Home schooling in CA

scaeagles · 03-10-2008, 06:42 AM

While my kids go to private school, I am a big supporter and advocate of home schooling as well.

While I do not completely know all of the aspects of the case, I am concerned about this.

If a parent does not have a college degree and a teaching certificate, they are deemed unworthy to teach their own children. I find this law (which admittedly has been around on the books for quite a while, but only recently a child welfare case made this a headline issue) to be troublesome. One example of a concerned parent in CA is a woman with a law degree but no teaching credentials. She is not worthy or able to home school her children????

Here's what really, really got me, though.

Quote:

But Leslie Heimov, executive director of the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, which represented the Longs' two children in the case, said the ruling did not change the law.

"They just affirmed that the current California law, which has been unchanged since the last time it was ruled on in the 1950s, is that children have to be educated in a public school, an accredited private school, or with an accredited tutor," she said. "If they want to send them to a private Christian school, they can, but they have to actually go to the school and be taught by teachers."

Heimov said her organization's chief concern was not the quality of the children's education, but their "being in a place daily where they would be observed by people who had a duty to ensure their ongoing safety."

Am I misreading that? A duty to ensure their ongoing safety? As if a parent home schooling their own child does not have that as a higher priority than a public education system? I've seen some pretty brutal public schools, and I can be certain that 99% of the time a home schooling parent is just a bit more concerned about the safety of their child than the teachers or administrators.

Am I making more of this than it is? Does anyone else see a problem here?

Cadaverous Pallor · 03-10-2008, 07:33 AM

Where did you get the quote? I believe it's in reference to a case involving a homeschool "cooperative" where the "teacher" abused the kids. Hence the concern with safety.

Why a parent would trust someone who has no credentials to teach their kids is baffling to me.

As for the rest of the issue - I don't have time for a longer post at the moment.

Ghoulish Delight · 03-10-2008, 07:43 AM

It was not a homeschool cooperative, it was a family that was homeschooling and being accused of abuse. The person who gave the highlighted quote, you'll notice, is from the "Children's Law Center", a county agency that deals with, among other things, child abuse. So the case became a matter of accountability and oversight and therefore tangented into the area of homeschooling. Whether you agree with the eventual ruling or not, that IS the chief concern of the agency Ms. Heimov works for and I see nothing wrong with her statement.

As for the ruling itself, she's got a point. According to the letter of the law, it's hard to see how homeschooling can be allowed. They've skirted the issue thus far by basically saying that homeschools are de facto private schools, but that's a pretty flimsy interpretation. That law may need to change, but as it stands, I can't find much fault in the judge's reading of it.

scaeagles · 03-10-2008, 08:05 AM

Agreed, GD, on the ruling. My problem is with the law. I doubt that it will be overturned in CA any time soon.

swanie · 03-10-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Agreed, GD, on the ruling. My problem is with the law. I doubt that it will be overturned in CA any time soon.

According to an article in Time Magazine...

Quote:

"Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement today. "Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will."

Hopefully they will act sooner than later. With all of the education budget cuts going into effect in California, I doubt they need the system to take on nearly 200,000 kids right now.

swanie

scaeagles · 03-10-2008, 08:29 AM

That's good to know. However, I think the teacher's unions are not going to allow it to be changed easily.

Strangler Lewis · 03-10-2008, 08:40 AM

A school is a school is a school, so what, if any oversight of home schooling would you favor besides expressed good intentions?

swanie · 03-10-2008, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

That's good to know. However, I think the teacher's unions are not going to allow it to be changed easily.

Oh no, they have "applauded" the ruling. Arnold has had no problem in going toe to toe with the union before, so I hope he doesn't back down now. Frankly, I can't believe the teacher's union hasn't challenge the enforcement of the law before (even though they weren't the ones to do so this time). It seems pretty black and white to me.

Honestly, I can't imagine home schooling my kids and I don't believe it is the best fit for everyone. But that being said, I've seen many circumstances where it can and does work. I know several families here in AZ that do it and do it well. Unless California can offer parents more choice, they can't eliminate the right for parents to take education into their own hands.

BarTopDancer · 03-10-2008, 08:49 AM

I think that home school educators should be required to prove knowledge, or the ability to teach the subjects required. How many of us remember 7th grade math? And how many of us would be able to teach it to our children?

Our education system is in a state of crisis. We're doing our children a great disservice by not teaching them the skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in this world. To function with people from other countries.

I have nothing against homeschooling. But homeschooling educators should be able to teach and understand the subjects that they are covering.

Alex · 03-10-2008, 08:55 AM

There is quality homeschooling. Then there is homeschooling that is designed explicitly to make sure the children are not actually educated (so that they aren't tainted by the horrors of actual science, actual history, or the concept the maybe God isn't actively involved in every little thing). The libertarian in me cringes at preventing homeschooling. The human in me cringes at the impact the miseducated boobs will eventually have on society.

03-10-2008, 07:33 AM	#2
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Where did you get the quote? I believe it's in reference to a case involving a homeschool "cooperative" where the "teacher" abused the kids. Hence the concern with safety. Why a parent would trust someone who has no credentials to teach their kids is baffling to me. As for the rest of the issue - I don't have time for a longer post at the moment. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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03-10-2008, 07:43 AM	#3
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	It was not a homeschool cooperative, it was a family that was homeschooling and being accused of abuse. The person who gave the highlighted quote, you'll notice, is from the "Children's Law Center", a county agency that deals with, among other things, child abuse. So the case became a matter of accountability and oversight and therefore tangented into the area of homeschooling. Whether you agree with the eventual ruling or not, that IS the chief concern of the agency Ms. Heimov works for and I see nothing wrong with her statement. As for the ruling itself, she's got a point. According to the letter of the law, it's hard to see how homeschooling can be allowed. They've skirted the issue thus far by basically saying that homeschools are de facto private schools, but that's a pretty flimsy interpretation. That law may need to change, but as it stands, I can't find much fault in the judge's reading of it. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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03-10-2008, 08:05 AM	#4
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	Agreed, GD, on the ruling. My problem is with the law. I doubt that it will be overturned in CA any time soon.
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03-10-2008, 08:29 AM	#6
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	That's good to know. However, I think the teacher's unions are not going to allow it to be changed easily.
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03-10-2008, 08:40 AM	#7
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	A school is a school is a school, so what, if any oversight of home schooling would you favor besides expressed good intentions? __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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03-10-2008, 08:49 AM	#9
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	I think that home school educators should be required to prove knowledge, or the ability to teach the subjects required. How many of us remember 7th grade math? And how many of us would be able to teach it to our children? Our education system is in a state of crisis. We're doing our children a great disservice by not teaching them the skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in this world. To function with people from other countries. I have nothing against homeschooling. But homeschooling educators should be able to teach and understand the subjects that they are covering. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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03-10-2008, 08:55 AM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	There is quality homeschooling. Then there is homeschooling that is designed explicitly to make sure the children are not actually educated (so that they aren't tainted by the horrors of actual science, actual history, or the concept the maybe God isn't actively involved in every little thing). The libertarian in me cringes at preventing homeschooling. The human in me cringes at the impact the miseducated boobs will eventually have on society.
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