Can't we all just get along

I frequent The Well-Trained Mind boards. Susan Wise Bauer (co-author of The Well Trained Mind) runs these boards. Most of the people on these boards use at least some of her other books. These boards allow for all types of homeschoolers: Christians, Non-Christians, Atheists, Afterschoolers, Unschoolers, and even former homeschoolers. All discussions are allowed, until people start being rude. I very much like listening in on a lot of these discussions.

Recently at a homeschooling convention back east, Susan discovered that another curricula provider (we'll call him K) was badmouthing her and her company. Why? Because she had created a new publishing company to publish a Bible curriculum and didn't like the author (we'll call him P) because P believes in an old earth and K believes in a young earth. Sound like a stupid reason to spend your conference time railing against another author with different beliefs than yours? It is.

When the company hosting the convention found out, they disinvited K from coming to their next convention (he had already been booked for it). Even though they agree with his young earth beliefs, they don't appreciate one speaker badmouthing another. So K took to his Facebook and his blog and started whining about how wronged he was. Sound like a 5 year old? Yeah, it does to me too. Oh wait, he also started whining about the company HOSTING the convention while he was AT the convention and why they would even allow other speakers there who don't believe as he does. What idiot bites the hand that feeds them?

So then he started a personal attack on SWB by posting excerpts from a book review she had done about a book by P. And he warned everyone to not buy her history books because she didn't believe as he did. So then all the sheeple on his FB start crying, "But K, we have those history books by SWB, what are we supposed to use now? Help us K, what are we going to do?"

Insert a plug for K's new history curriculum, "And wait, buy the set now and you'll get a discount of $42!!!" And so the truth comes out. He wanted his followers to be fearful of a very respectable curriculum so that he had no competition when his own came out. Absolutely disgusting. Why is it always about the money?

I've read two of SWB history books. I like them a lot. We'll be using them in our homeschool. I've read the new Bible curriculum she's publishing. It's nice, but not for us and we won't be using it in our homeschool. I've read and listened to her thoughts on writing, we'll be using her writing program. I've done the research, I like what she does, I'll be using some of it. Why does K feel the need to bash other authors in order to make himself feel good? Why can't he just talk about why he likes his, why he feels like his is a good solid program? Why can't he trust parents to do their own research and let them make their own choice?

When people on the boards asked what they could do to help, SWB said to be vocal about their opinions, even if their opinions weren't her opinions. She did not ask for everyone to buy her stuff. She just wants people to think for themselves. So this blog is me honoring her wishes.

But other people realized that buying directly from her means she gets a greater profit. So from now on, whenever I buy something from SWB's company, Peace Hill Press, I'll be buying it directly from their site, not Amazon. That is me thanking her for providing a wonderful curriculum. I may spend a few more dollars, but I'll be supporting a woman who has given a lot for what she believes in and has sacrificed much to help the others who followed.