California Liberals on the Attack with Parents Who Home School

Being a new home schooler here in Texas for about four weeks now, it caught my attention, when someone on MySpace posted a topic regarding home schooling in California on an abortion debate board. Upon reading the link, provided by Focus on the Family, regarding the information about the new California legal opinion, I was shocked to find out that California Home School parents may actually be required to be licensed as a teacher in the state of California in order to home school their own children.

Although the court documents state that the parent and/or person teaching the child at home must be "a person holding a valid state teacher credential for the grade being taught", there is, in actuality, no specific definition of who must teach the child written in the California Education Code itself other than "a person capable to teach." The State, in the court documents, used Education code 48220 to backup their statement that a parent must hold a teaching credential in order to home school their child. However, when examined, it is clear that no such definition exists within Education Code 48220.

This legal opinion coming out of California is no surprise regarding the fact that it is a very liberal state. So, home schoolers everywhere - beware! If this opinion sticks there is a guarantee that soon it will push through other states quickly. But, why is the California court so adamant about this opinion?

A quick and somewhat logical theory is this: Public schools across the nation are losing clients - you and me and our children that is. More and more, every year, parents are pulling their students out of public schools for various reasons. Many aren't even giving public schools the chance anymore. Is it surprising? Not when you consider the power of the teacher's union to keep biased and poor performance teachers on staff teaching our children. Not when you consider the violence and lack of safety in the schools today. Not when you consider the number of children being left behind in some classrooms due to teachers only teaching the test that they themselves will be graded on. It is no surprise that many parents are turning their backs on the future of government run schools and looking backwards to the days when parents were the main influence on their children and the primary teachers in their lives.

Some people are adverse to home schooled children and their parents. They argue that the children don't have enough social interaction. But, ask yourself: is the kind of social interaction you want for your elementary school child is to come home asking you what the word gay means and why some of his friends are peeing on the boys bathroom floor. Ask yourself if the kind of social interaction you want for your child is to be grouped with other kids who are considered slow and not-so-bright so that they can "learn at their level." Both are demeaning and degrading for young children who need to be lifted up and do need constant supervision. Public schools lack this almost entirely and parents are getting fed up.

The California opinion needs revoked and home schooled children need to be looked at on a case by case basis. Just because one parent in California has not been following home school legal guidelines that the state itself has set forth, is no reason to punish all the hard working home school parents out there. For more information on this matter check out the links published earlier in this article and consider signing the petition to allow parents to decide how their child will be educated.