This will just take a moment of your time and it is critical – I do not say this lightly.

We homeschool in California. A few days ago, a California court ruled that homeschooling is illegal. I would appreciate it if as many people as possible would sign a petition to "depublish" this decision (to restrict the decision to the one family involved, and not apply it broadly to all homeschool families). This is important even if you don't live in California. Please click on the link below to sign the petition or get more info on this case. Please consider forwarding this information to those who would also be willing to support us.

To sign the petition, go to: https://www2.hslda.org/Registrations/DepublishingCaliforniaCourtDecision/

Thanks for the support, but how did you sign it? The petition was closed when 250,000 signatures were reached. Did you find another petition somewhere?

Hmm, it still let me sign up yesterday. I called my cousin, who's in LA and has penty of time on his hands. Says he will get involved. Anything happening in Cali that he can attend to? Protest or something?

Edited April 1, 200818 yr by snuffy65

You think schools in Texas are bad? You should see California! It's worse the a trainwreck. It's a trainwreck carrying nuclear waste through a suburban neighborhood on a Saturday during Little League championships.

The bottom line is that for the most part, any student who's receiving one-on-one teaching from a parent, whether certified or not, is likely getting a better education than he would be sitting in a class with 29 other students being geared toward the lowest common denominator.

Either way, the argument shouldn't be about which is better, public/private/home schooling. The arguement is about freedom to develop your own children the way you want to.

Hmm, it still let me sign up yesterday.

That's weird, because the petition was taken down on March 20th. Did it give you a box to check to be on their email list?

I called my cousin, who's in LA and has penty of time on his hands. Says he will get involved. Anything happening in Cali that he can attend to? Protest or something?

He should subscribe to the email alerts at Welcome to HSLDA. There are various other organizations that have similar alerts going, but they are all generally the same information. He can also go to ParentalRights.org and sign that petition, which is related by topic but not specific to California.

There aren't any protests planned at this point.

Either way, the argument shouldn't be about which is better, public/private/home schooling. The arguement is about freedom to develop your own children the way you want to.

Agreed. I don't think homeschooling would be so popular if public schools were remotely acceptable, though. But yes, this is about parental rights more so than education.

That's weird, because the petition was taken down on March 20th. Did it give you a box to check to be on their email list?

He should subscribe to the email alerts at Welcome to HSLDA. There are various other organizations that have similar alerts going, but they are all generally the same information. He can also go to ParentalRights.org and sign that petition, which is related by topic but not specific to California.

There aren't any protests planned at this point.

Ya i even got a thank you email for signing.

Here's the latest update:

A note from HSLDA regarding the case.

On Monday, June 23, 2008, HSLDA founder Mike Farris argued in defense of homeschooling in the California Court of Appeal in the now-infamous Rachel L. case. In February, this same court had ruled that homeschooling is illegal in California. The court later vacated its own decision in response to a request for rehearing filed by attorney for the father, Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation, with substantial assistance by Farris and other attorneys at HSLDA. Farris argued as a friend of the court on behalf of HSLDA's 15,000 member families in California, as well as Focus on the Family, and Private and Home Educators of California.

Farris was joined in his defense of homeschooling by lawyers representing the Attorney General and Governor of California, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, California’s three largest homeschooling groups (California Homeschool Network, Homeschool Association of California and Christian Home Educators of California), Pacific Justice Institute on behalf of Sunland Christian School, and Alliance Defense Fund lawyer Jeff Shafer, on behalf of the family.

“The weight of legal and scholarly authority presented to this court in defense of homeschooling is unprecedented,” said Farris, who has argued dozens of similar cases since founding HSLDA 25 years ago.

In addition to those who presented oral argument, friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the right of parents to homeschool were submitted by Pacific Legal Foundation, National Legal Foundation, Sutherland Institute, Liberty Counsel on behalf of 13 members of Congress, Gifted Homeschoolers Forum, et al, Seventh Day Adventist Church State Council, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (prepared by noted law professors David Llewellyn, John Eastman, and Erwin Chemerinsky), American Center for Law and Justice and The Western Center for Law and Policy.

Farris is guardedly optimistic that the three-judge panel will not repeat its earlier error, but he covets your prayers. “The homeschooling movement has been successful not because of the work of lawyers but because the Lord has blessed it,” noted Farris. “We must always remember Proverbs 21:1—‘The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever he wishes.’ ”

A decision is expected within a few weeks.