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At the age of 9 in 1969, we went to Italy to live for a while, the local school in the little village where we lived was actually the local convent for the nuns.
Day 1, ten minutes in and I had my left hand tied behind my back to make me write right handed, I also had the equivalent of a 4x2 length of wood tied down my spine to make me sit upright. I had to stay like this all day even to eat my lunch.
I came home that afternoon very upset and with rope burns all over my left arm and a sore back.
The upshot was that the police were called. This was to protect the nuns from my mum (5'1" pommy and a fiery redhead) who had almost kicked the doors down to convent.
That was the start of home schooling for me, my mum would teach English and Maths in the morning while my uncles and aunts would take me all over the local area visiting churches, museums and art galleries and teach me about history and art. A better education than any school could offer then.
Came back to Australia in 1971 and was told that as home schooling wasn't accepted then and I would have to go to the school board to be assessed and probably be put two years. I walked out of that meeting with the board totally stunned at my knowledge for and 11 year old and I went straight into my normal age level.
I am glad that the kids of today will never have to experience this sort of thing.
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