Home-school battle heats up in California

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Monday, September 2, 2002 | By Art Moore

[buffyt]

I heard about this....

The letter states: "If your school is conducting a home-schooling program in which children are being instructed exclusively at home by non-credentialed persons, using a correspondence course, or another type of curriculum, it is likely that your school is not in compliance with the requirements of the compulsory school attendance laws of California."

I have a degree in education, so I would be "qualified to home school my kids". But my husband, who has a degree in Chemical Engineering would make a much better teacher in science, math, chemistry, physics, calculus, trig, geometry, algebra, etc. etc. etc. etc. He had more actual academic classes, where I had a lot of mumbo jumbo "education" classes [brainwashing].

[buffyt]

You are right. Just look how well HOME SCHOOLED kids do onb SAT, ACT, spelling bees, etc.

[Congressman Billybob]

This is a long, thorough and good article. However, it fails to mention the court cases in California in which home schooling parents have had their right to do that vindicated. The very first thread on this subject, about 10 days ago, cited the three (or was it four?) lower court decisions already in place, ruling for the parents.

The court cases are essential to the story for two reasons. First, they put the lie to the claims of the educrats of the state's "edukashun" plantation that "the law has not changed," and "we're just enforcing the law." Second, I know from experience that a lawyer and client walking into any local courtroom, armed with three or four other local court decisions that go their way, are very likely to win their own case on the same subject.

Courts are human. Judges don't like to be embarrassed by having their decisions slapped down on appeal. Therefore, showing the next judge that several of his/her colleagues have ruuled a certain way, runs the odds up to 95% that this judge will do the same.

Note that the article shows a slight crack in the juggurnaut of the educrats. Those bozos are now trying to punt the ball to the legislature. Even though the educrats are incapable of feeling embarrassment, apparently they can feel the heat.

(Reforming public education is, of course, one of the central points in my latest book.)

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest column: "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Click for latest book: "to Restore Trust in America"

[dasboot]

Don-o, I don't know how you get money to California homeschoolers, but I continue to send $100 annually to HSLDA--even though I've been out of the biz for four years.

HSLDA is the org with the biggest guns and most influence; they'll be at the frontline in this battle: a great place to send support!

[gitmo]

Home-schoolers have no accountability, contended San Bernardino County's Garnett.

"Who do they report to?" he asked. "How do you know if the child has actually received a high school education, which is required to get into a university?

What percentage of graduating government-schooled students received a high school education? 30%?

[goldstategop]

Delaine Eastin and the educrats are worried homeschooling threatens the public school monopoly. So naturally they would like to make enough threatening noises to ensure parents don't exercise that tempting option. Unfortunately for them it's a move that will backfire and make homeschooling more popular than ever by focusing people's attention on the fact there IS an alternative to the public school monopoly. As it is the twit Eastin wouldn't have helped make homeschooling so visible and attractive if she just had the good grace to shut up. Thanks to liberals like her homeschooling will have a great future despite the fact if they had it their way there would be no way for parents to ever take advantage of it.

[ladylib]

Yeah, homeschooling parents should just capitulate and use CA's failing reading curriculum, math curriculum, revionist history books, homosexual indoctrination, etc., etc. My, that sounds so attractive. Perhaps parents should say that they will enroll their children inindependent studies programs if they can use their own curriculum. Many parents use a religious-based curriculum. Are the public schools willing to accept that? If they refuse to accept that, will parents lose their right to choose a religious-based education for their children? This could go to court just on the religious issue alone.

[Pablo64]

From the article: "How do you know if the child has actually received a high school education, which is required to get into a university?"

Duuhhh!! They pass the university's required entrance exam, you mental moron! They also pass the CAT or ACT, or any other standard test, and most likely kick some public school butt in the process!

Actually, if the child had received a "high school education" by the State's definition, then I would say that their homeschool education was a failure. Universities are welcoming homeschooled students with open arms because they come ready to learn and don't need all the remedial classes that so many incoming freshmen do, and they usually exibit a maturity level that is beyond their peers.

[Tired of Taxes]

Many parents use a religious-based curriculum. Are the public schools willing to accept that? If they refuse to accept that, will parents lose their right to choose a religious-based education for their children?

Excellent point. As long as the state has to approve the curriculum, they probably won't/can't approve a religious curriculum. So, now, the gov't would essentially be forcing children into a nonreligious curriculum.

I continue to rattle people in these parts because I'm pro-separation church/state and an admitted-atheist, but, obviously, I would fight against the above scenario just as hard. I don't think the gov't should be forcing children into ANY curriculum, whether it's religious or nonreligious.

[TommyDale]

Before a state prevents a parent from home-schooling their children, they should require that TEACHERS pass an exam proving their own qualifications. Oh -- I suppose that would be unfair, and very politically incorrect. My apologies to the NEA and the other Marxist/Socialists.

[doubtfullyhopefull]

"I guess if we were to take a political stance and interpret that it's OK to do home-schooling, we would get as much flak from the California Teachers Association as we get now from the home-school associations," Andreoli said of his office. "So we're kind of in between. It's a politically loaded question."

Well you all overlooked the first priority, follow the money...
Brought to you by the NEA.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

Righto.

The two greatest threats to the NEA's socialist monopoly are Homeschooling & Vouchers.

Expect them to "fight to the death" on both issues!

[Kermit]

None of these charges is true, of course, all of these charges are true, of course, but the amount of misinformation,but the amount of information and passion, screw with people's children, d'oh! in these communications can't these people just shut up and take it? We know what's good for them. does make me believe that the situation cries out for a legislative solution." I actually agree with this part and the legislative solution is to abolish compulsory education. Then the nosy, overpaid, underworked bureaucrats won't have any reason to go nosing around.

[Kermit]

"Home-schoolers have no accountability, contended San Bernardino County's Garnett. "Who do they report to?" he asked."

That is what Freedom is Mr Garnett. You don't have to REPORT to anyone.

[EternalVigilance]

No kidding.

Every needs to remember that at it's core, this is about something very simple, and very basic:

FREEDOM!

...something the vast majority of the American people can still readily understand if someone takes the time to explain it to them.

This is exactly the kind of political battle we can and do win in almost every case as long as we show up on the battlefield.

[Gritty]

Sherman Garnett, coordinator of child welfare and attendance for San Bernardino County,... "Prosecution is the very, very last thing we're going to do,"

Sure, Mr. Garnett. We believe you. Prosecution is the "very, very last thing" on your mind. Sure. However, you no doubt mentioned it so it would be on the front of the minds of everybody else!

[ladylib]

So, Mr. Garnett, all you have to do is ensure that every homeschooler who becomes a public schooler gets to use his own personalized curriculum (religious included, perhaps classic rather than progressive, etc., etc.) paid for by the state. Then you and your public school friends can collect state aid for said homeschooler, which is what it is all about anyway.

Check out the site below (even though this takes place in Texas). I'm sure there are incidents of this kind of nonsense going on in CA's wonderful public indoctrination centers. In fact, I know there must be.

http://www.educationnews.org/texas_justice_foundation.htm

[ladylib]

"Prosecution is the very, very last thing we're going to do," Sure, because he feels he will have terrorized parents into sending their kids to public schools. He might be able to do that to some, but usually homeschooling parents aren't easily cowed and they are very active politically. They also have inexpensive legal representation. This guy is going to be in a tough fight, and my guess is that he's going to lose big time.

[Gritty]

This guy is going to be in a tough fight, and my guess is that he's going to lose big time.

Amen!

[homeschool mama]

Thank you for the ping.

I lead a support group of 24 families, most of which file the R4 affidavit for homeschooling. A few don't file with the state at all and the rest school through a public charter program. I'm spitting mad at the intrusive and harrassing nature of this situation.