The Oklahoma Christian Home Educators' Association (OCHEC) held its annual convention in Tulsa this past weekend. It's one of the top homeschooling conventions in the country for parents who really really really want to make sure their children have hard-wired religious beliefs and a limited worldview. We know this thanks to the group's mission statement, it's convention workshop schedule, and a few pics of trade show exhibit booths that a Mole sent our way.
For example...
Yep, The Blackwoods Morning Show is going after the home school crowd. Can you imagine being a homeschooled kid and having to watch that show every morning? How could you focus on the patriotic music with that glorious Chia Pet of hair staring back at you? The only thing you'd learn is to be very careful when choosing a hair stylist.
Here are a few more exhibit photos after the jump.
Hey look! It's one of the settlers from the DirecTV commercials! Why are they selling books at a homeschool convention? Doesn't she have soap to make and fields to plow?
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That's interesting. I wonder if the books also explain the "truth" about God's role in the establishment of slavery, the systematic removal and slaughter of millions of Native Americans, and all the other atrocities this Christian nation has committed over the years.
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Cats and Dogs. Oil and Water. Religion and Science. All things that don't mix well.
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Here are some more pics to give you an idea of what the convention was all about it. They're not really funny, but they are kind of scary:
Listen, I know the parents who teach this stuff mean well and everything, and some of them, I assume, are good people, but mixing religion and education like this is scary stuff. There's a difference between educating and indoctrinating. We should get our legislature to set up a hotline for homeschooled students who don't want to be proselytized by their parents. I know public schools have their faults, especially in this state, but if a student wants to go to a place where all curriculum doesn't center around a 2,000 year old book, he or she should have that choice.
Also, one thing I've learned over my obscure local social blogging career is there's not a bigger vigilante group than an angry mob of homeschool parents. They're about as defensive as the 1985 Bears. You make one joke about homeschool kids and they'll come after you like you screamed "Gay Abortion Dance Off" on the SNU campus. I apologize for making them mad. I'd suggest they watch The Blackwoods Morning Show to put them in a better mood.
