Hallelujah!
The Three Blind Mice of the Second Appellate District Court in California reversed themselves and unanimously conceded that homeschooling is, in fact, legal in California, to wit: "California statutes permit home schooling as a species of private school education."
We give all the glory to God for this victory!
We saw some pretty strange bedfellows in this fight - Arnold Schwarzenegger and Focus on the Family. Christian Home Education Association and the California superintendent of public instruction. Alliance Defense Fund and the California Attorney General.
Wow. Take a look for yourself by clicking the title link or here
Let's not assume that the fight is ended. Every year some politician introduces a bill trying to place restrictions on homeschooling in one or more states.
Perhaps they are afraid for their political careers. Home schoolers are way more likely to participate in the political process than other Americans. The report "Homeschooling Grows Up," a summary of the research conducted by Dr. Brian Ray on the adult behavior of former homeschooled students includes the eye opening statistic that 76% of those 18-24 have voted in a state or national election within the previous 5 years, compared to 29% of the general US population, and a staggering 95% of those 25-29 have voted versus 40% of the general population.
This would bode ill for legislators of all stripes who were virulently opposed to homeschooling.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Germany strikes again
Can you imagine having your home raided and five of your children seized as "endangered" because you are home schooling?
Click on the title link (or here) to read a truly horrifying article about the ordeal being experienced by the Gorber family. In January of this year, representatives of the Jugendamt (child welfare agency) and police took five of the family's children while the father was visiting the mother in the hospital after complications with the birth of their ninth child. They are now in foster care pending the results of a court ordered psychological exam of the parents.
More homeschooling families have left Germany to escape this kind of persecution, and it now appears that family court judges and the Jugendamt are ready and willing to take children away from their parents simply because they are being homeschooled.
Click on the title link (or here) to read a truly horrifying article about the ordeal being experienced by the Gorber family. In January of this year, representatives of the Jugendamt (child welfare agency) and police took five of the family's children while the father was visiting the mother in the hospital after complications with the birth of their ninth child. They are now in foster care pending the results of a court ordered psychological exam of the parents.
More homeschooling families have left Germany to escape this kind of persecution, and it now appears that family court judges and the Jugendamt are ready and willing to take children away from their parents simply because they are being homeschooled.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Finishing the race
Well, it is finally happening.
Homeschool veterans from my era are retiring.
Not the original pioneers from the 70s and early 80s - the ones who fought for legalization and went to jail and paid hefty fines for the right to homeschool.
But the second wave - the mid to late 80s crowd who were still considered way out on the fringes of normal when we announced our decision to homeschool.
And we aren't talking about ones who were only called for a particular season. Or the quitters. Or the posers who shouldn't have been doing it in the first place.
These are the ones who poured out their lives, who have fought the good fight and finished the race.
My friend Katie is retiring from home schooling after 20 years.
She first heard of homeschooling in 1986 from her pastor when her family was young and they lived in Cleveland OH.
Then they moved to Baltimore, and in 1988, she attended a meeting with 7 other women who wanted to start a home school support group. From this inaugural meeting grew Christian Home Educators Network (CHEN, which became the first successful large homeschooling support and lobbying organization in Maryland.
On August 16, after 20 years and with 5 kids educated (One in Iraq, two in college, two in high school), Katie is leaving her chalk in the chalk tray and sitting down for a well deserved rest.
Congratulations, old friend, on a job well done.
Homeschool veterans from my era are retiring.
Not the original pioneers from the 70s and early 80s - the ones who fought for legalization and went to jail and paid hefty fines for the right to homeschool.
But the second wave - the mid to late 80s crowd who were still considered way out on the fringes of normal when we announced our decision to homeschool.
And we aren't talking about ones who were only called for a particular season. Or the quitters. Or the posers who shouldn't have been doing it in the first place.
These are the ones who poured out their lives, who have fought the good fight and finished the race.
My friend Katie is retiring from home schooling after 20 years.
She first heard of homeschooling in 1986 from her pastor when her family was young and they lived in Cleveland OH.
Then they moved to Baltimore, and in 1988, she attended a meeting with 7 other women who wanted to start a home school support group. From this inaugural meeting grew Christian Home Educators Network (CHEN, which became the first successful large homeschooling support and lobbying organization in Maryland.
On August 16, after 20 years and with 5 kids educated (One in Iraq, two in college, two in high school), Katie is leaving her chalk in the chalk tray and sitting down for a well deserved rest.
Congratulations, old friend, on a job well done.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)