General Discussion

True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

65. There's no denying the value of free learning. But...

Sat May 9, 2015, 08:23 PM

May 2015

How many children would honestly choose to sit down and memorize times tables and vocabulary so they could learn new material rather than something requiring less discipline?

A nerd like me might have, but practically no one else I grew up with. They would have "studied" skateboard magazines and MTV, and wouldn't ever learn anything that couldn't be found in such media.

And one of the most basic foundations of a society is having a common core of knowledge (yes, that's the origin of the term "Common Core" - society needs to have a common core to be a society).

Before public schooling, people were not better at life, or citizenship, or anything than they are now. There were far fewer opportunities. People in general were functionally illiterate.

Clearly these parents were just operating on some silly ideology rather than rational decision-making.

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Kentucky �free range� family loses custody of 10 kids over apparent �unschooling� [View all] Liberal_in_LA May 2015 OP

I hate to see parents lose their kids. Yep even republicans yeoman6987 May 2015 #1

Those living conditions look, well, atrocious. MADem May 2015 #2

Totally agree with everything you typed. yeoman6987 May 2015 #5

Is that bunch of sticks with a tarp over them supposed to be where they live??? dixiegrrrrl May 2015 #16

Yes--it's a three walled lean-to. MADem May 2015 #54

10 kids? QUIT BREEDING Novara May 2015 #3

Hey she's free range! MoonRiver May 2015 #4

We can't tell her that. Jamastiene May 2015 #8

I said "...give her uterus a rest..." on another Ilsa May 2015 #42

Her body, Ms. Yertle May 2015 #46

I'm not going to support what they are doing. Ilsa May 2015 #60

When my son entered kindergarten-- Ms. Yertle May 2015 #61

This isn't merely about ABCs. There is also Ilsa May 2015 #63

Your inner fascist is showing Telcontar May 2015 #49

One can support choice Mariana May 2015 #96

I'm not finding any mention of this in the Lexington or Louisville papers. Hmm. winter is coming May 2015 #6

Television is covering it. MADem May 2015 #59

No Tree-Hugger May 2015 #99

This seems beyond the "free range" thing parents in the burbs are trying to do, but the kids here l Brickbat May 2015 #7

I'm not sure this is a real thing. I went looking for local newspaper articles, to see whether winter is coming May 2015 #9

real story. search under "nauglers" Liberal_in_LA May 2015 #14

Thanks. I tried "naugler" and didn't get anything. winter is coming May 2015 #41

It said there were two tents for the family and a structure that housed the animals. It said the okaawhatever May 2015 #75

They do! and all including the dogs seem to be well fed. Mojorabbit May 2015 #31

And the mother is pregnant - again avebury May 2015 #10

About that pond..... dixiegrrrrl May 2015 #17

It is the piles of garbage, broken glass and nails around the property avebury May 2015 #18

I picked up on the non fenced pond myself. truegrit44 May 2015 #24

We can't really look to England the ultimate nanny state for guidance on how to live...nt Jesus Malverde May 2015 #67

From these pictures, the kids look pretty happy and even healthy. logosoco May 2015 #11

Don't forget Dad stealing water from the avebury May 2015 #19

This is not home schooling because I really doubt they are being educated at all. alphafemale May 2015 #12

+1. Your comparison to animals is apt, I believe. Paladin May 2015 #13

This is not Free Range. alphafemale May 2015 #25

Couldn't agree with you more. Genuine child abuse. (nt) Paladin May 2015 #43

But this is why Sgent May 2015 #15

Most parents would not be qualified to teach past 6th grade or so. alphafemale May 2015 #27

It sounds to me that the kids aren't getting any formal schooling. LisaL May 2015 #20

Real life experience is living in mud and stealing water from the neighbor. alphafemale May 2015 #30

Look up John Holt Ms. Yertle May 2015 #21

You think they are baking cookies? alphafemale May 2015 #32

How does Ayn Rand enter into it spinbaby May 2015 #35

OMG! Ms. Yertle May 2015 #40

Yes. My mind did go to John Galt. alphafemale May 2015 #44

Haven't you ever heard of mud pies? Many of us living in the rural areas have. I have pictures of jwirr May 2015 #56

We had mud in the curbs treestar May 2015 #86

That is funny. Of course we are talking about a post where the kids were actually covering each jwirr May 2015 #92

Yeah with that in mind, it wasn't such a good idea treestar May 2015 #93

It even sounds like they do not even have a well with a pump. I agree that the shack they are jwirr May 2015 #94

*snort* Ms. Yertle May 2015 #37

Learning how to steal water from your neighbor alphafemale May 2015 #45

"Look, Ms. Yertle May 2015 #47

I already did in this thread. alphafemale May 2015 #50

Sorry, Ms. Yertle May 2015 #52

Holt's theory works IF you have someone who is actively working with the children to see what they jwirr May 2015 #53

Parental participation Ms. Yertle May 2015 #57

Raw audio of mother's interaction with police avebury May 2015 #22

'Interesting' comments, elleng May 2015 #29

Any supporters of this family are fringe types to say the least. nt avebury May 2015 #34

Yes Tree-Hugger May 2015 #100

It's somewhat interesting that social media Trillo May 2015 #23

If they have no septic system and running water, it is totally unacceptable. KittyWampus May 2015 #26

+1 leftofcool May 2015 #38

I am not supporting this family but think about what your statement would have meant to most of jwirr May 2015 #58

That was a CENTURY ago. There are foundations trying to bring water KittyWampus May 2015 #68

I may not have said in your post that I realized times had changed. I think this family should have jwirr May 2015 #70

Where I lived from birth to seven, Blue_In_AK May 2015 #79

When I was a kid, we had cars without seat belts. I didn't feel it was unsafe. KittyWampus May 2015 #80

Looks like Little House on the Prairie meets LiberalElite May 2015 #28

An audition for TLC new line up come fall? AuntPatsy May 2015 #33

Doomsday Preppers Meet Off The Griders. leftofcool May 2015 #39

Off-grid' couple faces hearing to regain custody of 10 children avebury May 2015 #36

"Unschooling"...uhh, no. That's just fucking stupid. True Blue Door May 2015 #48

It's the John Holt method Ms. Yertle May 2015 #62

There's no denying the value of free learning. But... True Blue Door May 2015 #65

You can learn a lot of physics Ms. Yertle May 2015 #69

No, you can't learn physics watching skateboarding. True Blue Door May 2015 #71

Children learn Ms. Yertle May 2015 #72

The whole of humankind tried an experiment in "natural learning." True Blue Door May 2015 #84

So, you want others to follow your prescriptions for academic learning... Psephos May 2015 #76

That's interesting treestar May 2015 #85

Socialization Ms. Yertle May 2015 #87

I want to scoop up and cuddle that baby! polly7 May 2015 #51

I bet those kids are learning all sorts of things. There are ways to do this that do not endanger uppityperson May 2015 #55

Do we live in a great age or what? WillowTree May 2015 #64

Mormon libertarians betsuni May 2015 #66

It probably isn't Ms. Yertle May 2015 #73

Yes, it is. Pictures on Facebook of them building it and calls it their cabin. betsuni May 2015 #77

I think they lost it Tree-Hugger May 2015 #101

I don't care much what happens to the parents vankuria May 2015 #74

The kids actually seem pretty healthy Scootaloo May 2015 #78

My favorite part is that the mother is a dog groomer. betsuni May 2015 #81

"The Duggars" meets "Lord of the Flies" bullwinkle428 May 2015 #82

* beam me up scottie May 2015 #83

Family did not always live off the grid. avebury May 2015 #88

From Nicole Naugler's Facebook Page avebury May 2015 #89

Idiots. Anyone who needs a 'system' to be a parent should never be one. randome May 2015 #90

must be a sea of mud when it rains. The children seem happy but the older boys look embarrassed Sunlei May 2015 #91

Wonder how they stay warm in the winter? odd_duck May 2015 #95

More basic than school... how about proper shelter... JCMach1 May 2015 #97

update: 38k raised for the couple Liberal_in_LA May 2015 #98