CHOIS Connection is published quarterly by Christian Homeschoolers Of Idaho State.
This article appeared in a previous issue.
CHOIS Connection
Tidbits
by Linda Patchin
"An Interview with a Friend"
Fall 2006
Late last March, Res Peters of ICHE and myself, representing CHOIS, were delegates at the Home School Legal Defense Association Leadership Summit in Washington DC, along with representatives from 38 other states. We were honored to be present as Senator Larry Craig was awarded the Friend of Homeschooling Award. His acceptance speech was a highlight of the Congressional briefing, and prompted me to request an interview with him. I hope that you will enjoy learning more about Idaho's Senior Senator and why he received this award.
CHOIS Connection: Senator Craig, congratulations on receiving this award! You've always been a faithful friend and supporter of home education in Idaho and it was wonderful to be there to see you receive this national recognition. You shared a heartwarming story with the delegates of your early education, which you received in a small country school. Would you please share this story with our readers?
Senator Craig: First and foremost, thank you again for the recognition of the Friend of Homeschooling Award. Over the years I have seen the value of parent's having a choice when they felt that the public schools weren't offering to their children what they believed necessary and important, to allow those children to stay home to be taught by their parents. Since that time in the early "70's" when homeschooling became an issue while I was a State Senator, until today, we've seen phenomenal growth in the quality of homeschooling, and the curriculum and materials available to facilitate parents in their effort to educate their children at home.
The story I related was that in my seventh and eighth grade years, my mother, who was a teacher, my sister and I returned to our family ranch for schooling. We moved to where we had a second home in the community of Cambridge, Idaho, to the ranch on Crane Creek. I spent two years in a one-room school instead of the larger school in Cambridge where my mother had taught. By coincidence it was the same school that my mother had first taught in when she was just out of Normal School with her teaching certificate. I returned to that one-room, first through eighth grade school. It happened to be at a time in that community when there were almost more students than the teacher could handle. She was trying to teach a student in each grade. Because my mother was at home and able to help me, I literally did my seventh and eighth grade years at home, meaning that I would go to school with my books, and the teacher would outline some of the work for me. I largely did all of it, in fact completing the work for both grades in one year and began my freshman year during eighth grade, simply because I could study at my own speed.
This also allowed me to assist the teacher with all the younger students, helping to teach reading and math. During that time, I also conducted the Christmas play, because as you can imagine in a one-room school, forty miles from nowhere, the school was the center of the widespread ranching community and the play was a community gathering. I had had piano lessons, so I played the music. We sang the Christmas carols and I conducted the play. The teacher was so busy! I believe that there were 20 students in that one-room school.
This is a quick story but it really helped me to relate to homeschooling. Not only did I have the good fortune of having a professional educator at home who was a pretty tough taskmaster when she found out what I was going to do in those years, but I must tell you that the better education came when I became the assistant, teaching the younger children to read. It's helping me now with my grandkids, I suspect.
CHOIS Connection: Almost every year that there has been an official Idaho homeschool graduation ceremony, you have been present to help pass out the diplomas. I can't begin to express how much it means to our graduates and to their parents, that you would take time away from your busy schedule to honor our students in this way. What makes this graduation ceremony special to you?
Senator Craig: Again, education has always been, for this country, a national priority. It's why our public school system was created. We've watched over the years, with some frustration, some of the directions that our public schools have gone in. When I find parents who recognize or want something that they feel is better for their child, and that education is a key component, and they take the time and commitment to homeschool, it demonstrates to me a commitment that many don't have. I must tell you that it is the giving of time by a parent that is so valuable! The least that I can do is recognize and honor, not just the student, but also the parent who makes that commitment, and who's dedicated to take their child all the way through that process. I was always frustrated that the homeschooled might miss out on some of the social activities that students get collectively in a public school, some negative but many positive. Socializing is a tremendously important part of growing up. For homeschoolers to organize a graduation, and for students to actually go through a graduation ceremony and receive a diploma, having gone through the homeschooling process, is a tremendously valuable part of putting a ribbon around the quality of that education. When I'm invited and when I can come, I make every effort to be at those graduations.
CHOIS Connection: You are the United States Senate Sponsor of the Home School Non-Discrimination Act, (HoNDA). We are fortunate to live in a state where both of our Congressmen, and our other Senator are also co-sponsors of this bill. Could you describe for our readers what this bill is about and why you are sponsoring it in the United States Senate?
Senator Craig: Well, the bill is important in that it sets forth a standard, a national recognition of the value of homeschooling and the importance of it. It doesn't allow the public system to dictate what homeschooling should be about, because homeschooling is in part a product, in my opinion, of a failure of the public system to recognize the needs of some of our children. As a result of that it shouldn't, in it's monopolistic way; intercede in what is becoming a very sophisticated and appropriate homeschool system. Early on, as a State Senator, I fought that battle when I was a member of the Education Committee in the Idaho State Senate. At that time, the public school system was trying to dictate the standards by which a homeschool program would work. At that time I opposed it, and fought it and stopped it, and will continue to do so. That's why this piece of legislation is so important!
CHOIS Connection: Senator Craig, we've really appreciated this opportunity to get to know you better, and on behalf of Idaho home educators, as well as home educators across the nation, I would like to thank you again for serving our state and for being our friend! May God continue to protect, strengthen and bless you as you faithfully continue to serve our nation.
Senator Craig: Well thank you very much. I'm honored that you would ask to interview me and that some of my thoughts could be more broadly known in the homeschooling community. Homeschooling is a critical and important part of the education of America's children and I want you to flourish and be successful. What I can do to help in that, is part of my responsibility as a United States Senator.
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