Home-schooling in court

[DeclinetoState]

By Howard Mintz
Mercury News
Article Launched: 06/23/2008 01:31:17 AM PDT

With the battle lines drawn, a state appeals court in Los Angeles today will once again consider a controversial case that could drastically affect the growing home-school movement in California.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal will hear arguments in a legal fight over whether parents who home-school their children must have teaching credentials. The same appeals court earlier this year sent shock waves through the nation's home-schooling movement, finding that parents who lack teaching credentials are violating California's compulsory-education laws if they home-school their children.

No other state has that requirement.

The ruling triggered protests from top state education officials, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and others, prompting the appeals court to reopen the case in March.
More (http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9671691)

Even moonbat A-G Jerry Brown is on the side of the home-schoolers.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

They will only illustrate their stupidity and incompetence if they proceed down this line. Homeschoolers consistently test higher than public schooled students, they are regularly accepted now in colleges and universities, and go on to success in the public working world. IF this is the product of "parents who lack teaching credentials," what then does it say about those "educators" who have teaching credentials?

Nobody is upset about homeschoolers actually homeschooling or even about the so-called homeschoolers who are NOT homeschooling -- they are terrified because the success of homeschooling disproves the need for organized (read Federal) education, thereby proving all those dollars thrown into the education system actually have nothing to do with the education of children because that's not the real goal anyway ... indoctrination is.

[gnome]

HomeschoolersRUS... do you (or have you) used Florida Virtual School? It seems to be a Florida program that lets homeschoolers have access to course material and accredited teachers through the internet. Something similar I encountered was called Connections Academy, and a friend is homeschooling their son through that.

It sounds like an excellent idea, it seems it makes effective home schooling available to a wider variety of parents, and since it's part of an official program the student's education credits are not questioned.

[Taylor1]

Oh I'm gonna check into that, I don't want to go to highschool lol.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

HomeschoolersRUS... do you (or have you) used Florida Virtual School? It seems to be a Florida program that lets homeschoolers have access to course material and accredited teachers through the internet. Something similar I encountered was called Connections Academy, and a friend is homeschooling their son through that.

It sounds like an excellent idea, it seems it makes effective home schooling available to a wider variety of parents, and since it's part of an official program the student's education credits are not questioned.

I am familiar with it, know homeschoolers who have taken advantage of it, and have even considered it myself (for my daughter's Algebra -- I HATE math, as if everyone here didn't already know that, :lol:). It is also government run, i.e. they direct the curriculum. I prefer the ability to structure my children's education toward their natural aptitudes to better prepare them for their future as (hopefully) entrepreneurs and American citizens.

The problem I see with "virtual" schools run by the government is in it becoming the ONLY means of homeschooling, thus negating the worth of a homeschool education which consists of parental control, direction, and guidance. If it's suddenly decided that only "accredited" teachers are allowed to teach, it leaves homeschoolers no other choice than to choose virtual schooling. If they (the "unaccredited" parents/teachers) by and large are already producing well educated, successfully functioning and achieving students, isn't that the goal?

[Taylor1]

Wow, yeah, it is the goal, hence homeschooling.

[gnome]

I am familiar with it, know homeschoolers who have taken advantage of it, and have even considered it myself (for my daughter's Algebra -- I HATE math, as if everyone here didn't already know that, :lol:). It is also government run, i.e. they direct the curriculum. I prefer the ability to structure my children's education toward their natural aptitudes to better prepare them for their future as (hopefully) entrepreneurs and American citizens.

The problem I see with "virtual" schools run by the government is in it becoming the ONLY means of homeschooling, thus negating the worth of a homeschool education which consists of parental control, direction, and guidance. If it's suddenly decided that only "accredited" teachers are allowed to teach, it leaves homeschoolers no other choice than to choose virtual schooling. If they (the "unaccredited" parents/teachers) by and large are already producing well educated, successfully functioning and achieving students, isn't that the goal?

It does make sense for an "unaccredited" parent who wants to completely direct the curriculum to have a way of transferring that into a diploma of some kind. Naturally, if it's to be a state-issued high school diploma they are going to have certain curriculum requirements. But I don't see that they would have to have a monopoly on the matter. I could almost envision an independent agency testing homeschooled students and issuing "diplomas" that are as valuable as the agency's reputation. What matters in the end is what potential employers and colleges/universities will accept, I suppose.

How does it work currently for a homeschooled student that doesn't involve the state? Do they have a way of getting a diploma?

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

It does make sense for an "unaccredited" parent who wants to completely direct the curriculum to have a way of transferring that into a diploma of some kind. Naturally, if it's to be a state-issued high school diploma they are going to have certain curriculum requirements. But I don't see that they would have to have a monopoly on the matter. I could almost envision an independent agency testing homeschooled students and issuing "diplomas" that are as valuable as the agency's reputation. What matters in the end is what potential employers and colleges/universities will accept, I suppose.

How does it work currently for a homeschooled student that doesn't involve the state? Do they have a way of getting a diploma?

Homeschoolers issue their own diplomas. Some homeschoolers DO choose to join private umbrella schools (which record grades and provide transcripts) who issue diplomas, but I've found, at least down where I am, it makes little difference. Most homeschoolers who plan on attending college (my own son included), either dual enroll through the high school (which is what my son did) or take the CPT to get into a Jr. College and then later transfer to other colleges or universities. Since graduating from the program my son completed and passed (at the top of his class), he's had two jobs, the last (current) one in his chosen field, and it was actually his homeschooling history which contributed greatly to his being hired over the other applicants (that's what his boss said, and tells people).

I doubt anyone would be able to distinguish my son's diploma from any other diploma issued from public or private schools. His grades were validated by a certified teacher evaluation and his college grades were submitted to the local school board as well.

[gnome]

Thanks. I think there would be more sensible policy if people knew more about how homeschooling worked. I bet a lot of pressure comes from people that have their own assumptions about what's going on.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Thanks. I think there would be more sensible policy if people knew more about how homeschooling worked. I bet a lot of pressure comes from people that have their own assumptions about what's going on.

Yep. And your welcome ... thank you too for your interest.