Our state's ways and means committee is deciding whether or not to continue funding alternative education, including online learning, which means us.
Our kids are enrolled in Washington Virtual Academy. We get a variance from our local district and the money is funneled to the Steilacoom School District which is over the Washington Virtual Adademy.
In exchange for our tax dollars, they provide us with curriculum and teacher support. It costs 1/2 as much to educate a child this way for the state. I provide the labor of teaching, we provide the building, utilities, etc.
Our state legislators don't like this arrangement much though, and here's why.
They know that if they stop providing this education for us (this public education, funded with taxpayer dollars that we're entitled to), we won't in turn send our children to school. They won't have to start paying twice as much to educate our children.
Because we'll keep them home.
This they know.
This I know.
Because yesterday morning, I was giving Mark a spelling test, watching him scrunch his face up to try to figure out the next letter in the word. His bare feet swung under his desk.
At the same time, Emma was on the computer. She was working on a literature assignment. She is as careful and as accurate as the day is long. I watched her expertly navigating through the questions. Answering correctly, moving on to the next question, tapping her fingers mindlessly on the desk. So familiar. My girl.
Next to me, Braeden was toiling away on his math. He gets algebra on a different level than I do. He comes up with ways to solve equations that are indecipherable to me but he gets the correct answer so who am I to judge?
I saw my three children, working away all in the same room. Our school room sometimes feels like the Titantic on its way down. It can get messy and chaotic. But other times, like yesterday morning, it's my favorite spot in the world.
For me, this is where it's at. This is where my heart is, divided by three. This is where I've made sacrifices to be and where I'll make sacrifices to stay...whether my tax dollars fund it or not.
This I know.
2 comments:
Wow, I wish I could solve confusing algebra problems with help let alone without. I can do grammar and understand confusing Shakespeare plays.
I didn't realize that you homeschooled your children. Now I'll have to go back & scroll through earlier entries, because I'm really intregued. My son's only two, so we have a ways to go, but this is something I've been pondering over for a while now, and I'd love to learn more.
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