Tia, on the Publisher's "Home Where They Belong" blog, has a really good, very thought-provoking post today at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TOSPUBLISHER/545416.  It concerns what I have titled this entry and the questionable non-work habits, interests and 2nd jobs that some public school "teachers" are engaged in and if it influences what and/or how they teach public schooled children.  Can one REALLY seperate one's own beliefs from whatever your job is?  I don't happen to think so.  So, whether you read Tia's post or not, I wanted to share with you the comment I made - below.  I'll bet you've had MANY of the same sort of experiences - I would like to hear them.

NEVER let anyone tell you that you will ruin your children's chances of being "socialized" because you homeschool!!  NEVER!!  YOUR children - and your children's future employers and spouses and their children - will appreciate you for what you are doing now!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

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Unfortunately, it seems that I see this imagination that the two can be separated manifesting most in the 20-somethings and teens who were public/government schooled. I've had many examples, oddly enough, fairly recently. There just seems to be a real immaturity of thought and unwillingness to be tolerant in a generation who, ironically, has been taught the dogma of "the new tolerance" in school...

1) While in a checkout line, a young bag boy was going on and on about a lady w/a crying toddler in the next line. "Why do people bring their stupid kids to the store w/them, anyway? J**z, just take the kid home!..." When the check out lady, who was embarrassed by his stupidity, wouldn't say anything to him and he was going on and on, I had had enough. I quietly leaned in so as not to embarrass him anymore than he was embarrassing himself and told him that he was showing his own immaturity and if he wanted to continue working w/the public he needed to stop. I also told him that since he was bagging in a line full of mohers who have all been in the same position as the poor mom he was chastizing, that any one of us would be glad to report him to his manager. Remarkably, that didn't EVEN stop his rude ranting. After I was checked out I found the store manager. Know what he told me? "I know, I hear about it all the time. But if I fire him, he'll just go across the street to WalMart and get a job there. Then I'll hire someone new who will be exactly lke him...THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!" If I hadn't been so shocked by his answer I would have given him a list of homeschooled teens who could work for him!

2) Just last week I was at a local CVS to pick up a Rx. Just as I reached the register to be checked out I saw the new, utterly pornographic cover of Sports Illustrated. As the young checkout girl was ringing up my purchase I politely said, "Would you mind if I turned this SI around? It's pretty revealing and their are women and children in this store." Then when I turned it around, the back was nearly as bad as the front. I asked her if she had one of those plasitc shields to put over it that SI and Cosmo sometimes has w/their name on the front, so that the nasty covers won't be seen. The lady in line behind me commented that that would be a great idea because it was actually pretty pornographic...REALLY pushing the limit. The YOUNG checkout girl practically yelled at us insisting that "everything that needs to be covered IS covered! I don't see anything wrong w/it!" The other lady and myself were somewhat stunned by her remark and the severity of her response, so we just sort of looked at each other and let it go. Here's the clincher that revealed even more how immature she was and how, as you have said, she could not separate her beliefs from her work...just as I was about to exit the store she yelled across the store to me, "I'm 22 years old, HUN, and I don't see anything wrong w/it!" To which I probably shouldn't have, but I replied, "Well, I'm 49, HUN, and I do!" And walked out. After I got home I called CVS and told the manager about this exchange - including what I shamefully fired back as I excited. THIS manager, however, was far more shocked w/what her employee had said to 2 customers. I told her I didn't want the girl fired or anything, but she really needs to know how to relate to customers.

There are so many other examples I can think of, but they were the most recent. Without fail, those who I have had these experiences with have been fairly young and glowing examples of the morals that are taught in the public schools - liberal curriculum, liberal teachers and ignorant peers are a lethal combination to our society.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><