CHEC, Part III

I had hoped I could quit commenting on this particular subject. But a couple of comments on my last post inspired me.

"Shauna" wrote, quoting razorbackmama's comment,

I want to learn about HOMESCHOOLING, not fathers'/mothers' roles, patriarchy, and a whole slew of other stuff that have nothing to do with homeschooling. But then someone pointed out to [m]e that it's a "Christian Family Conference."

I'm pretty sure that was me! . . . My point was that it's an intentional move on the part of CHEC, and homeschooling isn't the primary component of their vision for Christian families.

And that reminds me of some things Messrs. Roach and Swanson said at our December meeting that didn't sit well with me and that I referenced obliquely in my December 18, 2008 2:24 PM email to Kevin Swanson, where I suggested CHEC might best serve its constituency by changing its name

to make its true character better known:

• Fundamentalist Christian Home Educators of Colorado.
   
• Christian Young Men's Apprenticeship, Mentoring and Entrepreneurship League of Colorado.
   
• Or some such.
   
• Something more "narrow" than the moniker "Christian home educators" implies. . . .

Why did I write that? (Kinda weird, wouldn't you say?)

Reason: Because these men seemed far more excited about their Apprenticeship, Mentorship and Entrepreneurship [AME] program than about homeschooling.

It also bothered me to realize, after the meeting, when I looked to find out more about the AME Program, that, on CHEC's home page, they make the program sound inclusive:

AME connects young homeschooled students and graduates to professionals, businessmen, and entrepreneurs to provide a life-integrated work experience focused on the character and future of that young person.

Through our website database, seminars, and more, we help connect young people to prospective mentors in various business and ministry opportunities.

But by all indications, in reality, it is for young men only. [Perhaps someone other than me can actually "test the waters" on this to absolutely, positively "prove" the point. I am working off of an increasingly faulty memory system in my own brain. Documentary proof would be helpful. . . . Or, maybe, a strong enough hue and cry could change CHEC's/AME's policies in this area.]

As for the homeschooling movement in Colorado, Sarita mentioned her concern that it seemed independent (i.e., non-government-sponsored) homeschooling has stagnated and may actually be in decline. And so, she asked, what kinds of plans does CHEC have in mind for promoting the movement.

Their answer (not in so many words, but in reality): Nothing. They're preoccupied with their AME program.

On a related note: They see the homeschool movement gaining momentum again, for some reason, beginning in 2017 when "the next generation" of homeschoolers begins homeschooling their kids.

Since we, ourselves, weren't exactly pioneers in the movement (we think that honor should go to people who were homeschooling in the '70s and (in greater numbers) in the '80s, and we didn't begin homeschooling till 1989), and since our children have begun ("just!") to homeschool their children . . . we wonder why Roach, Swanson and company aren't expecting "the next generation" to begin homeschooling before 2017.

But with all of these things having been said, I have to really question: how and why does CHEC think it is acting honestly when it calls itself Christian Home Educators of Colorado? Who is truly speaking up for the home education movement as a whole in Colorado . . . much less for Christian home educators?

My sense: it's not CHEC!