*By Debbi Anderson, CLW Education Lead
Well, we are at the end of August. Either school has begun for you, or it is just around the corner. The first thing I’d say is if you have been forced to stay in the public school realm, GET OUT. The time in America now is not a time of giving in to the mandates. It is a time of unity in our stand. At the end of this blog, I’ve listed all the public school alternatives you have provided Conservative Ladies. Hopefully something will open up for you in one of them.
If you are not sure about the rules and procedures of the public school your child is attending, there are ways to find out. The internet is easy to get around. You can be specific in your search parameters. I typed in the search bar, “Are masks required at Inglemoor High School.” It went straight to this:
“Health & Safety Protocols. The healthy and safety of our students is our top priority. Biweekly, the District will review guidance from state and county health departments, as well as the state Department of Labor & Industries to update the District’s measures as the guidance evolves.
All staff and students on school campuses are required to wear a cloth face covering.
“Health Screenings. Health screenings will be conducted for all staff and students before or upon their arrival to school. Sites will have designated isolation areas for possible cases and each school will follow their existing isolation plan when situations arise. Parents or guardians should screen for symptoms prior to sending students to a school building. Any person, including parents, students, and staff, entering a District facility will have to attest that they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been knowingly exposed to COVID-19.
“ Physical Distancing. Per OSPI’s Reopening Washington Schools: Safety and Health Requirements, the District will limit capacity and implement protocols to maintain a minimum separation as recommended by state and county health departments between all employees, students, and others to the maximum extent feasible. Building-specific strategies to increase physical distancing may include: Rearranging desks/tables to maximize the space between students. Keeping students in cohorts/clusters to the maximum extent possible. Reducing the number of students in hallways at any time. Limiting access to only essential visitors or volunteers. Reducing congestion in office areas. Limiting building use outside of school hours to approved District activities
“Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Districtwide protocols regarding PPE usage will be designed to comply with the guidance of all applicable public health agencies. These protocols may change as public health guidance continues to evolve. Face coverings will be provided by the District to students in the event their face covering is soiled, lost or damaged. Face shields or other alternatives will be provided to students who are unable to wear a mask because the individual has a medical condition or disability that makes wearing a facial covering inappropriate or because the individual is deaf or hard of hearing, or is communicating with someone who relies on language cues such as facial markers and expression and mouth movements as a part of communication.
“Sanitation, Cleaning & Disinfenction. All classrooms will be provided with disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer that have been approved by the EPA for effectiveness and low toxicity. Additional disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer will be made available in key administrative areas. Ventilation will be set to maximize outside air flow continuously. Filters will be used that provide the maximum filtration recommended for the HVAC equipment of the building and will be changed monthly. Cleaning and disinfection protocols for a probable case of COVID-19 will comply with CDC recommendations. Access to areas visited by a probable case of COVID-19 will be restricted until cleaning and disinfection is completed.”
It is easy to find out if masks are required. It may be a bit more searching to find out if vaccinations are going to be required and if the school will do it without a parent’s permission. Type in the district and you will get the curriculum. Type in “Northshore School Board meetings”and you will go to the school board site. Everything is right there for you.
Julie has an incredible article on the semantics of Critical Race Theory. Remember, just because CRT is not emblazoned all over the website DOES NOT MEAN the school doesn’t include it. Most times, it just means the school has found other clever ways to hide it. Look for words like socio-emotive, equity, justice, nondiscrimination. Look for advanced programs the school may offer for exceptional students. Does it have a percentage attached? This probably means it is equity based; in other words, the outcome is the most important. The same number of black students must graduate from the program as white students, the same number of gay students must graduate as straight students. For these schools, it does not matter how smart your child is. If they put the percentage over the target, they cannot be in the program. That is equity not equality.
Be a detective. Your children are worth it. Get access to the school resources. Look at the new books the library has. Are there books you don’t want your children to see? How advanced are the elementary books regarding sex, gender, racial, orientation? The chances are good your third grader will find a book on how to decide if they are a girl or a boy. I’m sorry to say, but look at the elementary school books on sex. They are there. Go into the high school library and you may see fiction books inappropriate for your son or daughter, with full sexual scenes. Talk to other parents or students and see what they’ve experienced. Talk to teachers and carefully ask about their curriculum. Remember, you have the right to do all of this. You can sit in classes even if you so incline!!
Be a spokesman. Once you find out when the school board meets, you can see where their meetings are held and how you can speak up. You can write an email, speak up online via zoom, or attend. Usually you just need to sign up online or when you first arrive at the meeting. Most boards give you three minutes to make your speech. Don’t expect the school board to respond to you. But they have to listen and your words will forever be preserved. If you find there are other parents wanting to speak up, don’t beat the same drum over and over again. Be ready to share on a different subject. They may complain about masks, you can talk about vaccinations. They may talk about CRT, you can talk about equity vs. equality. Support other parents at the meeting. There may be rules restricting everything you do. You can’t stand, you can’t cheer, you can’t talk, etc. The Board may close down the meeting the minute a parent goes against the rules. It’s wrong and designed to control, but they may do it. Then, keep it up. Don’t let it become a moot point. Keep pounding at them. Don’t stop expressing your opinion and demanding a change. Speak at every board meeting if you can!
So, now you’ve done your part trying to change the school and it’s not working. We’re back to step one. GET OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. This will have a ricochet effect. Staff, teachers, principals, board members, could lose their jobs if there are a lack of students. Budgets can’t be met for the new curriculum. Compromises may be offered. Stand your ground. It’s for your kids. It’s for your neighbor’s kids, your grandkids, your community’s kids. You don’t need to be a parent to speak up. Other parents have high expectations that you won’t give in, you won’t compromise, you will remain standing with them. There is nothing worse than standing in a strong group and then finding out you are standing alone.
There are many options (as shown below) for public school alternatives. Many parents have found great co-ops for their kids. There are a lot of churches that have their own programs. If you just can’t find that alternative, be creative. Think outside of the box. What if you offered your home once a week to have a class for your child and other students in the community? Then, another parent can host the students another day with a different subject. Maybe there is a local seamstress that can teach hosting, a parent who loves to bake, a parent who does construction, a retired math teacher, an electrician, a counselor. Explore the possibilities. Have a new view of the public you meet. How can they help me educate my child? Community-based school. The laws in the State of Washington are lenient and allow this. If you want to know details about Post a note on the local grocery store or library. Write specific needs on our Facebook page. There may be people there who are willing to teach your kids on certain subjects.
Everyone has something to teach. Art, crafts, music, instruments, carpentry, baking, sewing, English, civics, history, science, dance, PE, sports, foreign language. Write up a blog if you can offer yourself. Put it on the facebook page several times what you are able to do. One time can easily be missed. Be willing to put it in two, three or four times so that others have a better chance of seeing it. If you see a note from someone offering themselves as a resource, respond to them, get a phone number, call them.
Let me give you an example. I am crazy busy, but I can offer teaching on zoom in several areas. I am a high school English teacher at Connections Co-op and Labyrinth Co-op. I teach US History to junior high. I am an accountant and can teach beginning bookkeeping. I have a Masters in Counseling and can teach Psychology. My hours will be odd because I have about three full-time jobs, but your students are worth it. Costs usually go about $40 a month for each student. If you are interested in my help, just let me know. I can’t do just one student but I sure could try to fit in a group of students on a weekly zoom session.
For details on Washington State Laws, go to Homeschooling In Washington State | Time4Learning. It is a lot easier than you think. If you are confused, ask anyone who is homeschooling. They know this stuff backward and forward! It also has a curriculum if you want to use that.
Public School Alternatives
(if you don’t see your suggestion here, let me know and I’ll add it)
Abeka, Christian. Abeka.com
Academy Northwest, Snohomish. Academynw.com
Academy of Snohomish, Biblical
Alpha Omega Academy, now Ignite Online Christian Academy, aoacademy.com
Aquinas Classical Academy. Catholic.
Arrow Prep Academy
The Attic Learning Community Homeschool program. The-attic.org
Bear Creek School, Redmond
Berean Christian Academy, Post Falls, Idaho
Bethany Lutheran, Kitsap
Bethel Burley Christian, Kitsap
Cedar Park Christian Schools. Cpcsschools.com
Cedar Tree school. Cedartreeschool.org, SW Washington
Christ the King, Kitsap
Christian Homeschoolers of Marysville. Homeschool-life.com/wa/Marysville
Classical Conversations. Classicalconversations.com
CPCS District Home. Cpcsschools.com
Connections. Connectionsnw.org. Bothell, Woodinville, Everett
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Sequim
Covenant High School, Tacoma
Crosspointe
Dancing Pines Montessori. Dancingpinesmontessori.com
Evangel Classical School, Marysville
Evergreen Lutheran High, Tacoma
Faith Lutheran Elementary, Tacoma
First Class Clark County East, homeschool-life.com
Freedom Community Co-op, Snohomish
Freedom Co-Op. Christian, mom-run. freedomcoop@yahoo.com
Glendale Lutheran School, Burien. Glseagles.org
Grace Lutheran, Kitsap
Harbor Christian Homeschool, harborchristianhomeschool.org
Heritage Homeschool Center. Homeschool-life.comHomeschool Community Co-Op, Snohomish
Hosanna Christian School, Gig Harbor
Kardia Classical School – Snohomish. Christian based. Kardiaclassical.org
Khan Academy. Khanacademy.org. Online courses.
Kings, Shoreline
Labyrinth, Sammamish. Labyrinthcoop.org
Lady Star of the Sea, Kitsap
Lake County Baptist Church homeschool co-op
Legacy Homeschool Center, Bellevue. Legacyhc.org
Life Christian Academy, wherelifehappens.org
Lighthouse Academy – Snohomish, No mask requirement
Monroe Christian School. Monroechristian.com.
Monroe Montessori
Newcastle Montessori Children’s House. Newcastlemontessori.com
Northshore Christian Academy, Everett.
Oaks Classical Christian Academy, Spokane. Theoakscca.org
Parkland Lutheran School, Tacoma
Path Homeschool Co-op, Edgewood
Pathway Homeschool Co-op. pathwayhsc.org
Power Homeschool
Providence Classical Christian, Bothell.
Redemption Lutheran, Lynnwood. Redemptionclc.com
Renton Christian on Maple Valley Highway
Riverside Christian School, Washougal. Riversidesch.com
Rooted Christian Co-op, Kent. Rootedchristiancoop.org
School of Tomorrow, schooloftomorrow.com (ACE)
Seattle Christian School, Tukwila
Shoreline Christian School, shorelinechristian.org
Skagit Adventist Academy, Burlington
Sky Valley Education Center, Monroe. Monroe.wednet.edu
St. Bernadette, Burien
St. Mary Magdalen School, Everett
St. Michael Catholic School. Smpschool.org. Snohomish
Tacoma Baptist School, now known as Sound Christian Academy. Southsoundchristian.org
Westgate Home School, Edmonds
Zion Lutheran School – Lake Stevens/Snohomish. Requires masks.
Curriculum
My Father’s World. Mfwbooks.com
Rainbowresource.com
Peggy Hall Freedom Learning, thehealthyamerican.org
Firmly Planted Homeschool Resource Center. FPHRC.org.
ABEKA homeschooling program
The Good and the Beautiful
BYU Independent Home Study
TGTB
Heart of Dakota
Power Homeschool
Sonlight
Unschooling, time4learning.com/homeschool
Good and Beautiful, goodandbeautiful.com
K12.com
Homeschool Potpourri, Kirkland
