[Ziggy A.]

I'm 17 years old and since the 9th grade I wanted to be home schooled, my mother was my guardian at the time and said that was illegal here. I've recently researched about this again and saw that it's neither illegal, nor exactly legal. I did see that there are home schooled people here and that most are expats (which is what my family is). I think I'm too late to be home schooled and I really dread going to school, it's been this way for years. It has nothing with me have any social problems at my school (I love my classmates, even, we grew up together and live in the same neighborhood).I despise exactly my school and no way would my father (now my legal guardian, not my mother) send me to a public school here, other private schools are extremely expensive or far away. Many people have left my school b/c they hate it, and I'm not just talking about students here. It's also teachers and only a handful have stayed here for years, even my father constantly trashes the school. The English (though I really don't need this education since I'm a native speaker) classes are dreadful but our new teacher seems promising (but he might leave, too, just like the one last year who stayed for a month) and we miss lots of classes b/c parents want to talk during school hours or they might interrupt classes to talk on their cellphone (which I find appalling that they would do that during school hours, can't they wait for their free time to call back?). Most classes are just do assignments and turn them in, etc. We've always had money problems, we do nothing for our school to ignite some sort of pride in it (a play, dances, talent shows, etc. and the one event we did do every year is now being canceled). I guess I'm most upset of all is that I should be in college now and they held me back a year due to some credits (although looking back, I was more than qualified to not have to repeat a grade) and that they have a problem with me although most describe me as well-behaved and quiet (never making a sound). I despise that they have a problem with a piercing I have, which I did everything to hide or make not as noticeable (small, flesh toned band-aids, having the smallest jewelry possible since no retainers could fit me, etc.) and although me having the piercing is not the issue, it's that I've seen a boy coming to school with one (with his bar hanging out) and a girl with green strands of hair, even last year I saw kids coming with them in and when I commented this in the principal's office, she simply didn't "see them". Please.******************************************* ************************************************** ******************The above was a rant, I guess that was just my argument to why I want to be home schooled. In summary, can I still be home schooled at this age in Panama, or do I have to suck it up for this last year miserably? Trust me, I just to love going to school, but of course, that was when I lived on post (army)! DoDDs are the best schools in the world, in my opinion.