Home Schooling Debate Heats Up in California

“Parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children.”
– Justice H. Walter Croskey in a Feb. 28 opinion signed by the two other members of the Southern California district court.

What a chilling statement to read from a judge. While we don’t home school our children, we like to think we have the option if we feel we can’t obtain a decent education for our kids. At least the ruling only affects California, which has unusually regressive laws regarding home schooling, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“This decision is a direct hit against every home schooler in California,” Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, tells the Times. “If the state Supreme Court does not reverse this . . . there will be nothing to prevent home-school witch hunts from being implemented in every corner of the state of California.”

Unfortunately, this decision involves a family facing charges of physical abuse of some of their eight children, according to the Times. Such cases make it easier for the government to argue that kids’ safety can only be monitored if they attend a public or certified school.

Californians have been getting around the existing antiquated laws by establishing themselves as small private schools, hiring credentialed tutors or enrolling kids in special programs that provide supervision to parents who home school.

Because the decision faces appeal, Southern Californians can still teach at home for now, but if the appeal fails, the entire state would be affected. A simple legal solution would be to create monitoring boards that check on the welfare of children who are home schooled.

As parents grow increasingly worried about the condition of public and cost of private education, home schooling is often the only viable alternative. Detractors worry that faith-based, home schooled children are not being exposed to evolution and sex education.

I also find the self-righteousness of the teacher’s union creepy: “What’s best for a child is to be taught by a credentialed teacher,” A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, tells the Times. Excuse me, but as someone who lived in SoCal, I assure you that there are an awfully large number of schools that are NOT what’s best for our children.

Comments

[Jill]

I have taught in public schools and have homeschooled for 6 years. One 5 yr old student of mine was left for a week with her 8 yr old sister while her mother went out of town. They had no food and were sick when they finally returned to school. Several teachers reported the incident with no results. Another child in my class was raped by his 17 yr old uncle. The uncle got no jail time, no therapy, but was ordered to stay 100 yards from the child. Having teachers check on children and reporting problems doesn't always get the job done.

I've also taught with teachers who have more than one masters and are horrible teachers. I've taught with mothers who have no college experience whatsoever and are incredible teachers.

By the way, I teach sex ed and evolution. Most homeschool teachers I know do, too. Our kids are very socialized with all age groups and have well rounded educations. I've homeschooled with many families in Corpus Christi, Texas and Ft.Worth, Texas.

[Katrina]

On behalf of my husband, who is a father hoping to homeschool his children in California, I say, "Yikes!" It looks like we'll be moving out of the state when our children are of schooling age. Thank goodness there's no law against moving states when you don't like the laws.

It is our right to live our lives and raise our families according to the dictates of our own consciences. Neighbors should report suspected abuse, but the government should NOT be regulating every family and watching every child to look for it. Most families are just doing their best to raise good, happy children.

[brettdl]

Jill: Wow, thanks for the personal stories. Scary, though.

Katrina: I mostly agree, though you have to take Jill's experiences into account as well. There are more good parents than bad, but there are certainly enough bad ones that some intervention is called for.

For example, I knew of parents whose drug addictions required state interference. The child wound up in the grandparents care, but there are times the government is needed.

Beyond those cases, perhaps the government should mind its own business.

[John Rothschild]

The original decision has been reversed:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-homeschool9-2008aug09,0,858947.story

[brettdl]

Good.