I think it interesting that most people act like home school is the first attempt of teaching ones beliefs to the student. This is being done in every form of school that is out there. You have the traditional public school that teaches that it is alright to be an average student who never takes any risks and is not ready to face failure. You have the traditional private school that teaches that they are the elite of society and should therefore be the leaders of tomorrow even if they don't have the abilities to lead. You have the traditional religious private schools which teach that their religious beliefs as the primary reflection of life and that man should follow religious principles in everything he does. Home school teaches that it is the parents beliefs that are most important and that the student should become a master of those beliefs whether they are religious, educational, or scientific. I have attended 3 of the 4 and I have to say that all of these schools serve a purpose that cannot be fulfilled in any of the other schools. That is the passing down of knowledge that is most important to those that are teaching it. I have to say that from my experiences in school I was most disappointed in the public school system of the state of Nebraska. I was further behind the private school's in learning of basic math, reading, and writing. This is in no reflection on the nation as a whole because I was put in a religious school after my 4th grade year and never saw a public school classroom again. Steven Dickson * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *