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Original poster

Anyone but me sick and tired of hearing that the Connecticut shooter was homeschooled?

48 replies

sieglinde · 17/12/2012 11:28

As if this explained ANYTHING!

Also tired of hearing he was autistic or Asperger's, used interchangeably, Goth, when there are no pictures to back it up, and intelligent, as if that too explained his actions. Angry I am not talking of the Daily Hate, but of e.g. the Times.

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carocaro · 17/12/2012 13:15

I have not heard the thing about home schooling, they are just trying to build up a picture of who he was, The Times are normally good at fact checking and I suppose they are just reporting what those who knew something of him have said, not to give reasons and explain his actions just about who he was.

Whatever he was into, how he was schooled or what he looked like had little to do with it, he was obviously not right in the head. There are millions of goths, those with aspergers, home schooled who would never do this is a million years.

Original poster
sieglinde · 17/12/2012 17:16

Of course, caro - my point exactly, But I am concerned about the way people leap at explanations in the aspects of the killer they choose to mention.

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Changeforthrday · 17/12/2012 17:18

I hadn't heard that but have been trying to avoid the coverage.

PottedShrimp · 17/12/2012 17:23

The mum sounded nuts.

Home Ed has nothing to do with what he did. Agree with you OP, that it makes people think oo err, that means they were weird.
Plenty of people who have done this sort of thing went to school. Just ignore.

bebanjo · 17/12/2012 20:50

odd then that his former "school" friends have said he was a math wizz, wore a pocket protector was very shy.
that he did not have a photo in his "school" year book.
they have spoken to hie former teachers.
no one said anything about him being educated outside of the state school system.

Original poster
sieglinde · 18/12/2012 09:33

Yes, bebanjo, but three papers - Telegraph, Times, and the inevitable DM - were saying 'homeschooled' yesterday, as though it was a key fact about him. Which it clearly isn't.

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CatKitson · 18/12/2012 10:20

I did hear that he was homeschooled, but also heard "school friends" opinions of him, and references to the year book, so who is to know what to think. They got quite a few things wrong, for instance that his mother was the teacher of the kindergarten class. I suppose I remind myself that I'm doing the best I can for my children, and they are happy, so its not worth giving it head space.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 18/12/2012 10:25

I can understand why they are reporting that he was home schooled. They believe his mother was a survivalist who had a stockpile of weapons and ammo, and who was educating him that the end of the world was coming. She was petrified, and spread it to him. He may not have had another view on that, if he had no friends, and didn't have teachers to talk things through with.

Obviously nobody knows, and I do hate the speculation. They got so much wrong when this was first reported...naming his brother, etc.

CatKitson · 18/12/2012 10:28

To be frank I don't want to know anything about him. I dont want his photo in the media, nor his name. There is no reason for what he did, no excuse. Remember the victims, but not him.

To be honest Im GRATEFUL I homeschool, and that is the honest truth.

EdithWeston · 18/12/2012 10:30

I saw a US official talking about the case, and they weren't saying much or being drawn on factors. This is another example of the media theorising beyond known facts, probably in order to try to make some sense of what happened. I suppose that is understandable, but it isn't helpful. I hope the authorities will one day release their conclusions, based on all evidence they gather, and that this account will outweigh those currently in circulation from those who have only incomplete information.

lidlqueen · 18/12/2012 10:30

she didn't think the end of the world was coming, she was preparing for societal breakdown. And he was homeschooled after the age of 16.

EauRougelyNight · 18/12/2012 11:05

They are singling out anything 'different' about him because no-one wants to believe that a 'normal' person could do anything like this. The truth is that mental health problems can affect anyone.

If mental health care was easier to come by in the US then that might help to prevent this type of thing happening so much, but they are hiding behind 'look, he was a loner homeschooled goth' because they don't want to take steps to make health care more accessible and guns less accessible.

I don't like the way the media seems so gleeful about having such a big story to report. I've read some interesting articles about gun control but apart from that I've been trying to avoid the coverage.

LittleAbruzzenBearLovesYuleLog · 18/12/2012 11:12

I haven't heard anything about home schooling, but what is annoying is that as per usual it is all laid down at the mother's door, what she has or hasn't done. What about his father?

Chubfuddler · 18/12/2012 12:25

Your thread title is the first time I'd heard that.

Original poster
sieglinde · 18/12/2012 13:57

Sorry to point it out - I just think HE parents and sdcs should defend as preppers have been doing.

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mummytime · 18/12/2012 14:09

I hadn't heard that, and did think he had at least at some point been in school. I also read something about his Mother trying to get him into some special school in California.

But far more telling was her sister/sister-in-law saying she had said she "loved" her guns and wasn't giving them up for no-one.

And the most shocking was the guy from the Gun lobby arguing schools should have guns so they could have shot him, and prevented more deaths.

CatKitson · 18/12/2012 19:25

Sieglinde, defend what exactly? Also what is sdcs?

Tarenath · 18/12/2012 21:03

OMG yes. The news reports over here say he was homeschooled for part of elementary then attended high school. Also, as a casual gamer I'm fed up of the references to the fact that he played video games!

Original poster
sieglinde · 19/12/2012 08:31

Defend homeschooling as not a breeding ground of shooters or nutters, Cat.

Sorry about sdcs. Should have been 'kids'.

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Jojobells1986 · 19/12/2012 08:43

I've only heard that he was homeschooled at 16 because the mother wasn't happy with the support he was receiving in school. I find his apparent inability to feel physical pain more interesting than anything else they've reported so far, but that's probably because it seems to be the most unusual thing about him. I just find it fascinating to ponder the mental/emotional effects that not hurting & needing constant supervision might have on someone!

Original poster
sieglinde · 19/12/2012 08:46

Yes, jojo, and this is actually a perfectly reasonable reason for HE. Why not address the failure of support in the school system?

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Chubfuddler · 19/12/2012 09:21

I think you're tilting at windmills here. No one has suggested home a boiling is a breeding ground for shooters.

CatKitson · 19/12/2012 09:34

Ive come to terms with the fact that as a homeschooler there are going to be a LOT of people who has a negative opinion of me and how I raise my children, a negative opinion of my family and my children. It was not easy for me not to give a fuck, but truely not a fuck given anymore.

I know Im raising bright, sweet, well adjusted, safe, lovely children. I know Im doing my best for them, and anyone who does think negatively of my family because we home ed, I just have nothing to do with them anymore.

I know its hard, but try not to let it hurt you, Sieglinde. You need your energy for positive stuff. The public is judge and jury nowadays, and I refuse to have a part in it, if at all possible. I dont care that it is unmumsnetty, have a HUG and please try not to think about it too much.

Jojobells1986 · 19/12/2012 10:19

sieglinde Because the ramifications of that would be costly & time consuming. Clearly it's much simpler to blame the crazy mum! How dare someone think their child isn't receiving the best care/education when it's being provided by the professionals?! Of course this kind of thing was bound to happen when she took it upon herself to think she knew what was best for her own child!

(Can anyone tell I'm planning to home-ed? Wink)

Original poster
sieglinde · 19/12/2012 12:27

I certainly can, and I agree. I homeschooled my son, now 18, and am currently HEing my daughter, now 12. They both went to 'real' schools some of the time; the results were pretty awful in every way.

It's nice that so many of you are laid-back about this; I think we have to fight our corner a bit harder than some have suggested.

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