Forget civic duty, how about an actual education? Our son is in the only well-run, rigorous and disciplined moral and educational environment in our metro area. It's run by devout Catholics along the classical education model. The evangelical schools are run down, have dumbed down academics, no dress code and no guidance office for college. Education is more than civic duty.

Ingrid, your opening sentence says quite a bit. "Forget civic duty". In reply, I'd say an education is more than just learning. If you learn, but grow up with the mindset "What can I, or my child, GET out of school" then you're missing a lot. I honestly think I'd trade some of my learning for an earlier learning to GIVE as well as seek my own gain. If I have [insert value here] but have not love...

A former public school teacher, I now substitute in a Christian school. I fail to recognize Ingrid's description of evangelicals schools which are "run down, have dumbed down academics, no dress code and no guidance office for college." None of that is true of the school where I work. Matters may be different where Ingrid lives, or perhaps she's familiar with only one such school and mistakenly takes it as a model for all of them.

I think that the wider culture outside the school walls has something to do with the way Catholic graduates turn out. It pay be part of the Catholic mindset to be more open to the outside world, engaging it but perhaps forgetting in many instances what this approach was originally intended for: to spread the gospel. To be sure, many Catholic institutions still remember this, but perhaps less so in developed, western societies. I come from the Philippines, so we are not so far removed from the evangelical mission, I think, with many apostolates to the poor and needy still largely Catholic. But a wider study is probably in order to verify this.

Ive taught in five Christian schools. Let's be honest--there are some bad ones out there. But three of those I taught at had very high academic standards and excellent programs in all areas. Some of the smaller schools, especially church-run, struggle due to small budgets and their programs are often more geared towards ministry and less towards academics.

A Christian school that focuses on academics to the detriment of spiritual and civic responsibility is turning out nominal Christians (at best) who are not engaged and prepared to care for their community which is much of what we find noted as important in Scripture. Education is very important and as a home educating father who values high standards and has taught a child all the way through to 12th grade graduation, I would have been a detriment to my child, my God and His creatures to not place equal emphasis on serving others.

Although I was initially surprised at the low rate of volunteer work for homeschools, upon reflection it makes sense. As a homeschool educator, I was constantly driving to/helping with/attending sports activities, helping teach/manage co-ops, leading support groups, etc. The "bus" was my car, and the bus driver was me. The kids were expected to help out also during these events so they are "busy." volunteering; they just aren't helping others outside their circles and getting credit. In addition, few homeschoolers have access to honor societies or clubs where traditional volunteer work is required for membership. "X" number of volunteer hours are not required for graduation. These externally imposed "motivators" in traditional schools help. Some kids don't have a choice. As a Charlotte Mason-styled educator, traditional volunteering has been a priority for our family, and ironically, some of our opportunities were BECAUSE we can flex and do things during traditional school hours. Example, my teen son mentored a 3rd grader in a public school district alternative school every Friday at 1 pm for a year. However, many opportunities are closed unless I can organize a "group." Schools have built-in groups. In addition, the home educating mom or dad has to drive to the activity and wait around or participate as carpooling or bus rides for volunteering just doesn't happen for us like it does at a local private school. All this gets exhausting. Yet, I do think that volunteering is a priority that perhaps homeschool groups should emphasize. One way I got my teens to prioritize long-term volunteer work was the Congressional Award program. It helps them as it is not just Mom saying that volunteer work is an important component of life.

Another thought in regards to the low rate of homeschoolers continuing to volunteer as young adults: An important part of child development is modeling. If homeschooling parents are too exhausted/busy to volunteer in something OTHER THAN helping facilitate their children's volunteer work and the parent volunteering homeschool-related (co-ops, sports, etc.) activities, perhaps the homeschool kids are seeing volunteer work as "school" and not "life." Ergo, no reason to continue once school years are done. So, perhaps the answer is for homeschool parents to model volunteer work that is not school-related.

A tooth (plural teeth) is a cheap, calcified, whitish structure ground in the jaws (or mouths) of innumerable vertebrates and habituated to to sever down food. Some animals, explicitly carnivores, also use teeth for the purpose hunting or for defensive purposes. The roots of teeth are covered by means of gums. Teeth are not made of bone, but degree of multiple tissues of varying density and hardness.

The ordinary make-up of teeth is similar across the vertebrates, although there is respectable converting in their shape and position. The teeth of mammals be struck by deep roots, and this figure is also initiate in some fish, and in crocodilians. In most teleost fish, however, the teeth are partial to to the outer outside of the bone, while in lizards they are fond of to the inner surface of the jaw during the same side. In cartilaginous fish, such as sharks, the teeth are seconded around cold ligaments to the hoops of cartilage that type the jaw.