A FORUM FOR COMMUNITY ISSUES : Platform
TANU and DETRA ROSE-HOOD, Graphic artist and dance teacher, Pasadena
Our lifestyle was the first reason we elected home schools. We are strict vegetarians and we thought this might be a problem for our children. By the time they were school age, our children were capable of decision making concerning food and we had no fears. However, we had concerns about reports in the news of teachers being forced to return to school to complete their education, about students graduating from high school and not being able to read, and that became a greater concern than our lifestyle. We noticed also that children getting off the school bus were quite undisciplined--5-, 6-, 7-year-olds cursing, and that started us investigating the schools in our area.
The classrooms were too crowded and (they had) discipline problems. We searched for an alternative school. We wanted an African-centered education for our children and the independent black schools were not offering enough for the money they were charging.
We decided to home school until we could find a school that met our needs. We’ve been home schooling now for 12 years.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
