...and even Ma and Pa Kettle against Predator
You may have heard the horrible news coming out of California about the recent Court of Appeals ruling that a home schooling family MUST send their children to a public or private school because home schooling is ILLEGAL.
There are many hits on the subject if you search on Google, but this one was sent to me. Here's just a snippet:
A California court has ruled that several children in one homeschool family must be enrolled in a public school or "legally qualified" private school, and must attend, sending ripples of shock into the nation's homeschooling advocates as the family reviews its options for appeal.
The ruling came in a case brought against Phillip and Mary Long over the education being provided to two of their eight children. They are considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court, because they have homeschooled all of their children, the oldest now 29, because of various anti-Christian influences in California's public schools.
But, Governator Schwartzenegger has spoken out strongly against this. Praise God for strange bed fellows. Again, just a snippet from the article:
"Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children," the governor said in a prepared statement. "Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education."
The comments came after a state appellate court ruling essentially concluded California state law allows no option for parents to school their children at home. Homeschool and legal experts have expressed concern that the move puts all of the parents of the estimated 166,000 homeschooled children in the state at risk of both criminal and civil penalties.
"This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will," he said.
The online home schooling groups and boards are all lit up about this, and rightly and UNDERSTANDABLY so. I haven't even really started to "officially" home school and I am receiving oodles of e-mails from curriculum providers to book sellers alerting folks to the dangers of this. It is complete insanity. No, it is the calculating evil of Big Brother coming right in the front door of our homes.
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is trying to get this over turned on appeal. They have a petition they are asking folks to sign. Please spend a minute and sign the petition.
Here's what it has to say:
A California Court of Appeal recently decided that homeschooling is illegal in California unless a parent is a certified teacher.
The case arose in a confidential juvenile court proceeding. The family was represented by court-appointed attorneys and HSLDA did not become aware of the case until the Court of Appeal case was published on February 28, 2008.
The Court could have restricted its decision to the facts before it, but instead, it issued a broad ruling that effectively outlaws home education in California. The Court also certified its decision for publication, which means that the decision can now be cited as legal authority by all other courts in California.
The family and their California counsel are planning to appeal to the Supreme Court of California, which could result in reversal.
Another option to keep homeschooling free in California is to petition the Supreme Court of California to “depublish” the opinion. If the opinion is “depublished” then it cannot be used by other California courts and this threat to homeschool freedom will be neutralized for other California homeschoolers.
HSLDA will be formally petitioning the California Supreme Court to depublish the opinion. We would like to show that many other people, both in California and across the country, care deeply about homeschool freedom in California.
Please show your support for this effort by signing the petition today.
You can reach the petition HERE. The HSLDA has had so much traffic from this that they changed their webpage address, so this link will get you to the petition.
Don't think the rights of parents to educate their children are safe. It's illegal in Germany to home school and currently the UN is trying to get involved in parental rights to home school.
Please sign the petition and God bless you for listening and caring!!
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