A nationally focused home-schooling organization advised its members in Baltimore County who home-school their children to steer clear of a pilot program offered by the county, because it inadvertently brings in a boatload of state funding for the school district and, they say, removes God from the curriculum.
The Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association says that although the county?s online Virtual Instruction Program offers free books and materials, the books subtly convey that students can learn their lessons without God.
HSLDA further claims that by offering the program, BCPS can count home-schooled students among regular students and, in effect, rake in thousands of dollars for each program enrollee.
BCPS set Saturday as the deadline for enrollment in the one-year, full-time accredited program, open to 200 eligible students from kindergarten to 11th grade, which will provide them with assistance from certified teachers.
“All students that participate in our curriculums will be considered as Baltimore County Public Schools students,” said schools spokeswoman Kara Calder. “The pilot provides the school system the opportunity to explore this type of avenue for delivery of instruction to nontraditional students.”
Baltimore County is the only Maryland school district involved in the program, according to Manfred Smith, Maryland Home Education Association president.
He said there are 3,000 home-schooled students in the county. However, he questions BCPS?s motives.
“All of a sudden they?re going to present educational options,” Smith said. “They?re making $11,000 per student and it?s a lot of interesting questions being raised as to the schools? motivation. They?re using the pilot program as a way to raise money [from the state] to fund the program.”
In its recent statement alerting parents who are HSLDA members about the Virtual Instruction Program, the association said that such online instruction programs are cropping up all across the country and that they can be a financial boon for public schools.
The assocation said home schooling works becauseparents demand and receive full responsibility for their children?s education. However, the association contends the county?s program diminishes parental control over subjects and lesson content.
“The public schools can certainly offer the program within the frame of the law,” said HSLDA spokesman Ian Slatter.
But at least two-thirds of home-schooling parents teach the Bible to their children, Slatter said, and HSLDA frowns on taking spirituality out of their curriculums.
“Our concern is what the home schools will have to give up to participate in these kinds of programs.”
