A Threat to Homeschooling

This picture is of Josiah on his first day of school last year; and it reminds me of some of the things I'm grateful for about homeschooling: the opportunity for interaction and deep friendship between siblings, the ability to educate the child AT HOME, the chance to do school without shoes on... :)

Today, I heard about a shocking court ruling in California that severely limits the rights of homeschooling families there. Probably some of you reading this already heard about it; but here are the facts, as I understand it.

There was a court case in California involving one family who lost their right to homeschool their children; but instead of making a ruling that would only affect that family, the judges issued a ruling that basically makes it illegal for other families in California to homeschool their children, unless the parent is a certified (by the state) teacher. The vast majority of homeschooling parents are not state-certified teachers, so their right to educate their children at home could be stripped away from them.

As I think about our own situation, I realize that I take for granted the freedom that we have to educate Josiah at home. I don't know what the future holds, and I don't know if we'll homeschool him "forever"...but I would hate for that right to be taken away.

If any of you reading this are so inclined, there is a petition that the Home School Legal Defense Association is organizing, to be presented to the Supreme Court in California, that would, in essence, reverse this decision. You can go to the website for HSLDA, and it's very easy to find and sign the petition. You don't have to live in California to sign it, and you don't have to homeschool...so anyone can do it.

I could write a book about the unexpected benefits and joys of teaching Josiah this year. I thank God continually for the opportunity to do so, and I pray that families in California and other places will never, ever lose that God-given right.