That is what would have happened had the original wording manifested itself in the draft bill. Unfortunately, during the drafting process, the wording of the bill was changed. The new wording looks like this:

Text of New Bill

If the parent or other person having control of a child elects to provide the instruction required pursuant to this section to such child, such parent or other person may withdraw such child from school upon providing the notice described in this subsection to the principal of the school the child is attending or the superintendent of schools for the local or regional school district in which such school is located. Such notice shall (1) state that the parent or other person is withdrawing the child from school and that such required instruction will be provided by the parent or other such person, (2) be in writing, (3) be signed by such parent or other person, and (4) be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested. Such principal and superintendent of schools and the local or regional board of education for such school district shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

If you were thinking to yourself that this wording doesn’t sound that much different than the original wording, you would be correct. However, the problem lies not just in the wording but in the fact that the new wording is a change to a completely different statute, Section 10-184 of the general statutes, NOT Section 10-220. Again, for those who may not know, Section 10-184 enumerates the duties of parents, meaning that should this new version of the bill become law, the burden of compliance could fall heaviest on the parent and each school district could, potentially, engage in the same shenanigans per non-acceptance of the notice of intent that has occurred for some time now in various parts of the state. Actually, I believe the fear is that school district officials may become even bolder in their attitude toward the notice of intent as they attempt to define the new term, “required instruction,” insisting that it must be demonstrated before a withdrawal notice would be deemed complete enough to “accept.” See the difference?

Practically speaking, regardless of where the new wording is installed or whether the wording that is used is new or original, the effect on Connecticut homeschoolers whose children are already being instructed at home will be non-existent should this bill become law. This debate is about formalizing a procedure whereby future homeschoolers could remove their children from school without the potential for harassment. By installing the original wording in Section 10-220 that potential is minimized; installing it in Section 10-184 adds a withdrawal procedure and, some would argue, keeps that potential for harassment intact.