Most of you know that I was homeschooled, and that I am a huge advocate of homeschooling. Dustin and I plan to homeschool our children some day. Some of you may not know that there is a serious tragedy taking place in California today.
Today it may be illegal for homeschoolers in California to continue their home education. Last week a court ruled that only parents who have state credentials can homeschool their children. Penalties will be enforced that will range from fines to the removal of children from homes. Parents will be charged with "Educational Neglect," which is grounds for the removal of children from their parents. This means that those who continue to homeschool will be guilty of a criminal offense.
The court decision was based on an individual circumstance involving one homeschool family charged with abuse (I do not know the details of that situation). For some reason the courts have decided to apply the penalty for this family to the entire state.
Homeschoolers have tested higher on standardized test scores than have public or private school students across the nation, including in California. Their accomplishments have been completely ignored by this ruling. This decision by the courts is an absolute assault of parental rights, and my fear is that California is only the beginning. Historically, rulings that begin in California often spread across the nation.
Today there are around 200,000 children in California whose parents will have to go against their convictions and place their children in schools. I am utterly outraged by this decision, and I want to do whatever I can to raise awareness about this issue. If this ruling is not overturned, or at least limited to the individual case that started it all, there will be serious repercussions for homeschoolers across California, and potentially across the nation.
The Homeschool Legal Defense Association has organized a petition where we can voice our concerns on this issue. They will be responsible for bringing this petition before the California Supreme Court. WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND SIGN THE PETITION? You do not have to be a member of the Association, or even be a homeschooler, to sign your name.
Please click on this link, and you will very quickly be able to make a difference.
http://hslda.org
You can find more details at this link: http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000006717.cfm
And you can listen to Dr. James Dobson speak with a number of relevant individuals concerning this topic by clicking on this link: http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/Default.asp
I believe that this is a scary time for homeschoolers and for Christians. Whether or not you are a supporter of the homeschool movement, I would encourage you to think seriously about what this ruling says about the rights of parents in general.
Please sign the petition, and please e-mail everyone you know with this information. You are welcome to provide the link to this blog, or just to the Home School Legal Defense Association.
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