Education in the Family

Posted by Laura on August 10, 2003 at 09:26:09
In Reply to: On the other hand posted by Miguel on August 09, 2003 at 13:31:16:


Hi, Miguel. Well, I've written replies about all this twice now that for some reason I can't find on the Board. Don't know what I'm doing wrong but will give it one more try; my apologies if I'm being redundant and the posts are here somewhere and I'm just not seeing them.

In my experience (Family member 1976-1999, 80% "regular witnessing" Homes, 20% office type Homes) the single biggest impediment to kids in the Family getting a solid education is NOT finances but time and priority setting. I was often the main teacher in the Homes I was in, and all the parents I worked with wanted their kids to get a good solid ELEMENTARY education and, in fact, a good teacher who could keep the kids learning and occupied and well cared for from reveille to dinner was considered a big plus. However, very few adults were committed to kids getting an honest to goodness high school education; when we started using the CLE, I really fought for it, because this series makes it relatively easy to teach a US equivalent high school education.

But very few parents placed any kind of priority on this, and unfortunately, because of this very few Family teens had been taught the importance of, or a love for, learning, and hence they didn't want to study either. There were exceptions, of course; for instance, one of my daughters was determined to get a high school education and would stay up literally past midnight hitting the books, and I'd try my best to help her. (She is now in university full time and working towards her B.A. in Education.)

So, as I have posted before, I do not want to see anyone who cares about the youth still in the Family to be setting up roadblocks to their having access to CLE. Or even the CVC for that matter, for while it is not a real high school program (no, not accredited, and I never heard anyone in the rank and file Family who cared if it was), I have found with a couple of my kids that having CVC records, mailing address, diploma, etc. helped quite a bit when enrolling in both the State University and (for younger teens) high school.

Just my two cents,
Laura


Posted by Miguel on August 10, 2003 at 11:05:22

In Reply to: Re: On the other hand posted by Laura on August 10, 2003 at 09:26:09:

Thank you for explaining your views. I am debating with myself that very same point right now. On one hand, there is the superficial training the CVC provides and on the other, there is the cover advantage it gives to those actively promoting Berg's teachings.

There are, for example, Family members who present themselves as being "certified" by or having received their education in the CVC knowing full well that the term "College" is understood in many places as being post-secondary. It is yet another case of "Deceivers, yet true".

How to balance both? It is tough for me because I happen to believe that education is the key to break the chains of dominance and control by others. It is sad but not surprising that most parents in The Family are uninterested in providing the basics of a minimum level of education for their children.