Home-schoolers rally to Huckabee

There is no question home schooling families can be effective campaigners -- any candidate who is able to woo home schoolers into his or her camp has incredibly energized and effective campaigners on their side.  Huckabee seems to be the candidate of choice for home schoolers this time around.  Not surprised at all . . .

Remind me sometime to tell you about the thousands of homeschoolers who donned homemade Home Schoolers for Bush 2000 t-shirts from a homemade website filled with homemade lesson plans. . . It was absolutely delightful and one of the biggest thrills of my life.

Home-schoolers knocked on hundreds of thousands of doors to help propel Republican Bobby Jindal to victory in the Louisiana governor's race in October.

In Illinois, longtime Republican legislator Penny Pullen said an 11-year-old home-schooled boy was her best precinct captain ever, wearing down undecided voters with his enthusiasm and energy.

And in Iowa, home educators mobilized through e-mail chains and support groups to help boost Huckabee from obscurity into a second-place finish at the straw poll in Ames last summer. Pundits were shocked at Huckabee's strong finish. Home-schooling parents were not; some had driven hours to attend a special breakfast the candidate held before the poll just for home-schooled families.

"This is the first presidential campaign in some time I've felt engaged in," said Pete Kottra, 43, who has promoted Huckabee's candidacy through his home-school support network.

Link: Home-schoolers rally to Huckabee - Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[Allen Stratford]

As someone who approaches this race as a homeschooling parent, I am puzzled that these homeschoolers are acting against their own self-interest.

Why, you ask? The Home School Legal Defense Association has documented how homeschooling suffered setbacks in Arkansas under Governot Huckabee. Huckabee signed legislation making Arkansas "the first state in the nation to add restrictions to its existing home school law". (Source: http://www.hslda.org/courtreport/v15n3/V15N3AR.asp?PrinterFriendly=True)

Huckabee is also an established and reliable ally of "Big Ed". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO4_5XOSzKk&eurl

Without question, home schoolers can be effective and influencial political assets. But I would recommend they act in their own self-interest and support a candidate who supports home schooling.

That candidate is Ron Paul.

[Allen Stratford]

For those religiously motivated home schoolers who may be inclined to support Rev. Huckabee on the basis of his Baptist ordination, I might remind them that Jesse Jackson also holds that distinction.

To my fellow home schoolers, I should not have to say that ordained candidates should be scrutinized as thoroughly as any other candidate.

[Fran]

Good points, Mr. Stratford. Home schoolers are probably attracted to the governor's conservative religious values and believe they will ultimately guide him to do what's right in areas that are important to them, especially with parents' rights. Huckabee has been unique in reaching out to grassroots networks such as the FairTax people and the homeschoolers. All the other seem to have headed toward the GOP elites in the parties. Huckabee has a lot of the freedom appeal of Ron Paul without the scary libertarian and anti-war rhetoric.

[Hascat]

Education is a federal issue?

[Fran]

When education is one of the top five public concerns, presidential candidates are compelled to address it. I tend to agree with the local authority answer, but until voters wake up to the fact that teachers unions are destroying the local accountability system with local school board puppets shilling for the teacher protection and high wages and against the no-clue taxpayers, there, sadly, may be a place for more-distant accountability. I know that opinion is not hardline conservative, but it's reality. We've lost local control because we didn't exercise it. Period.

[Allen Stratford]

Fran, I do agree that certain home schoolers are comfortable knowing that Rev. Huckabee's values derive from his religious belief, and perhaps feel they might have the proverbial "seat at the table" were he to be elected.

But I am puzzled at how Dr, Paul's perceived "anti-war" position would be a turn-off to home schoolers, when it should be a rallying point for home schoolers. In reality, a candidate who is seen as "pro-war", and ultimately pro-draft or pro-conscription, should be anethema to concerned parents, especially those who home school.

But lest we make the mistake think that home schooling is merely about education, remember that it is primarily about home, family, children, and for many, religion. And it is out of concern for the family that I am against "pro-war" candidates.

I am home schooling and raising my children to be equipped to do anything God calls them to do. I am not raising my children to be tools of the state, nor to be cannon fodder.

I say this as a 20 year veteran of our armed forces. I am 100% for voluntary military service, and 100% opposed to forced military service.

Last, Dr. Paul is not "anti-war". He voted for authorization to go into Afghanistan. He, along with Senator McCain and Rep. Hunter, are the only military veterans in the Republican primary.

He deserves serious consideration from, and ultimately the support of, home schoolers who care about their children.

[Fran]

Allen,
I think you'll be surprised to learn about the number of home schoolers who are attracted to Ron Paul for the reasons you mention. Home schoolers are as diverse as any other group, as you illustrate.

It may get back to the "security moms" argument, which is, if we pull out of Iraq, will Al Qaeda return to proliferate their jihad? Those of us concerned about keeping the battle "over there," rather than here, hold in our support of the Iraqi action.

Allen, our kids were homeschooled through high school. I speak as a veteran of home schooling, beginning in 1985, when the numbers were smaller. We all learn to form our opinions out of experience and fighting the good fight.

Among the young freedom fighters who return and the home schooling dads who are engaged in the world around them, there's reason to hope for our state and nation's future. Keep on doing what you're doing.

[Susan Ryan]

Wow, what a great conversation and I'm glad to be in the company of Fran and Allen Stratford as fellow homeschoolers. Hascat, I hate the idea of education being a federal issue too. Fran is practical, for sure, but ughh...

I'm glad Huckabee's record with homeschoolers in Arkansas was brought up. It appears he didn't do them any favors, but maybe thinks he did?
I think that might be more scary than blatant anti-homeschool rhetoric like the NEA's position on homeschooling.
It's hard enough to explain our lifestyle of freedom to others who don't live it. The ones who don't live it often can't imagine a bureaucrat not overseeing a right as fundamental as education. As ironic as that is in this day and age of standardized education, that is also our reality.
I'm concerned with what people like Gov. Huckabee might do for 'our own good'.

[Rosanna Pulido]

CNN reports:

While presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is surging in new polls of GOP candidates, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday shows he would lose to all three leading Democratic candidates by double digits in hypothetical contests.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has doubled his support nationally among GOP voters, a poll says.

In head-to-head matchups — the first to include Huckabee — the former Arkansas governor loses to Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York by 10 percentage points (54 percent to 44 percent), to Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois by 15 points (55 percent to 40 percent) and to former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina by 25 points (60 percent to 35 percent).

[Scott B.]

Just a point of clarification regarding Dr. Paul being described as "anti war"; it would be more accurate to describe his postion as being anti undeclared war.

Additionally, the "they will follow us home" rhetoric is as empty and condescending as the "security mom" term it is attempting to appeal to. That whole line of thinking loses all credibilty in light of the fact no attempt has been made whatsoever to secure our borders or seaports.

[Hascat]

Fran, you're right about the practicality of Presidential candidates needing to address the education issue. I'd just like more candidates to stand up and say education is not a federal function.

[Fran]

Scott,
What you say is true about the borders, but the guys in Iraq now are the ones telling me that they want to fight the battle there, not in the malls and skyscrapers at home. You may consider that rhetoric, but it rings true to most of us.
When I hear Ron Paul be so adamant about the war in Iraq, I think, what would you say if a radical Islamist young woman strapped a bomb to herself and blew up a heavily-populated flea market in mid-America? I think he'd have to quiet his rhetoric. We can't pull out of a place abruptly, just as we're making progress.
But this string was about education, wasn't it? Can we head back in that direction, please? OR shall I start another one for open discussion on Ron Paul's controversial positions?

[Jon Zahm]

Mike Huckabee is a champion of home schoolers. He is the only Governor in American history to place a home schooling parent on the State Board of Education.

[tfb]

It was written:

Mike Huckabee is a champion of home schoolers. He is the only Governor in American history to place a home schooling parent on the State Board of Education.

My reply:

Kudos to Huckabee for this.

tfb

[Susan Ryan]

As a homeschooler, Mike Huckabee is not my champion, Jon. Do you homeschool?

I also believe that the South Carolina governor is trying to put a homeschooling parent on the State Board currently.

I don't like to be categorized especially into a politician's camp who is questionable in actually helping homeschoolers.
We are exempted from public attendance laws, so I'm not sure what the advantage would be to have a homeschooler on the state board. It seems like it might be more irresistible for more blending into the public schools and so, less freedom for homeschoolers.

I'd like to see him address the Arkansas law he signed posted above in comments that restricted Arkansas homeschoolers.

Many homeschoolers can be a skeptical bunch when faced with facts.

[tfb]

It makes sense to me. We home school. And in general we distance ourselves from other homeschoolers. Our experience has been while many homeschoolers may be very nice people, they also tend to be extremely liberal.

But then again we find most modern Christians to be far too liberal for our tastes, Huckabee is a good example. So that many Christian liberal homeschoolers are attracted Huckabee comes as no surprise to me.

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[Fran]

I think it would be great to have homeschoolers on a State Board of Education. Home schoolers are generous financiers to a system they do not choose to use. Our family alone contributed to the state of Illinois $250,000 by paying our property taxes and not costing the public school system for our three students. If I could have used that money to invest in a company where I was on the board of directors, I would be spending money today, not working to earn it.
We, as homeschoolers, need to see ourselves as taxpayers with bright ideas and courage to try something different when what is offered simply isn't working. The political system is run by staffers and bureaucrats who are only interested in protecting their jobs and pensions.
Homeschoolers should be bringing their worldview to the mix, and that would include standing up to the status quo on state boards.
As for homeschoolers being liberal, I'm chuckling. Again, conservative, traditional desires to protect our children and give them what they need to be successful has led the way for "liberals" to imitate. It's tough and draining to be leaders, and I'm afraid discouraged homeschoolers have left the battle because of religious legalism and isolationist cult teachings in the homeschooling movement. The result is a growth in "liberal" homeschoolers -- whatever that is.
In reality, the Liberals are catching on to what the rest of us found out years and years ago. Home schooled adults are changing the world -- one person at a time. That's what all of us want for our next generation.

[YNM]

jfb ... could you provide me with your definition of liberal?

Presidential candidates won't stand up and say education is not a function of the federal government. That would be lying. They might stand up and say education should not be a function of the federal government.

I am also generally in favor of local control regarding education. Party because when the feds get involved it's all bureaucracy with no bucks. At least at the local level decisions made regarding instruction and accountability are made concurrently with decisions about spending.

But I must be from a different part of Illinois than the rest of you. I have yet to meet a school board that served as a puppet of the teachers union. Where are these puppets located that you speak of?

[Jon Zahm]

Yes, Susan, my wife and I home school our three boys, aged 7,7, and 3. Jenni is the leader on that as I work outside the home about 75 hours a week during campaign time.

I find most home schooling parents to be more conservative than liberal, but there are exceptions to every rule on this.

I think the law referenced is overblown or falsely represented but I don't have time to research it right now. I do know that many home schooling parents in Arkansas are bloggers for Huckabee and I have read their sites and they are passionate and detailed in their support for their former Governor.

[Susan Ryan]

Thanks for the response, Jon. High five for homeschooling. We have 2 teen twin boys...you have your hands full.
What are Governor Huckabee's perceptions of true educational freedoms? You and I know what the possibilities are in IL, but do other more restrictive states or the presidential candidates? I hope candidates are educated a bit about that, but don't think they are.
I'm not sure of what a liberal homeschooler is either. But there is wonderful diversity in the homeschooling communities, for sure.
I'd rather see folks escaping the educational system rather than trying to change it. We've been there and done that. It's broken and better in serving the employees rather than the kids, despite some good hearted individual efforts.
Plus money talks when it walks and they lose funding with each transferred child out of the public schools.

[tfb]

It was queried:

jfb ... could you provide me with your definition of liberal?

My reply:

I believe you meant lil' 'ol me: tfb

My definition of a liberal Chrisitan is someone who uses the ballot box to try and shape the society according to their faith by systematically depriving others of the fruit of their labors and redistribute through the coercive hand of Government to those they believe have need.

In other words there values are forced on others to their direct detriment.

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[tfb]

uhhh...their not there (I am blushing)...

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[ronpaulsupporter]

Fran
What makes you so sure we're making
'progress' in Iraq?
Is it the rebuilding of infrastructure
after we blew it up--or the $ 500 billion?
Maybe its the missing or undocumented
billions-or the $ 90 a bag for laundry
services that convinces you.
I'm stickin' with Ron Paul.

[Allen Stratford]

The real question should be: How many Arkansas home schoolers are supporting Huckabee?

I remain unconvinced, and am sticking with Ron Paul.

[AndreaRice]

I'm a homeschooling mom in Champaign, and IMO Ron Paul is the best choice for homeschooling freedom!