State must enforce law against home-schooling

Orange County Register ^ | 9/1/2002 | Delaine Eastin

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

In recent days, the Department of Education has been portrayed in some circles as the enemy of California home-schoolers. Be assured that the department has not changed its position or embarked on a "campaign" to root out home-schoolers. Instead, the department has merely provided material, including its long-standing interpretation of applicable California law, to all persons who have requested information about home-schooling.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

The Empire may indeed be striking back.

Prominent homeschooling legal authorities such as Will Rogers have noted that the law has not changed. But, perhaps the interpretation and consequent enforcement might. Certainly the invective has.

This bears watching.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Paging Bill Simon...!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping and the post!

Homeschoolers represent a lot of votes! wonder how davis is going to handle this?

calgov2002:

calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. 

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register

[Congressman Billybob]

This is bullsh*t. The Home Schooling Association has to strike back, hard, and armed with the three (or four?) legal victories they have already won in lower level California courts.

Why should parents be, as implied by this letter, forced to take courses in "edukashun" institutions so they can teach their own children? Why not just require them to get frontal lobotomies, which would produce the state-mandated level of stupidity both quicker and cheaper?

And this moron of a public official should be slapped upside the head with the reports and results of national tests that show that home schooled students do BETTER, pound for pound, than the "publik skool" students who are chained to their desks in the plantations run by educrats.

Or, better still, how about a world-class FReep of this woman's home?

Congressman Billybob

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

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

[thinktwice]

To comply with that law, a child must be attending a public school or a private school, or be taught by a credentialed tutor.

The California legislature is beholden to school authorities, so the only way this totalitarian law can be changed is in the Initiative process.

Get on with the initiative, California.

[Kozak]

YOU WILL REPORT TO SCHOOL IMMEDIATLY!!!!!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Exactly.

[Lord Basil]

Gee, they are only enforcing the law. Is it lawful to have illegal aliens in classrooms supported by taxpayers?

[Robert_Paulson2]

The empire may indeed be collapsing... why else would they pulling this bull$h!t?

Gray HAS to go along... she is his "destiny" politically speaking.

freepers in california... stop supporting that state with your hard earned dollars... GET THE HE11 out NOW. Move your businesses, or go stay with family in another state... sell the house and buy THREE in ARIZONA or Nevada... or anywhere.

stop paying property taxes in that god awful hell hole and let it crash and burn. they want to run all the smart kids through "stupidizer" school, and tax you for farting in public, or charge rainwater runoff fees, in a place where it gets less than 7 inches a year in rainfall...

YOU have no excuse for whining about what is coming if you stay... get out. live to fight it another day.
get the fricken criminy out of there... NOW.

OR vote the buggers out... and I have little hope of that ever happening... do YOU?

[Paleo Conservative]

Delaine Eastin
Sacramento
Ms. Eastin is California superintendent of public instruction

Translation:
Ms. Eastin is California superintendent of public indocrination.

[Paleo Conservative]

Delaine Eastin
Sacramento
Ms. Eastin is California superintendent of public instruction

Translation:
Ms. Eastin is California superintendent of public indoctrination.

[Pete]

The following is posted on the HSLDA website:

Home Schooling IS Legal in California

On August 27, 2002, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Delaine Eastin, sent a letter about private home education to state legislators. In her letter, Eastin begins by stating,

"Over the last few weeks, the Department of Education has been characterized in some circles as being engaged in a campaign to harass home schoolers and to root out home schooling in California. My staff and I have received dozens of angry telephone calls and written communications that unfairly assume that the Department is misapplying the state's compulsory education law in derogation of the rights of parents, and a handful of conservative publications have attacked our application of the law. None of these charges is true, of course, but the amount of misinformation, and passion, in these communications does make me believe that the situation cries out for a legislative solution." (emphasis added) Eastin presents a distorted view of home schoolers' establishing of private schools by stating,

"In the more recent past, we believe that aggressive home school advocates have counseled home schoolers to attempt to bring their practice within the private school exemption by filing a Private School Affidavit. Home school advocates apparently assume that, once such a Private School Affidavit is filed, the home schooled children are no longer truant under the compulsory education law." During the 1980's, the CDE openly supported private "home schooling." It was not until the 90's that the CDE changed their position, in spite of the fact that no law in California had changed.

Private home educators in California have successfully and legally complied with the private school laws for more than two decades. No law in California has changed. The laws relating to private schools do not limit schools by size, location, relation of pupils to teachers and administrators, teaching materials, nor state approval of teachers via credential or license. The CDE has erroneously claimed during the past ten years that private schools must be "businesses, soliciting enrollment from the public at large;" that they must offer "services for compensation;" and more. Local public school authorities have generally ignored such statements, and home education has continued to grow and prosper. For at least the past 20 years, the State Legislature has not only understood, but also supported the right of parents to establish and operate private schools in their homes.

For more information on the legal status of home education in California, read HSLDA President Michael Smith's letter to the California Legislature.

We need YOUR help fight Superintendent Eastin's incorrect view of home education. Read our Call to Action.

[AAABEST]

Or, better still, how about a world-class FReep of this woman's home?

A good start.

[bankwalker]

Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!

[Amerigomag]

The classic "home school" - where children are taught by their parent who does not have a teaching credential

Now this makes great sense.

Let's dumb down the parents just like weve taken otherwise reasonably intelligent individuals and mind numbed them throught the credentialing process.

[You Gotta Be Kidding Me]

You know that the other side is LOSING BIG TIME, when they attempt to resort to legalisms to suppress competition. This is the biggining of the end for Publik Edumakashun as it exists now. These weenies are swirling down the toilet and the stench will be gone soon.

Be happy. This is good news!!!

[Restorer]

I would be very concerned, but I really don't think this is going anywhere.

The best advocates for homeschooling are the homeschooled children themselves. How would you like to be a state legislator outmanuevered in verbal combat at the hearings by a 12-year old homeschooled child, and then have it played on TV repeatedly? The media, despite its bias, is unable to resist such great theater.

[A CA Guy]

A sign the Teacher's Union was going down and has to squash competiton to survive.

[John Jorsett]

but the amount of misinformation, and passion, in these communications does make me believe that the situation cries out for a legislative solution."

You bet it does, but probably not in the way she is thinking. Letting the legislature get its filthy mitts on this issue is begging for trouble. If I were someone deeply concerned about the right to home school, I'd be ramping up my forces for an initiative. Hoping for help from either the California legislature or courts is high risk to say the least.

[niki]

Every parent in California who home schools and is not accredited should be locked away. They are nothing more than criminals who are breaking the law. The kids should be arrested for truancy.

:)

[nightdriver]

Ms. Eastin and the peoples republic of Kalifornistan forget that public schools are only to serve at the convenience of the parents. It's a little bit of economics only. It's SUPPOSED to be less expensive if parents pool their resources in a common school for all their children. This has gotten turned around and Ms. Eastin and the rest of the corporatists are laboring under the delusion that the children are the property of the schools.

We need some decisive re-education of our education departmants.

[Libertina]

Right on "target" so to speak. Get those kids back to the place where highschool graduation is pushing 51%! Yeah public schools! /sarcasm.

[CindyDawg]

A good start

Or how about a "don't even think about it" freep at every capitol in the country?

[SwordofTruth]

That night was the begining of the end of America.

[Frohickey]

I guess Ms. Delaine Eastin is endorsing that the state use its monopoly on the use of legal force to enforce her interpretation of the law.

"Lets kill the parents and have the state take the children."

[Aurelius]

BUMP

[goldstategop]

Delaine Eastin is a fascist. Let her and her bureaucrats try to make martyrs of homeschoolers. Its the beginning of the end of the public school monopoly in California.

[tutstar]

bump

[moyden]

The NEA dream.

[ninenot]

Ms. Eastin is California superintendent of public indocrination

THe Californicate equivalent of Herr Goebbels??

[ninenot]

"Lets kill the parents and have the state take the children."

Won't happen. Parents provide tax revenues, children don't. Besides, it's more fun to take the children away from the parents while the parents are able to see it happen.

In the end, they kill the CHILDREN--or at least, their minds.

[ladylib]

Do all private schools in CA have credentialed teachers? Does anything in the state law say that private schools must have credentialed teachers? Tell her to point out where in the law does it say that private schools must have credentialed teachers or a certain number of students. If she can't, then she doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

...and armed with the three (or four?) legal victories they have already won in lower level California courts

Congressman BB -- Do you have a link to these decisions?

[nightdriver]

"The classic "home school" - where children are taught by their parent who does not have a teaching credential - is not a legal means of complying with the compulsory education law, which means that home-schooled children are truant."

This is the ultimate in governmental arrogance! Especially since obtaining the "teaching credential" for elementary schooling entails all the rigorousness of collecting cereal box tops!

[concentric circles]

"Do all private schools in CA have credentialed teachers?"

A great many public school classrooms don't even have credentialed teachers in CA. So called "Emergency Credentials" are passed out like candy and it takes little more than a sweet tooth to qualify for one.

Ms. Eastin has bit off more than she can chew. She's been away from school too long if she thinks she can take on a sizable army of irate moms.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Hey, I just noticed something in Eastin's letter...

"The classic "home school" - where children are taught by their parent who does not have a teaching credential - is not a legal means of complying..."

Okay, what about the classic private school, where children are taught by teachers who do not have a teaching credential?

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

I think you and I are thinking the same thing. Didn't see your post.

Eastin is playing with fire.

[Semi Civil Servant]

Home schoolers are the most effective grass roots political operatives in the country. They have beat the snot out of all comers. It will be interesting to see how long it takes this child-hating and freedom-hating harpy to back down.

If Simon has any brains, he will come out swinging at Gray Dufus over these Nazi tactics against good, tax paying California citizens. Simon ought to call these Nazi tactics, too. That's what they are.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"obtaining the "teaching credential" for elementary schooling entails all the rigorousness of collecting cereal box tops..."

Now, now. It's actually quite rigorous: It requires mastery of Political Correctness, demonstration of sufficient Sensitivity, celebration of Diversity, elimination of all Judgmentalism, unquestioning subjugation to the State above all, obedience to the NEA, denigration of Individualism, and celebration of the Group. Plus, of course, reflex-level indoctrination in the whole universe of leftist ideologies: Gaea genuflection, gender bending, wealth-is-murder-ism, global warming orthodoxy, socialism, collectivism...

Really, I doubt you or I have what it takes to be a credentialed teacher... < /sarcasm>

[Lancey Howard]

And "fisting for fifth-graders".
Don't forget fisting.

Yeah, teaching in government schools these days requires some pretty broad horizons indeed.

[17th Miss Regt]

And "fisting for fifth-graders". Don't forget fisting.

Fifth grade is way to late. This should be taught earlier. That's why they call the first year of primary school "fist grade".

[itsahoot]

--"Lets kill the parents and have the state take the children."--
-----•-----•-----

---

No need for that, they have the Child Protective Services to do their dirty work. They just wool them around in court until they run out of money.

[itsahoot]

--A great many public school classrooms don't even have credentialed teachers in CA. So called "Emergency Credentials" are passed out like candy and it takes little more than a sweet tooth to qualify for one.--
-----•-----•-----
That is true, but for a different reason than you pose. A non credentialed teacher does not gain tenure and they work for beginning wages.

[Zon]

You know that the other side is LOSING BIG TIME, when they attempt to resort to legalisms to suppress competition.

Their illusions are wearing ever thinner. How long before they all collapse and the realities they've been trying to hide come screaming to the fore front? ...Further accelerating the collapse.

The classic "home school" - where children are taught by their parent who does not have a teaching credential

Let's dumb down the parents just like weve taken otherwise reasonably intelligent individuals and mind numbed them throught the credentialing process.

They want to ensure a hidden-agenda. Probably require accredited parents teach a government approved curriculum. You know, maintain the status quo. ...Maintain the boogie men like global warming will kill us all and guns cause crime. Have to keep justifying all those government jobs.

Fortunately, there's a definite up-swing in increasing numbers of people identifying government officials for what they are--parasites. What little cream-of-the-crop government officials there is, as the collapse becomes more acute the cream will rise to the top. You won't need a magnifying glass to spot the few good ones -- spot the cream of the crop. For rising to the top will illuminate the shinning stars rising above the collapse.

Be assured that the department has not changed its position or embarked on a "campaign" to root out home-schoolers.

The classic "home school" - where children are taught by their parent who does not have a teaching credential - is not a legal means of complying with the compulsory education law, which means that home-schooled children are truant.

In the meantime, the department and I must adhere to and enforce the compulsory education laws currently on the books.

Just doing their job -- enforcing bad law. ...Enforcing unconstitutional law. That was how the majority of low level nazi minions went about doing their jobs -- enforcing bad law.

[Othniel]

I read in a report somewhere that the last time Eastin was in a classroom as a teacher, it was in '78 or '79, when Disco was king. She is so clueless it's not even funny. Her "panel" on homosexuality and how to handle it in the classroom was heavy with gays and those sympathetic to it. If she had any balls, she would squelch the unions, enforce the law that the people passed about illegals getting educational benefits, and really work to throw out the junk so that public education can become something noteworthy again. But since she's Davis's lapdog, the chances of that occurring will be equal to that of Osama bin Laden showing up to kiss Bush's butt at high noon tomorrow on the White House lawn.

If she really wanted to do teachers a favor, she'd get off our back and let us do our frigging job!

[willyone]

Big bump. President nitwit.

[nomad]

Damn straight! If any State tried that kind of Big Brother crap on us, we would be out in a heart beat!