The CLAAnews.com site is read by men and women from many different sources. Our Lord, in advising His disciples how to avoid controversy, said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.” This simply means that a teacher ought not to present material to an audience that will not appreciate it.
To honor our Lord’s advice, we will be placing material on the CLAAnews.com site that is intended for members of the CLAA community who DO appreciate what we have to teach, many of whom already enjoy personal friendships with one another, especially those whom my wife and I know personally and would speak to more freely. This material will be password protected and may only be viewed by subscribers, whose subscription is their pledge to (a) always receive the teaching with an awareness of our intentions and interests and (b) honor the private nature of this protected material. I will be devoting a good amount of time and attention to private members and look forward to resuming some of our old conversations from the Family Forum. It’s safe to say that we’ll push the envelope a little further in our private posts and discussions–because we can.
Private members will be free to engage more personally in private discussions and will address potentially controversial discussions that involve the following topics:
- CLAA implementation
- simplicity of life
- parenting and discipline
- scheduling
- college and career planning
- vocational discernment
- household management
- politics and voting
- and similar topics.
Private membership may be obtained for a subscription of $10/month using the link below. After subscribing, you will receive an e-mail within 24 hours confirming your subscription and providing you with your password to access protected content.
Click here to Subscribe
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link below:
We understand why you’re doing this. We’ve always appreciated the “challenging stuff” that comes from you, and I understand why you don’t want to waste time and words on people who have no desire to receive what you’re trying to offer, and consequently consume your time with fruitless argumentation. We are disheartened, however, by the pricetag. $120 seems quite expensive for an annual subscription. Half that would feel like a significant and appropriate contribution to us. I’m sure you have your reasons for charging that. At this time, we will keep our non-private status, but what will CLAA news have to offer those who aren’t private members?
“$120 seems quite expensive for an annual subscription”
Exactly. It’s also expensive for me to write and answer all of the non-CLAA questions and requests I receive, therefore, if it’s not worth $10 in a month, it’s not worth writing. I’ve got lots of work to do and I’d like to devote myself to what’s most valuable and helpful. Topics that do not pertain directly to the CLAA drain my time and energy and, while many readers appreciate them and ask for more, if no one thinks that time and energy is worthy supporting I can be sure it doesn’t need to be done.
WM
I am debating whether or not to join. It’s worth $10/mo but having read your posts on the family forum I have the feeling it will cost me more than that in terms of duties left undone….reading instead of doing.
If you’re doing, you probably don’t need to do as much reading.
PLEASE NOTE:
We’ve already received a good number of subscriptions, so this work will be pursued and I will be writing content specific for our Private Members from now on. Thanks.
For those of you who have subscribed, I encourage you to comment and discuss the articles and topics because the group is private and you can be sure that no one will post your comments in other forums as members of the Family Forum used to do to me–and intentionally create controversy among audiences that didn’t share my first principles and among whom I would never discuss such things. That is not a virtuous thing to do, but not all Christians care about being virtuous.
This group is made up of a different kind of people. Enjoy.
Are those signed up going to be allowed to argue with you (and of course be trampled by your logic)?
Well, those who sign up are probably not going to be people who (a) already know my views and then (b) pretend to be shocked and offended by them every time they read them regardless of how plainly I state and support them.
So, YES, arguing (which is a normal and necessary human activity) will be allowed but it probably won’t be the usual ridiculous rambling (which is neither a normal nor necessary human activity) that I had to face on the forum.
I am shocked that you would accuse people of rambling ridiculously. That’s so mean of you. Don’t you know everyone’s opinion is valid?
Everyone is entitled to his opinion, but every man’s support for his opinion is either true or false. You can say that green beans cause the world wars, that’s fine. However, the value of your opinion lies in your proof of it. “Ridiculous rambling” consists of trying to pressure me and others, by threats and attacks and other distractions to ignore the simple reality that they have no support for their opinions. A person can breathe fire and snort in my face like a rabid dragon, but I’m listening for reasons and proofs. I always give mine.
I should just pay my $10 if I’m going to engage in conversation with you.
I said I would pay extra for the forum, so if this is the closest thing to it, I’m in! Besides, after I found out I wouldn’t have to pay $50 + a month for support, I have a little extra money lying around!
A new forum is coming soon…but it will be VERY different.
Ok, I just signed up. Where’s my password? Can’t wait to read about this poor homeschooler.
Relax, lady Squire. These things take…minutes.
I signed up last night too. Am I waiting on an email or something? Excuse my cluelessness…
Hi Kirsty, I haven’t seen any subscription info come in for you. I’ll check again. If you don’t hear from me, that means I don’t see anything.
By “new forum” do you mean the private members group or do you have another idea brewing?
The CLAA Family Forum gave me a clear idea of what was good and bad in a forum community. First, I’ve learned to discern the marks of trustworthy people and the marks of untrustworthy people–the people who work and the people who talk about work. Second, I’ve learned the importance of strictly guarded privacy. There are people who understand where I’m headed and they’re all in and there are other people who, no matter what I say, are trying to press the CLAA into a college prep program that makes their family wealthy one day. Third, I’ve learned that people who want free stuff need to be given free stuff–not good stuff. When the man in the Gospels found thee pearl of great price, Jesus tells us that he sold everything he had and bought it. He didn’t ask if he could have it for free. The people who have caused the most distraction and confusion in the CLAA have been people who have hoarded up our free services. We’re not allowing that to happen anymore because we’re ready to get this program rolling in 2012 and the time for idle talk is over. We’ve been talking about the same things for 3 years and everyone knows the ropes. We know who the students and families are that are going to make it in the CLAA and be here in 10 years and those who aren’t and won’t. The people fussing, as time has proven, are the people who can’t and won’t make it. The people who are working and learning are making great strides and they deserve my attention–and I want to devote myself and all of my resources to them and their children. They’re going to be the ones representing the CLAA in 10 years and I want to make them great.
The new forum will have levels of membership that give access to different types of content and conversations and also increase in intimacy as we go up–we can talk about our specific children, issues we face, etc.. without having to worry about some gossip sharing private conversations (which these are) outside the forum (as Catholic homeschooling mothers have done). The Private Membership here on CLAAnews.com is really a pre-payment of what will be available there. You won’t pay twice, but more options will be available there. I’ll be free to roll my sleeves up and get into things without worrying about what kind of nonsense will arise. Milk for babies and meat for the mature. We will NEVER again have a free, open online (i.e., fantasy) forum as we did.
WM
This is wonderful and I think it’s worth every penny!
Maybe the PayPal transaction hasn’t quite cleared yet. It did say it could take a couple of days. (And sorry, I just re-read the Subscribe info, where it states quite plainly about password, etc.)
Sounds GREAT
Ooooh just signed up! Can’t wait to hear about the homeschooler too!
Where do I input my password to get in to the private members section?
When you open a private article, you will be asked for your password.
So I’m gathering that if we want to be “challenged”, outside the curriculum itself, we’ll need to subscribe. If something qualifies as controversial, non-subscribers won’t have access. If that would have been the case all along, our experience in the CLAA would have been much more anemic and less fruitful up to this point. A strong argument for signing up.
You certainly did roll out this new private subscription with a provocative post. I don’t look forward to hearing about “the homeschooler”, personally, but am certain there’s something important to be pondered as I cringe/feel for the child of God who is so unfortunate as to be the source of our learning.
If the money is there (we’ll be figuring that out), I still wonder if I’m “worthy” to be on such a forum as you envision. I very much care about being virtuous and reasonable, but I AM ignorant and I DO ramble…. hmmm….
I’ll tell you why I’m making subscriptions for non-CLAA issues: Because the people who benefit from the “free” articles will turn around and complain that I haven’t graded their children’s arithmetic exercises or taken their chats or answered their e-mails, etc.. Well, now they get to pick which one they’d like. If they want articles, they pay for reviewers and office help for me. Very simple. We live in a Wal-Mart culture where everyone thinks the goal is to get as much as you can for free.
Hi Mr. Michael,
Just wanted to let you know I signed up and am anxiously awaiting my password.
Thanks
Denise
Good Morning, Mr. Michael,
I signed up yesterday and look forward to the forum! Thanks and God bless,
Rebecca
Still waiting on my password, am I doing something wrong?
Denise
Hi Denise. I’m sending out an e-mail to the list of the previous day’s subscribers every day. You subscribed on the 31st (yesterday) and I just sent today’s e-mail out. Thanks. -WM
You should have received an e-mail a little while ago with your password.
I found your e-mail in PayPal as mvost… instead of svost…. You should have your e-mail by now. -WM
We signed up via paypal on 02/01 but still no password.
Would really like to read your articles.
Thank you.
I have been trying to implement the “On good habits” free article. When we accomplish that, maybe I’ll be ready for more.
I am so glad this is happening, waiting for my password. I admit, I was very reluctant, but CLAA has really helped our family and our school.
God Bless you
Just wondering how long the password email takes to arrive.
Sorry, we’ve been under the weather the last few days.
I can’t use PayPal. Is there any way I can use a credit card like I do when I pay for classes?
I am speechless to describe how blessed I feel to have CLAA…….truly.
With deep gratitude,
Suzanna Price Bryant and little CLAA’er Mary Charlotte Murielle Bryant;)