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Special News Alert
Homeschooling Declared Unlawful in California?
This is Rebecca Kochenderfer, Editor-in-Chief of Homeschool.com. Thank you for your many emails concerning the recent decision by the California Court of Appeals which declared on February 28th that homeschooling is not a legal option in California.
I live in Northern California so this decision directly affects my own homeschooling. I contacted the lead organizations involved in this case and this is what they suggest we do...
1) If you live in California, email or call your Assemblyperson and Senator and tell them you wish them to support the “Homeschool Resolution” which denounces the anti-homeschool Appellate Court decision. To find the representative in your area you can do a Google search with the name of your city and then either the word “Assemblyperson” or “Senator.” That should take you to their website. We have been advised that phone calls are generally more effective than emails.
2) Governor Schwarzenegger has come out in favor of school choice and has said that he will work to enact a special homeschooling law, if that becomes necessary. However, we do not need a new homeschooling law in California. The one we have is perfectly fine. The judge in the California case had unique facts before him and the decision should be applied only to the family in question and not to homeschoolers in general. This is why the homeschooling attorneys handling this case want the ruling to be overturned, or at the very least
“de-published.”
3) We have set up a special area in our Homeschooling Forum where you can share your feelings and suggestions. Reporters have been going over the Forum so please keep this in mind when you write your comments. The Forum is located at: http://forum.homeschool.com/forum/default.asp
What will happen next...
- If you homeschool in California, do not panic. Keep doing what you normally do. We will keep you updated.
- If the ruling is “de-published” then it will only apply to the one family and not to all homeschoolers. This will require a California Supreme Court Decision.
- Or, ideally, the decision will be overturned by the California Supreme Court.
The American education system is constantly being criticized. But one thing we have that other countries do not have is educational choice. We are so lucky that we have lots of educational alternatives available to us like public schools, homeschooling, Montessori schools, Waldorf schools, religious schools, charter schools and magnet schools. Children are all different and what works for one child may not work for another. There are so many challenges in education that need to be solved; it just doesn’t make sense to attack homeschooling when homeschoolers are doing so well.
Update - March 12, 2008
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has completed a legal review of the February 28 California Court of Appeal ruling regarding home schooling. O'Connell issued the following statement:
"I have reviewed this case, and I want to assure parents that chose to home school that California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to home school in our state.
"Every child in our state has a legal right to get an education, and I want every child to get an education that will prepare them for success in college and the world of work in the challenging global economy.
"As the head of California's public school system, I hope that every parent would want to send their children to public school. However, traditional public schools may not be the best fit for every student. Within the public school system there are a range of options available. Students can take independent study classes, attend a charter school, or participate in non-classroom-based programs. But some parents choose to send their children to private schools or to home school, and I respect that right.
"I admire the dedication of parents who commit to oversee their children's education through home schooling. But, no matter what educational program a student participates in, it is critical that the program prepares them for future success in the global economy. I urge any parent who is considering or involved in home schooling their children to take advantage of resources and support available through their county or district offices of education."
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