Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[Churchhoney]

Since we know the Duggar wives don't like to be separated from their hubbies for long, please please let Jessa also be enrolled at UofA. (Yeah, I know good luck with her SODRT education, but she's the one with an actual high school diploma, right?)

 

She doesn't have any kind of diploma officially awarded by the state of Arkansas or their local school district, because state law prohibits that. She may have one from an online school, which would mean she'd actually fulfilled their requirements, whatever they might be; or one from a homeschool coalition -- some homeschooling groups give out diplomas to students who meet certain criteria and others simply give them out to any homeschool students whose parents pay a fee and ask for one; or she may have one that was simply awarded by the Duggar family based on their own criteria, which is also a common practice in the homeschool world. As far as I can tell, there's never been enough detail provided to know which of these is the case.

[BitterApple]

Or her diploma is like Kylie Jenner's and came fresh off the printer from Kinko's.

[ariel]

 

 

 

If so, I don't understand why they're not shouting it from the rooftops? They're on a mission to get back into people's good graces. Why not report something positive?

Maybe they are hoping that Bin just makes it through the new student orientations first before he starts pissing everyone off with his beliefs.

Edited September 13, 2015 by ariel

[3girlsforus]

Since we know the Duggar wives don't like to be separated from their hubbies for long, please please let Jessa also be enrolled at UofA. (Yeah, I know good luck with her SODRT education, but she's the one with an actual high school diploma, right?)

 

 

The problem she would have would not be the diploma but providing a transcript to UofA. Colleges accept homeschool transcripts but they have to come from the parent which means JB/Michele would have had to keep enough details and records of her schooling to develop her transcript. Even assuming they kept that kind of detail, which seems like a long shot to me, they would have to approve of her going to college. They hold the cards because without their transcript it will be difficult for her to complete the application. She could probably work with a counselor at a community college and get in there without records from her parents after which a college would take her, but directly to 4 year institution would require JB/Michele participation.

[Churchhoney]

Or her diploma is like Kylie Jenner's and came fresh off the printer from Kinko's.

 

Yep. That would be the "awarded by the Duggar family based on their own criteria" option. (or even one of the homeschool-group-awarded diplomas, depending on the group)  ... Given how little they've said about it, I have a feeling the Kinko's option the most likely. On the other hand, I expect they wanted her to have a diploma so that they could point to her having an educational credential to head off any criticism of having her being the kids' "teacher" when she's not a parent. So I do wonder whether they might have gotten her one by a more legitimate means.

The problem she would have would not be the diploma but providing a transcript to UofA. Colleges accept homeschool transcripts but they have to come from the parent which means JB/Michele would have had to keep enough details and records of her schooling to develop her transcript. Even assuming they kept that kind of detail, which seems like a long shot to me, they would have to approve of her going to college. They hold the cards because without their transcript it will be difficult for her to complete the application. She could probably work with a counselor at a community college and get in there without records from her parents after which a college would take her, but directly to 4 year institution would require JB/Michele participation.

 

Yeah, I agree.

 

I keep harping on the diploma, though, because people keep citing it as if it's evidence that she actually met somebody else's graduation criteria, like an online school's or something. But given that we've never heard any details about where it came from, and given that you can call something a diploma when you really met no criteria at all if you're slipshod and silly enough (and they are), I keep wanting to debunk the notion that having "a high school diploma" actually means that Jessa did any more with school than any of the other kids. Maybe it does. But maybe it doesn't. No way to tell based on what they've said.

[SometimesBites]

Can you imagine Jessa trying to gut through the SAT? Oh, that's the most ridiculous thought ever. Forget I mentioned it.

[Zella]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

 

I don't think Ben is a student at the U of A. I just finished getting a master's there this summer, and the university maintains an email directory for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff. I'm pretty sure you're automatically added once they generate an email address for you. There is no Seewald listed in the school directory. 

[leighdear]

Cash & this would get Jessa enrolled at U of A..... 

http://admissions.uark.edu/apply/118.php

I think it's very unlikely she would be able to meet the admissions criteria.  

Long time lurker, first time poster.

 

I don't think Ben is a student at the U of A. I just finished getting a master's there this summer, and the university maintains an email directory for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff. I'm pretty sure you're automatically added once they generate an email address for you. There is no Seewald listed in the school directory. 

Welcome!  And I agree.  I think he's just a campus cruiser and wannabe. 

Edited September 13, 2015 by leighdear

[zenme]

Also, I thought they didn't "date" but suddenly she's calling it a date?

 

I wish someone would have called her on it. 

[CofCinci]

A letter of reference or a phone call from Mike Huckabee would get her enrolled. If she wanted to go to college, she has resources to make it happen.

She has no interest in furthering her education. Her plan is to out Fundie her parents. Jessa will be pregnant within 3 months of delivery of this first baby.

[Patricia07]

A letter of reference or a phone call from Mike Huckabee would get her enrolled. If she wanted to go to college, she has resources to make it happen.

She has no interest in furthering her education. Her plan is to out Fundie her parents. Jessa will be pregnant within 3 months of delivery of this first baby.

 

Yeah, she'll probably pop this one out and immediately get pregnant to show up Jill, too.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

Shucks, ya'll....I was just hoping that maybe Ben was going to college and Jessa wanted to as well. I know it's a complete fantasy that would happen (especially now that I know more about Jessa's situation with her SODRT diploma....thanks to you all who cleared that up for me).

Sigh....

[Churchhoney]

Cash & this would get Jessa enrolled at U of A..... 

http://admissions.uark.edu/apply/118.php

I think it's very unlikely she would be able to meet the admissions criteria.  

Three year-long high school classes in lab sciences and four in math, with algebra one being the beginning of the sequence, unless you took some kind of applied math instead of algebra one, in which case you have to have taken two years of that to be the equivalent of algebra one. I'm trying to picture it. Picture not coming in clearly. Wonder how many years of arithmetic flash cards you need to replace the one algebra one course?

 

Three years of social studies -- world history? sociology? At the Duggar house? Uh-huh. Sure. How many one-size-fits-all-from-K-to-12 Wisdom Booklets would it take to make up one of those courses? Okay, how many would it take if all the nonsensical untrue fantasy crap were removed from each Wisdom Booklet?

 

Four years of high school English. What the heck would they read? What the even heckier would they write? The Duggars write a research paper. The Duggars write an analytical essay. The Duggars read Ralph Waldo Emerson and Toni Morrison. Heck. The Duggars write a friendly letter.

 

And then on top of all this, two more high school units of your choice, "chosen from English, foreign languages, oral communication, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and social studies." Wonder what Michelle taught in her computer-science elective?

[Churchhoney]

Shucks, ya'll....I was just hoping that maybe Ben was going to college and Jessa wanted to as well. I know it's a complete fantasy that would happen (especially now that I know more about Jessa's situation with her SODRT diploma....thanks to you all who cleared that up for me).

Sigh....

 

I was -- am, actually -- hoping the same thing. And maybe at least Ben will do it. I think he'd better hurry, though, because I can't see Jessa letting him go off to study while she takes care of the soon-to-be-numerous biological and adopted Seewald children all on her own.

 

Sorry to harp so much on the diploma. But while they want us to think it's something -- and maybe it is something, such as a diploma from an online school of some kind -- they've been so vague that it raises my suspicions, since two of the options for awarding a homeschool diploma really require nothing but parents' word that the kid has completed the equivalent of high school. I still do think it's possible that they got her a more legitimate diploma of some kind, though, since they may have wanted to have a convincing answer ready if someone questioned whether Jessa was competent to teach.

[carrps]

ETA:: Almost forgot this one "It's snowing down south." 

(Code for a slip showing, circa 1950.)

Heh. we said it was snowing south of the border in the late 50s.

[Beaner]

OT: Did Benessa ever do a baby registry? I would love to see it, and surely they've done it by now?

[Guest]

OT: Did Benessa ever do a baby registry? I would love to see it, and surely they've done it by now?

 

Maybe not since they're trying to keep the gender Top Secret. 

 

Spoiler alert: There are only two possible outcomes. 

Edited September 13, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

 

I don't think Ben is a student at the U of A. I just finished getting a master's there this summer, and the university maintains an email directory for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff. I'm pretty sure you're automatically added once they generate an email address for you. There is no Seewald listed in the school directory. 

 

Thanks for the detective work and congrats on your degree! 

[Sew Sumi]

Is it possible to change the email address that they give you, so that you can't be searched? I could see an idiot who thinks he's a real "celebrity" trying to do this. Pity if he isn't in school, because he certainly LOVES the college experience as evidenced by his prior education and time spent on the UofA campus, including football games. 

[zenme]

Maybe Ben signed up to be a guinea pig for a research project at U of A, and he's supplementing his toilet pay by getting paid to participate in the research. 

[Zella]

Thanks for all of the welcomes! 

Is it possible to change the email address that they give you, so that you can't be searched? I could see an idiot who thinks he's a real "celebrity" trying to do this. Pity if he isn't in school, because he certainly LOVES the college experience as evidenced by his prior education and time spent on the UofA campus, including football games. 

I must admit that I don't know if that is possible--it wouldn't surprise me if connections and whining made a difference--but I doubt it is.

 

The directory basically links you to everybody's school-assigned address and then also their department, so mine gave my school-assigned email address and then also noted I was in the English MA program. My students' directory posts gave me their school-assigned email addresses and then also noted whatever BA/BS program they were in: business, chemistry, etc.

 

If Ben were a student at the U of A, the directory wouldn't give out any more information than that. He certainly could choose not to use his school-assigned email account, but I don't think that would change the fact that his school email address would be listed. 

Edited September 13, 2015 by Zella

[zenme]

I think Ben's email account would be something like benheartjessa4ever@uark.edu. 

[Sew Sumi]

Thanks for all of the welcomes! 

I must admit that I don't know if that is possible--it wouldn't surprise me if connections and whining made a difference--but I doubt it is.

 

The directory basically links you to everybody's school-assigned address and then also their department, so mine gave my school-assigned email address and then also noted I was in the English MA program. My students' directory posts gave me their school-assigned email addresses and then also noted whatever BA/BS program they were in: business, chemistry, etc.

 

If Ben were a student at the U of A, the directory wouldn't give out any more information than that. He certainly could choose not to use his school-assigned email account, but I don't think that would change the fact that his school email address would be listed. 

Well, I had to ask. I was able to select my own email address in undergrad, but had one assigned to me in grad school, so I've seen this work both ways. :)

[Zella]

Well, I had to ask. I was able to select my own email address in undergrad, but had one assigned to me in grad school, so I've seen this work both ways. :)

Nice! I never got to pick as an undergrad or a grad student. I feel so deprived! :D

[kokapetl]

We live in a consumer society. 99 percent of what Jessa has learned with her new found freedom is what clothes she "needs" to buy and wear, what food she "needs" to buy and eat, what hair and makeup products she "needs" to buy and use etc, because that's why the vast majority of media exists. Jessa is not atypical. L'Oréal tells her she's worth it. How many ads does a person ever see for the local library?

Edited September 13, 2015 by Kokapetl

[Churchhoney]

Thanks for all of the welcomes! 

I must admit that I don't know if that is possible--it wouldn't surprise me if connections and whining made a difference--but I doubt it is.

 

The directory basically links you to everybody's school-assigned address and then also their department, so mine gave my school-assigned email address and then also noted I was in the English MA program. My students' directory posts gave me their school-assigned email addresses and then also noted whatever BA/BS program they were in: business, chemistry, etc.

 

If Ben were a student at the U of A, the directory wouldn't give out any more information than that. He certainly could choose not to use his school-assigned email account, but I don't think that would change the fact that his school email address would be listed. 

 

I think the key to why they probably wouldn't allow you to opt out of just getting the school email address is that you don't have to use it. You have it -- and it's helpful for the school itself, your professors, people who might assigned to a study group you're in, etc, since they can find an email for everybody on campus -- but beyond checking it for announcements from the administration or your professors, you're free to use your own email for everything else and ignore anything stupid that turns up in your box.

 

If a school doesn't just automatically assign emails, then it's a lot more work for them administratively to actually get a working email for everybody on campus. They'd have to track them down, proofread 'em, worry about what happens when somebody suddenly switches emails in the middle of a semester. With the assigned ones, they can blast email all the students at once with an important administrative announcement. And if somebody whines that they didn't see it, it's on them; they can't complain that they had to change their email address suddenly and the announcement got misdirected.

[Churchhoney]

The more I think about Ben's possible "campus ministry," the sicker it makes me and the more pitiful it seems. If that's indeed what he's trying to do and he isn't really in school, then deep down underneath he must be pining to be in school and to have a more normal life, I think. Pitiful and even scary and ominous, because, the Duggars being the Duggars, that ship has probably sailed for him. Not good to begin your married and family life with a huge hidden desire that the marriage pretty much forecloses to you, perhaps forever. (see Duggar, Josh)

 

And then when I think of the "ministry" he might do. Oy vey. Here, students, let me urge you to be like me -- ignorant, bigoted, closeminded and loudmouthed. To spout foggily understood quasi-Calvinist theology on the Internet and then fall apart like a wet tissue with the very first question or argument anyone raises regarding my position. How academic. How learned. How worthy of emulation. And yet somehow he really thinks it is? Christ.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Churchhoney

[3girlsforus]

Three year-long high school classes in lab sciences and four in math, with algebra one being the beginning of the sequence, unless you took some kind of applied math instead of algebra one, in which case you have to have taken two years of that to be the equivalent of algebra one. I'm trying to picture it. Picture not coming in clearly. Wonder how many years of arithmetic flash cards you need to replace the one algebra one course?

 

Three years of social studies -- world history? sociology? At the Duggar house? Uh-huh. Sure. How many one-size-fits-all-from-K-to-12 Wisdom Booklets would it take to make up one of those courses? Okay, how many would it take if all the nonsensical untrue fantasy crap were removed from each Wisdom Booklet?

 

Four years of high school English. What the heck would they read? What the even heckier would they write? The Duggars write a research paper. The Duggars write an analytical essay. The Duggars read Ralph Waldo Emerson and Toni Morrison. Heck. The Duggars write a friendly letter.

 

And then on top of all this, two more high school units of your choice, "chosen from English, foreign languages, oral communication, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and social studies." Wonder what Michelle taught in her computer-science elective?

And what's really sad about Jessa not being qualified for these requirements is that these are VERY low standards for getting into college. Those SAT scores are super low and the class requirements wouldn't graduate you from high school in our county. So if she can't even manage to put together a transcript that looks like this, it's a very sad thing.

 

Disclaimer 1 - This is not a slam on UofA. These are base requirements and my guess is the vast majority of students actually at the school have higher credentials.

Disclaimer 2 - I guess it's possible she does meet these requirements and they have just been very good at hiding her schooling :-)

 

 

Edited to add RE: college emails - both of my girls, the full-time college student and the dual enrollment high schooler, have an email from the college. They can not change it and they have to use it because it's the email professors use for information about the class, last minute changes, advice for problems with the class etc. 

Edited September 13, 2015 by 3girlsforus

[3girlsforus]

I'm actually confused about this idea of Ben being part of this campus ministry but not enrolled. Usually you don't join a club or activity at a college unless you are a student at that college. I didn't think you were even allowed to do that. How weird would that be to have someone show up and say 'hey I don't go to school here but I want to join too'? Or are we supposed to believe he's in charge?

[CofCinci]

He was probably just this campus ministry's special guest.  They pull out the big dog to bring the students over so they won't be tempted to rush frats and sororities.

[3girlsforus]

Athletes in Action has ties to lots of famous athletes including professionals in several sports. I seriously doubt anyone would consider Ben Seewald a big gun speaker for the group. He's not even an athlete. I don't think he's there as a student but I also don't think he's there because the group was dying to have him as a high profile speaker.

[MargeGunderson]

Is it possible to change the email address that they give you, so that you can't be searched? I could see an idiot who thinks he's a real "celebrity" trying to do this. Pity if he isn't in school, because he certainly LOVES the college experience as evidenced by his prior education and time spent on the UofA campus, including football games.

Yes, it is. Under FERPA (federal law on student privacy) students can opt-out of inclusion in directories, yearbooks, etc. "Celebrity" students often do this. That doesn't mean the student doesn't have a school email address; just that isn't included in any directory.

(I worked with student records at a couple of universities.)

Edited September 13, 2015 by MargeGunderson

[Churchhoney]

Yes, it is. Under FERPA (federal law on student privacy) students can opt-out of inclusion in directories, yearbooks, etc. "Celebrity" students often do this. That doesn't mean the student doesn't have a school email address; just that isn't included in any directory.

(I worked with student records at a couple of universities.)

 

Interesting. I'm of two minds about whether Ben would ask to opt out. On the one hand, I imagine he'd love asking for a privilege on the grounds of his being a "celebrity." .... On the other hand, he's the one Duggarling (semi) who actually does seem to want to engage with others online (he quits the engagement quickly when he can't keep up with the conversation -- but unlike the others, he does initially respond). Plus, I think he (secretly or not) wants to be a college student so badly that he might relish having his name in the directory. And we're talking tens of thousands of students here, so it's not as if it'd be too obvious to the general public. Curious to find out which it is.

 

ETA: If indeed he's there, which I'm actually betting he's not.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Churchhoney

[3girlsforus]

I know there is a lot of talk about JB and Michele not being supportive of or valuing college education. But I have to wonder if Jessa would want Ben to go back to school either. She hasn't been raised to think it's necessary or even good to get an education. But she has been taught, and Josh's behavior reinforces the idea, that men who are around other women tend to stray. So would Jessa really want or trust Ben to be a student at a school like UofA? She can't go to class with him round the clock and his studies would take his time away from her as well. 

[kokapetl]

I think to most Duggars, this University of Arkansas is a football team, not an educational institution. Ben being there is probably just a football thing.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Kokapetl

[Srilaura]

I think to most Duggars, this University of Arkansas is a football team, not an educational institution. Ben being there is probably just a football thing.

The same as it is to most Arkansans.

[Wellfleet]

Three year-long high school classes in lab sciences and four in math, with algebra one being the beginning of the sequence, unless you took some kind of applied math instead of algebra one, in which case you have to have taken two years of that to be the equivalent of algebra one. I'm trying to picture it. Picture not coming in clearly. Wonder how many years of arithmetic flash cards you need to replace the one algebra one course?

 

Three years of social studies -- world history? sociology? At the Duggar house? Uh-huh. Sure. How many one-size-fits-all-from-K-to-12 Wisdom Booklets would it take to make up one of those courses? Okay, how many would it take if all the nonsensical untrue fantasy crap were removed from each Wisdom Booklet?

 

Four years of high school English. What the heck would they read? What the even heckier would they write? The Duggars write a research paper. The Duggars write an analytical essay. The Duggars read Ralph Waldo Emerson and Toni Morrison. Heck. The Duggars write a friendly letter.

 

And then on top of all this, two more high school units of your choice, "chosen from English, foreign languages, oral communication, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and social studies." Wonder what Michelle taught in her computer-science elective?

 

Coming from a former teacher - I know, I know, there's really no such thing - THIS - POST - IS - AWESOME.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Wellfleet

[BradandJanet]

I wish he wouldn't wear his hat like that--he looks ridiculous!

 

Ben is channeling Eminem. From another decade. He thinks he looks cool and assumes others will too. 

[Zella]

Yes, it is. Under FERPA (federal law on student privacy) students can opt-out of inclusion in directories, yearbooks, etc. "Celebrity" students often do this. That doesn't mean the student doesn't have a school email address; just that isn't included in any directory.

(I worked with student records at a couple of universities.)

That's good to know! I probably read a paper about that at orientation, and it never even registered because so much was going on. I'm curious now how many U of A students opt out of the directory.

 

BTW, love your username!

[JenCarroll]

I expect they wanted her to have a diploma so that they could point to her having an educational credential to head off any criticism of having her being the kids' "teacher" when she's not a parent.

It must be so hard for Michelle to keep track of who is or isn't a "parent" in that house in any given circumstances. Think of the organizational skills she must have, to be able to both infantilize and push the kids into adult roles (hers) at the same time. Not to mention the sustained cognitive dissonance. I know I couldn't do it.

[kellylovessnark]

I would bet that Bin is in college right now--it's the easiest path and it doesn't require cleaning toilets.

I wish he wouldn't wear his hat like that--he looks ridiculous!

I would have to agree. I am basing it off my own experience as in college. I don't remember hearing anything definitive about him going to a community college until he graduated.

He could be on campus long enough for classes and then just leave.

[MargeGunderson]

That's good to know! I probably read a paper about that at orientation, and it never even registered because so much was going on. I'm curious now how many U of A students opt out of the directory.

 

BTW, love your username!

I'd be surprised if many did. One of the drawbacks to opting out is that the university can't acknowledge that you are a student there, so if a prospective employer called to verify that you graduated, the Registar can't confirm your attendance. You as the student would have to give the Registrar permission to release that information to a specific individual or organization. So, unless you really need to opt out (think presidential children, for example) it's more hassle than it's worth.

[Liz Tudor]

Re: college emails, and I can only speak for the institution where I taught, student and faculty emails are generated & assigned. If you don't want to use that account, that's fine, but there is an option to link it to whatever email address you want. So, I never let my students use the ol' "I didn't know about something" line after the first week of school, when I went over how to link your school account to a personal account. I only used school emails, 'cause I'm not sending stuff to im2hott4u2handle@gmail.com. Nor am I responding to incoming mail from that address, because...WHO the heck IS this??? Somehow, I'm supposed to know, but sue.smith@aaa.edu gave me a much better idea!

[NEGirl]

I hope Bin is going to U of A.  He did complete community college and get his AA degree. Obviously his parents were not against furthering his education.  If Bin can not see it, at least his parents should know the gravy train is over and Bin needs to do something to support himself.

I also believe a number of the Duggar kids would have gone to college if they had the opportunity. Josh and Joseph come to mind. How many times did we hear Josh say he wanted to go to college and be an attorney? Boob and J'Chelle took care of that, which is so sad. Most people do anything to give their kids a chance to go to college. JB & Mechelle, they do everything to prevent it. I hope when CPS was investigating them in May/June, they looked into the kids homefulling and whether they met state guidelines.

[SometimesBites]

Shucks, ya'll....I was just hoping that maybe Ben was going to college and Jessa wanted to as well. I know it's a complete fantasy that would happen (especially now that I know more about Jessa's situation with her SODRT diploma....thanks to you all who cleared that up for me).

Sigh....

Sorry to stomp on your dream. ;)

As for Jessa, even if she could get intothe U of A (and yeah, the Huckster could make that happen), she'd end up spending a fortune due to all the academic remediation she'd have to do. IF she actually wanted a real education, the smartest thing to do would be two or three years at community college, then transfer to the university.

I can't fathom that for Jessa because I don't think she has the grit and demand tolerance necessary to gut through the academic rigor. I'm not saying she isn't smart enough, but she's never had her native intelligence fully engaged and challenged, and leaning into that for the first time at her age adds an extra layer of difficulty. Also, taking on such a life changing effort with a new baby creates a certain conflict with her Gothard training, and having MORE babies along with higher education? Fuhgetaboutit.

[Churchhoney]

 I hope when CPS was investigating them in May/June, they looked into the kids homefulling and whether they met state guidelines.

 

The problem is that, thanks to very hard work on the part of HSLDA over the years, there basically are no state guidelines in Arkansas (and quite a lot of other states).

 

All you have to do is notify the school district in advance of your decision to homeschool. And then each year you have each kid take a state-provided achievement test for his or her grade level using some procedure established by your school district (or some test that you'd prefer, if you go through an opt-out procedure) and agree to send in the tests or have them sent to the state. The department of ed scores the tests, sends the scores back to you, removes all identifying information from your kids' scores and uses those de-identified scores to produce a general analysis of how well Arkansas homeschooled kids are doing, which they then stick in a file drawer and generally avoid looking at. Neither the state nor your local school district looks at homeschooled kids' individual scores or at anything else that's going on in your homeschooling, except for some kind of abuse that would trigger a CPS investigation. You choose your own materials, you alone see your kids' actual scores, and the state basically washes its hands of the whole thing, as home-school advocates have demanded through legislation over the past few decades.

 

So no such luck about having their schooling scrutinized in any way.

[floridamom]

So, Arkansas doesn't have any "accountability" for homeschooling? If this is true, what a racket Michelle has going on there. Once again, her kids lose.

[Churchhoney]

So, Arkansas doesn't have any "accountability" for homeschooling? If this is true, what a racket Michelle has going on there. Once again, her kids lose.

 

Here's an eye-opener on home schooling from a terrific group of young homeschool grads who've formed an organization to push for more accountability in more places. http://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/our-concerns/

I think they might see the Duggar situation as being among the disastrous, or at least near-disastrous, ones.

 

"Quality education is critical to children’s future wellbeing. Responsible parents understand this and work to ensure that their kids receive the best possible education, whether in public or private schools or through homeschooling. But some parents are not responsible, and when these parents homeschool the results can be disastrous....

 

"Lack of Oversight

Current oversight of homeschooling is patchy at best. In many states, homeschooling parents need not have any contact with state or local officials whatsoever. The result is a staggering lack of accountability for homeschooling parents.

    11 states do not require parents to provide notice of homeschooling

    14 states do not require parents to provide instruction in any specific subject

    25 states do not require any form of academic assessments

    39 states do not require parents to have a high school diploma, GED, or other qualifications

    48 states have no protections for at-risk homeschooled children"

Edited September 13, 2015 by Churchhoney

[GeeGolly]

The problem is that, thanks to very hard work on the part of HSLDA over the years, there basically are no state guidelines in Arkansas (and quite a lot of other states).

 

All you have to do is notify the school district in advance of your decision to homeschool. And then each year you have each kid take a state-provided achievement test for his or her grade level using some procedure established by your school district (or some test that you'd prefer, if you go through an opt-out procedure) and agree to send in the tests or have them sent to the state. The department of ed scores the tests, sends the scores back to you, removes all identifying information from your kids' scores and uses those de-identified scores to produce a general analysis of how well Arkansas homeschooled kids are doing, which they then stick in a file drawer and generally avoid looking at. Neither the state nor your local school district looks at homeschooled kids' individual scores or at anything else that's going on in your homeschooling, except for some kind of abuse that would trigger a CPS investigation. You choose your own materials, you alone see your kids' actual scores, and the state basically washes its hands of the whole thing, as home-school advocates have demanded through legislation over the past few decades.

 

So no such luck about having their schooling scrutinized in any way.

Oh my.

[tabloidlover]

Yes, it is. Under FERPA (federal law on student privacy) students can opt-out of inclusion in directories, yearbooks, etc. "Celebrity" students often do this. That doesn't mean the student doesn't have a school email address; just that isn't included in any directory.

(I worked with student records at a couple of universities.)

That would require thought and I just don't see any of them capable of it.  Not even if they all put their heads together real hard.  Just sayin..