Public Schools are a good example of "Intellectual Abandonment"

This news is so interesting to me. These two homeschooled kids have already passed the Law School Entrance Exams, but the public school system believes that knowing facts about handball, basketball and soccer are more important and certainly more impressive than that. Isn't this crazy? Read more below.

MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL, August 29, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a surprise victory against government officials who sought to prosecute a homeschooling family for refusing to participate in the public school system, David and Jonatas Nunes have passed tests proving a high level of knowledge in a variety of subjects, including history, the natural sciences, the arts, sports, computing, and mathematics.

The tests given to the Nunes children were so difficult that public school teachers admitted that they could not pass them. The two boys, aged 14 and 15, had only one week to study for several of the tests, which were announced only a week in advance.

The exams were ordered by a local court in an attempt to determine if the Nunes had committed the crime of "intellectual abandonment", which could have resulted in a heavy fine, and possibly jail time for the two parents, as well as loss of custody of their three children.

While the boys were told well in advance they would be tested on mathematics, geography, science, and history, they were informed only one week before the test date that they would also be tested on Portuguese, English, arts, and physical education, including questions about the history of handball, basketball, soccer, and other sports.

"It's interesting that if these same tests were given to public school students, the vast majority would not pass them," said Nunes, who noted that if failing such tests is to be regarded as a crime, "then the government itself would be condemned since their agencies admit the total failure of the educational system that they are requiring our children to attend."

Although David and Jonatas Nunes had already passed law school entrance exams at the age of 13 and 14, the results were insufficient for local government authorities, who threatened to deprive their parents of custody and attempted to levy a steep fine.

For More: In the News