The Deceitfulness of Online "homeschooling"

Okay folks, perhaps you've seen the ads, billboards, etc. In the ticker box at the top of my Gmail inbox today, I see the following: "S. Carolina Homeschooling" and it's linked to K12.com. Now maybe you don't know what K12 is, but it is NOT homeschooling. It is anything but, to be honest. Someone should probably take them to court for deceitfulness in advertising, to be honest. They even have advertisements in World Magazine, which I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why World allowed them to advertise. So, now, let me explain what K12 is.

From the front page of their website:

Every child learns in his or her own way. Yet many classrooms try to make one size fit all. K12 creates a classroom of one: a remarkably effective education option that is individualized to meet each child's needs.

K12 education options include:

• Full-time, tuition free online public schooling available in many states.
• An accredited online private school available worldwide, full- and part-time
• Over 200 courses, including AP and world languages, for direct purchase

We have a 96% satisfaction rating* from parents. Isn't it time you found out why?

Look at the first bullet point -- "online PUBLIC schooling." Think about that for a second. Does that sound like homeschooling to you? Here's what K12 is, in my words: It is an online charter school, funded by public tax dollars and offers the same curriculum as if you sent your child to a public school. You, as a parent, have no choice in the curriculum. I have known people who have used K12, because they thought it was homeschooling, and every single one said that it was a lot of work, with no flexibility. Your child basically sits in front of the computer for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, or there abouts. I am writing this post, because I'm tired of the deceitfulness of those who think that public education is the end all for our children. As a side note, this is not a rant against public education, and I am a product of public education. This is a rant against advertising something that is not. K12 is NOT homeschooling. It is public school on your computer in your home.  Sure, it's "free", and it may work for some people, but it is not homeschooling as homeschooling should be. Homeschooling allows you the flexibility to pick your curriculum, set your hours, and be flexibile. K12 is none of this. And they need to stop advertising that they are a homeschooling option. Thousands of people have been deceived by this program and I'm sure that thousands more will. Do not be deceived. Online public education is not homeschooling. HSLDA will not support you in it and neither will local homeschool groups.

You have been warned. On another note, a google search for homeschool turned up that the top 2 results plus a sponsored ad by K12 at the top of the page, were all deceptful sites for the online public schooling option. Be aware of what's out there. And if you have questions about what's legit, I know that the HSLDA will be glad to help you.

Back to the Rock - A Chastisement of Today's Christian Music

In case you haven't heard, Christian rock band Petra is attempting a comeback under the moniker of Classic Petra, bringing back, Greg X. Volz on vocals, Mark Kelly on bass, John Lawry on keyboards, Louie Weaver on drums, and the only band member to never leave the band, Bob Hartman on guitar. They have recently released an album of '80s Volz-era songs online, available at http://www.classicpetra.com.  I have not bought the album (yet), but have listened to the samples, which basically sound like they did in the '80s. Volz's voice has not changed, much, if any. There are two new songs, "Back to the Rock" and "Too Big to Fall." Other songs include, Bema Seat, Clean, Angel of Light, Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows, Godpleaser, Second Wind, More Power to Ya, Let Everything That Hath Breath (Praise the Lord), Grave Robber, and Adonai. They have even brought back the sword logo from the '80s. They're all songs that fans of Petra will know, but will they garner Petra new fans? They are planning a world tour and a live taping in Nashville sponsored by TBN on November 20. To date, no dates are posted yet. I'm wondering if anyone would book them, as much as I like them. Stryper has been semi-successful at coming back, but can Petra after only being retired for about 4 years.

One thing I've always appreciated about Petra was their stand on the Bible. Every song on their albums were backed up with scripture verses, listing them alongside the lyrics in the liner notes. There's a story that one time the record company did not print the verse references and Bob Hartman wasn't happy about that, but it was too late as the album had gone to press. Petra was offered compromises with record labels if they would tone down their Jesus content, but they constantly refused, and in turn, that may have been what led to their popularity waning in the '90s. Other artists seem to have compromised, such as Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, which led to their increased popularity among the secular crowd, though Smith not so much. Petra was perhaps the first band to get me interested in music, more specifically Christian music. I have fond memories of attending my first Petra concert in 1989 at the Atlanta Civic Center when Josh McDowell was touring with them. The last concert I attended with my dad was the Petra/Whiteheart co-headliner tour with opening acts Grammatrain and Johnny Q. Public in 1996. It was in Gainesville, GA, 4 hours from where we lived at the time. It was raining and hailing as we drove to the concert, but we had an awesome time. My dad even liked Johnny Q. Public. He got extremely sick and died over the next 4 months. 

So, how is this new album a chastisement of today's Christian music? As this blog updateputs it:

We are quite aware that we are not Gods’ only plan to shake up the Christian world again, but we are sure that we will be part of the big plan. Gospel music, as well as mainstream, in my opinion, has hit an all time low, with very little music I would consider interesting. The melody got lost somewhere along the way both musically and spiritually………….. There are some exceptions such as Switchfoot, Skillet, Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Casting Crowns, etc but you can count them all on your fingers.

He's right, Christian music, and music in general, has flatlined. Lyrics are shallow and insignificant. Christian music has become mostly about making us feel good. If you listen to Petra's lyrics or other's lyrics from the '80s and early '90s, you'll find that the music was about discipleship. I remember a twitter post where someone asked Steve Camp why he left Christian music and he replied that it was too much about money. All the Christian labels are owned by the world. He's right. They are. Now one could say that we should be salt and light to the world, and we could not compromise. Christian music isn't about discipleship anymore. It's about making money by offering feel-good lyrics that are all about me. Or perhaps they're just plain superficial. Artists that are still making good music: Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, P.O.D., Steven Curtis Chapman, Lecrae, and I could go on, but you won't hear these artists latest albums on Christian radio, unless you're listening online or to Air1. Our local Christian station hasn't played a single new Jars of Clay song for at least the past two albums now. And when they do, it's from their first album, released over 15 years ago. Petra? They play "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" from Petra Praise 2. It took them 6 months before they played the first single from Steven Curtis Chapman's "Beauty Will Rise." I hardly hear it now. TobyMac? They jumped on his music right away, as superficial as it is.

Christian music could hardly be called Christian anymore. We need artists who are willing to take a stand on the Word of God and provide scripturally-based lyrics, that are about following God and not about feeling good. It's about discipleship. I've heard Christian artists get up on stage and say they're not theologians, blah, blah, blah. But, if you're writing words that we are hearing and singing, and billing yourself as a Christian musician, then yes, you are a theologian. You are writing what you think about God. You better make sure it's based on scripture and not on your feelings, however. 

To conclude, one of the new songs on Petra's album is titled, "Back to the Rock." There's a double meaning there. First, it is a return to the rock of the '80s, in a way. Second, the lyrics speak for themselves as the Rock is referring to Jesus. "Back to the Rock that is higher than I..." goes the song. Let us remember that as we listen to Christian music, that we should be focused on Jesus and not on what makes us feel good.

Why Many Muslims Hate the West - Phil Parshall Audio

Dr. Phil Parshall (retired missionary with SIM) recently spoke at Columbia International University's Chapel. I have had him for class and so this message wasn't completely new to me. It needs to be shared with all American Christians.

http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-05/pbHFArG...

Referenced

A Bright Spot in the Disaster in Indonesia

Baby found in trees days after Indonesia tsunami

MENTAWAI ISLANDS, Indonesia — An official says an 18-month-old baby has been found alive in a clump of trees days after the devastating tsunami that killed at least 343 people.

Relief coordinator Hermansyah says the little boy is recovering in a health center. He says a 10-year-old child discovered the baby in a clump of trees on Pagai Selatan island on Wednesday. Both his parents are dead.

The discovery is one of the few bright spots in the tsunami that flattened villages and displaced tens of thousands of people when it hit Monday.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/10/28/1533714/baby-found-in-trees-days-after.html#RSS=breaking#ixzz13k94Wcj4

Let us continue to pray for the recovery and the survivors. I pray that they would see the Gospel in this largely Muslim nation.

Too Much Facebook?

This woman sure did:

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A north Florida mother has pleaded guilty to shaking her baby to death after the boy's crying interrupted her game on Facebook.

Alexandra V. Tobias pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Wednesday and remains jailed.

The Florida Times-Union reports that she told investigators she was angered because the boy was crying while she was playing the game FarmVille.

This is a sad case. Do you get angry at your kids for interrupting your time in anything? Just your kids?

Jesus and Religion

Mark Driscoll offers a humorous (but sad and serious look at how Jesus treats the religious in this week's sermon from Luke. This is really good.

[Book Review] "The Skin Map" by Stephen R. Lawhead

There is much cause for celebration whenever a new Stephen Lawhead book comes out, especially since he is known for writing series and the last book may have come out two or three years ago. This book is the start of a new series and as such, there will be a new book a year for the next couple of years.

This book is a little different for Lawhead, but still reminiscient of the Paradise War series with the world between world idea. Lawhead adds in his famous style for going into great detail about places, especially within a historical setting.

I do feel that Lawhead is trying to hard to make this book a movie-series type feel, and he jumps around a lot from character to character. However, by the end, it seems he's just getting started and the next book may flow more easily with a better development of characters.

Lawhead has been blamed for being quite bloody in his previous books (though the Raven King series was not so much), and I think he's toned it down a lot. I think fans of Dan Brown's books will probably like this book and series. Though there is not much mention of Christianity in this book yet, I believe it will all be tied in some way. Lawhead subtly weaves it in. There is reference to Providence guiding the characters while the lead bad guy denies Providence and goes with a chaos theory.

As usual with most of the series that Lawhead writes, this one leaves you hanging, but this one the most. We must wait until September 2011 for the followup.