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I am having a hard time understanding why someone who is so interested
in "critical thinking" would choose to believe schools.

I can't think of a single group of people who think more critically
than unschoolers. Seriously.

The unschooling parents I know virtually as well as IRL think HARD
about the choices they make. Every day. They've made very difficult
choices regarding learning after MUCH consideration and questioning and
thought. Often it leads further than simply academics, and it causes
the families to think beyond---into religion and eating and chores and
bedtimes and ....and the whole lifestyle. WHY we do what we do. WHY we
behave as we do. WHY we think as we do.

Questioning one thing leads to questioning others.

We don't accept "because I said so" as an answer. Neither should anyone
else.

Many people seem to want research---as if research will answer their
questions. Research only answers the questions the researchers are
looking for. What I want to see is how it affects TWO people---MY
children. It just so happens that unschooling and mindful parenting
works for every family that embraces it. But that's not what's
important to me. What's important is Cameron and Duncan. Only. I have
can see the difference in them. That's enough for *me*.

Million of parents send their children every day to schools, not
questioning ONE thing the schools say or do. They require homework and
early bedtimes and limit games and TV because schools and teachers and
educators say so---never asking why or whether it's important. They
accept that what schools require is necessary---often because it
justifies the parents' own time in school.

Unschoolers are the only group which *critically* questions the status
quo.

I don't think you can think critically and yet still choose to send a
child to school. That defies logic. There is NOTHING in school that
cannot be found in the real world---and PLENTY in the real world that
cannot be found in school.

I want my children's worlds to be so much bigger than *any* school
could pretend to be. And I've though a LOT about this. Critically.

~Kelly

Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org

Ren Allen

~~
Unschoolers are the only group which *critically* questions the status
quo.~~

Not necessarily.

But they're the only ones saying "no more" and actually LIVING that
"no more".

Ren
learninginfreedom.com