Ok, My Major Issue

I have to confess that I never *graduated* from high school. I have never stepped one foot in a college for a class or any madness like that. Although I had a very high grade point average, I was one of those that really messed up socially and so therefore I did not finish. I obviously had a big reason. I did. I won't get into it. This is not important.

The fact that I did not graduate from high school has always been a source of great pain to me. Yes, I have gotten my GED, but I still did not graduate the right way. I have dreams continually that I can not open my locker to get my books, or I can't make it to class on time, or something prevents me from taking that final. I usually can't find my books. I am typically glued to a locker trying to remember the combination and the bell has already rung. Those are dreams of panic and much frustration. I hate them. You know, some people are ashamed that they have not finished COLLEGE. I have not finished less than that.

Why am I writing about this? Well, I have always been afraid to admit that I have not finished high school. That I was a drop out. I am. A statistic. I have to laugh because I have had conversations with people and they ask me if I have my masters in literature. Give me a break. I really have them fooled, eh? The fact is, yes, I have educated myself well in those areas, but I am in fact, a high school drop out.


So I am recently getting back to getting the home school stuff squared away with the government schools. The lady that is over the home education department for the school district tells me that I have to meet this criteria and that. She encourages me to take a different route from the one I had previously taken to get approval from the board of education so I look into it. The very first and simplest criteria is to show that you have a diploma from high school. Dear Sir thinks that a GED is the same. I knew it wasn't, but Dear Sir was convinced. So I call the lady and ask. She leaves a message to tell me that no, a GED is not good enough, and that does not qualify me under that case. I am not qualified to teach my own children. I have been teaching them for five years now, and for the first time I have a woman from the government telling me that I am not qualified. And---if I want to school them, I have to PROVE that I am qualified. Now, there are other ways around this whole mess, so I am not worried, but it just really sucks to have someone tell you that you are a zero. I have absolutely nothing on paper to show that I am semi-intelligent.

So the lady had sent me a packet stating the home school laws and such and I read her own written memo. Here is what it says:

"Parents must provide evidence that your child has attained a composite score in or above the fourth stanine on a battery of achievement tests which have been approved by the Board of Education or an evaluation or assessment which, in the judgement of the division superintendent, indicates that your child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress. ......Parents shall file evidence of their ability to provide an adequate education for your child and a remediation plan for the probationary year. ....and parents shall make other arrangements for the education of your child. ....parents shall make other arrangements for the education of your child..."

I love it. Now I don't feel so bad.