Ren Allen

"I feel bummed when I think about the school messing with schedules
again.
Oh well, August is a long time off so perhaps their minds will
collectively
change."

Or perhaps find a way to meet the desire, without going full school.

Sierra has been very interested in going to school and I thought I
was finally going to have to start looking around this year. But an
alternative minded friend of mine, is wanting to offer some fun
classes to homeschoolers and when Sierra figured out that school
meant being gone all day, five days a week, but Miss Elizabeth's
class would be once a week...well, that sealed the deal.
She desires some structured learning, but she is also a product of a
free life, so I'm pretty sure school would be harder for her
independent nature than she thinks.

Ren

Ren Allen

"But if I do not trust my kids to make the "correct for them" choices
about
their education....then I am certainly no unschooler. I feel that I
must
walk the walk."

I agree.
My children are choosing their education/learning every day. I am not
a closed door, but an avenue by which they can explore the entire
world, even shark infested waters and freeways if necessary. I'd find
a way for them to do it safely.
My Dad has gone diving in shark infested waters, and loved every
minute of it. And I bet I could find a freeway that was closed for
construction that we could explore.:)
I know the original issue was safety, and of course we all keep our
children from life/death dangers until they are able to understand
those dangers and keep themselves safe.
School is just another part of the world, and a child that knows they
have free choice is not going to have the damage that a coerced child
would.
If I say I trust my child to make decisions about their lives, but I
won't allow them to go to school, then I'm doing the exact thing to
them that school does. Forcing. Not allowing choice.
That's not in line with unschooling philosophies in my opinion.

Ren