California requires a credentialed teacher -- for homeschoolers
I strongly believe that parents need to be involved in their children's education. Without committed, supportive parents, a child faces a much difficult time getting through school. That said, I also feel that general education -- reading, writing, and 'rithmetic, if you will -- is best left to those who not only know the subject matter, but who also know how to teach it.It seems the state of California thinks so too. At least, that's the decision handed down by the Second District Court of Appeal recently. In a unanimous ruling, the judges determined that "parents do not have a constitutional right to home-school their children." Justice H. Walter Croskey added that "Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws."
The law says kids have to either attend a regular school or be taught by someone with an appropriate teaching credential. That means that unless you've got a credential, you can't homeschool your kids. "California is now on the path to being the only state to deny the vast majority of home-schooling parents their fundamental right to teach their own children at home," said Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association.
The case will undoubtedly be appealed again, but Leslie Heimov, executive director of the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, said that nothing has changed. The court "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." The Children's Law Center represented the children in the case.
I know people who are hailing this decision as a victory for both children and our society, but I'm not sure I would go quite that far. It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out, however.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mel 3-07-2008 @ 11:45AM
How can Californians support this AND support gay marriage? See, a lot of Californians think that it is not the government's place to say that kids are better of in a two-gender household. Those people argue that it is the people's right to do what is best for their family. Cool. No argument here. But this must necessarily extend to other aspects of parenting - such as education! By necessity, anyone who supports family rights, women's rights, gay rights, pricavy rights, and choice MUST support the rights of parents to regulate their own kids' education. This is quite simply an issue of an infringment of CHOICE by the government. Give all of us all our choices, or give none of us none of our choices.
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Tree 3-07-2008 @ 12:04PM
I don't think it's right to take away the option of homeschooling. At the same time, I've had the same thoughts of "how do these parents know how to teach their kids math and English?"
My son attends a co-op school where parents are required to spend 3 hrs /wk helping to teach in the classroom. The techniques his teachers use to teach them how to write and read, are things I knew nothing about before this. There is no way I would be qualified to teach my children all that schools (or rather state and federal mandated tests), require them to know.
That said, I still don't agree with it. And there's no way I could agree with Mel's "Give all of us all our choices, or give none of us none of our choices."
The world is simply not that black and white.
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Mel 3-07-2008 @ 12:24PM
Tree, your right that there is a lot of gray in the world. I guess what bothers me is how SOME rights are regarded as inviolable (gay rights) while others are regarded as "privileges" (the right to regulate your child's education). I think that parental choice to homeschool should be just as fiercely guarded as all other rights.
C. Freeborn 3-14-2008 @ 8:42PM
I am a Credentialed Teacher/Literacy Specialist in the San Diego area who is thinking of homeschooling for a family or a small group of children (around the same age) instead of returning to the classroom. If anybody is interested, feel free to contact me @ cfreeborn@gmail.com. I have over 15 years of experience working with children and 10 years of experience in the classroom. Endless references upon request.
Heidi 3-07-2008 @ 1:04PM
Coming from an area in SoCal where the kids at the local school defecate in the classroom and the principal is happy with the parents if they get their kids to school fed and dressed, I think this is a piss poor decision on the part of the California state government.
Personally, we won't be homeschooling our children, but we're lucky enough to have enough money to send our kids to private school. There are many parents out there who aren't so lucky.
This is yet another arrogant move on the part of Big Brother, errr, the California Government that shows just how out of touch they are with reality. These hypocrites blather about trying to say they're really trying to help people who they believe are too poor or too stupid to help themselves (NEITHER of which are actually TRUE), but when it comes time to actually fix the situations that their decrees create, they are wholly ineffectual. And so the rest of us are left to rot in our little ghettos dodging bullets while the fat cats in both parties sit high and mighty up north patting each other on the back for how humanitarian and progressive they are.
I'd like to see one of these people who are laying these rules on all us poor peons send their children to my local elementary school, but I know that will never happen. They all live in the nice parts of town, and have managed to filch enough money from their corrupt positions to send their kids to the best private schools available, while the rest of us pay to boost their little egos.
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Sarah 3-07-2008 @ 1:10PM
My question is what are proper credentials? Does that mean a teacher's certificate? I have a BA in History and a MA in Counseling. Would that be enough to homeschool my child? I should think so.
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Karen 3-07-2008 @ 1:20PM
This is wrong on so many levels.
But I suggest people get active in changing the law. It is generally easier than the court fights.
If California is going to require me to send my child to school, they better approve vouchers so I can determine which school is best.
People are so ignorant about homeschooling. They have perceived ideas or use anectdotal evidence of a child they know (blah, blah, blah) that they percieve to be lacking in some area as a reason to oppose homeschooling.
Oooh...this really makes me mad!
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Jill 3-07-2008 @ 2:38PM
I think homeschooled children need to pass tests proving they're making adequate progress- maybe every three years or so. However, if they can learn on their own they should be allowed to do so. I was skeptical when my SIL decided to UNschool the kids. They have no "school day" and no curriculum, but simply go to the library and homeschooler's programs around town and follow the kids' interests. The kids are very inconsistent in skills, but when they take the Pennsylvania school system tests and find a deficit area, they try to focus on it until it catches up. In general the kids are above grade level in skills even without a "credentialed" teacher or even a curriculum.
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the goddess anna 3-07-2008 @ 2:41PM
The court did not say that parents can't homeschool their children period, but that's what was reported. This person describes the court case much better than I ever could: http://ace.mu.nu/archives/257230.php
The family involved in the actual case were blatantly disregarding Californian law, and there are allegations of abuse (reported by one of their children, which is how this whole thing started). As long as the homeschooled kids are overseen by a credentialed person (such as a local school), parents still have the right to teach their own kids.
I'd love to homeschool my own, but I can barely handle being at home all day long. We're opting for private school instead, with plenty of hands-on at-home learning during non-school hours.
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Judy 3-07-2008 @ 3:06PM
I believe there are some states that require a teaching certificate to homeschool, and many require a degree. This is part of the reason I want to go back to school myself - so if we ever move to one of these states, we will be able to continue to homeschool.
What I want to know is why so many people seem to think that just because someone has the right "credentials" they can teach kids - all kids, my kids - English, math, history or whatever. What difference does the piece of paper make? You can get your papers and still not necessarily be able to do it, as evidenced by the results of the public schools in many parts of the country. (Or someone I know who was named "Teacher of the Year" in her school district and whose holiday newsletter was so full of errors it was painful to read.)
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Stephanie 3-07-2008 @ 4:38PM
I homeschooled my 4 year old this past year as a test to see if I might want to do so later on, when she is truly old enough to be in school. I have done tons of research, and I truly believe that you do not need a certificate to teach- especially YOUR OWN child, whom one knows better than anyone else ever could. There are curriculums galore available to guide the parent, and homeschool classes and tutors abound for those subjects that the parent does not feel qualified to teach. I don’t think people in general are aware of how many resources and support groups are out there now for homeschooling families. Plus having ONE child, that you know very well, seems so much easier to teach than a class of 30. The parent can tailor the learning process to the individual child, and will know if the child truly understands the material or not. If I end up homeschooling, I hope to foster a life long love of learning that I think is often lost in the traditional classroom setting. I hope that homeschooling will allow me to make the subject matter truly ‘alive’ for my child, by utilizing a lot of hands on experiences that would be difficult to replicate with a class of children. I am not against traditional schools, I will decide year by year, child by child, where my children should be, but I would like all options to continue to be open to me!
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November 3-07-2008 @ 5:08PM
Homeschooling is an important option. The public schools in my area don't move quickly enough, for my taste & I'm not a fan of the state mandated methods for teaching reading and math. I've chosen to send my son to private for the better education, but the trade off is religious indoctrination. If it were a viable option for me (I am a single, working mother) I would be all over home-schooling. I know I can't be the only one dissatisfied with the remaining two choices.
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mamacheryl 3-07-2008 @ 8:30PM
Um. I was homeschooled. My mom would be totally flipping out about this.
I, on the other hand, have a different perspective. I saw the right to homeschool being abused by some families. I saw some kids who weren't behaving well in school, and they got expelled. Their parents homeschooled them, but didn't really provide any structure. The kids were just handed some textbooks, and the mom went back to soap operas.
If I were outside the homeschooling world and I saw something like that, I'd definitely demand oversight from teachers with credentials. But I know, since I was on the inside, that those cases are very rare. The vast majority of homeschooling families are serious and conscientious about their studies. They are curious and imaginative and bright.
So there has to be a middle ground. A system where families have the right to homeschool and let their children flourish as they learn the curriculum at their own pace with special emphasis on specific learning styles, but also a system where society can pinpoint the families who are abusing the "right" to homeschool as a way to let their kids fail so they don't have to deal with the pressure. I think requiring the homeschooling families to leave their curriculum and results open to review will be a good thing.
As a country, we want our children to be educated. We can't let homeschooling be a loophole. It can really be a wonderful experience for the whole family.
Cheryl
http://redpens-diapers.blogspot.com
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SKL 3-07-2008 @ 9:41PM
I agree that there are times when homeschooling is abused, and the system must provide for controls. But I also know a LOT of parents who don't have a teaching degree but do have a lot more teaching ability (particularly for their own kids) and knowledge than most public school teachers.
Requiring homeschoolers to have a degree is basically the same as abolishing home schooling, because the cost of getting a teaching degree when one is already schooled in another profession is outrageous. I was looking into it because I thought I might basically retire from my professional career and give a decade or two toward teaching high-risk kids in depressed school districts. This was about 8 years ago and the CHEAPEST alternative at my local state university (in an Ohio city) was $17K. Now I suppose it would be higher. How many parents could afford the time and money to do this, as a preparation to take on an unpaid career for the next 12 years? And having been an education student for three years in my younger, more naive days, I can assure you that such a degree would do little or nothing to enhance most parents' ability to teach their own children. In short, the result of this rule would be to reserve home schooling for parents who are already public school teachers. Chalk up another point for teachers' unions and mediocrity.
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Ann Adams 3-08-2008 @ 1:05PM
I do believe there must be some sort of oversight and accountability but I don't believe a credential is necessary.
I agree with Mamacheryl.
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Shannon 3-08-2008 @ 2:24PM
It is very scary to see people happily hand their rights over to the government. For some reason a growing number of people believe big brother can do things better. Wake up people, the public education system is failing a great number of kids. We know this. We keep throwing money at the problem, thinking that will fix it. But it still gets worse. Now some applaude when children are plucked out of their homes because some group of people think parents aren't capable of teaching their own children. This is just another step in the direction of parents being found unqualified to raise their children. It may seem impossible but there are people who feel children should be reared in institutions. Wake up and stop throwing your rights away before you are found unsuitable to have children.
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toni 3-08-2008 @ 4:09PM
i live in California and have a girlfriend that homeschools her two daughters. they are both above their grade level and they are also both involved in extracurricular's (karate, dance, youth group). Dawn takes her girls every other week to a "clinic" where a credentialed teacher looks over their work, gives them tests and monitors their homeschooling. this seems very effective and works well for the whole family. it also seems to fall under the new California law.
i know another lady that "homeschools" one of her sons, mainly because he's a trouble-maker and has been expelled from two schools. this woman's idea of homeschooling is "hey...did you do your work?" that poor boy is falling through the cracks because his mom has faith that he's doing what he's supposed to be (but is really doing nothing at all). (my 11 year old is friends with one of her other sons which is how i know of this situation. and for the record, my son is not allowed at their house but the friend can come to ours!)
so, there are definate extremes when it comes to homeschooling. i believe that monitoring your child, as well as making sure they are involved in some sort of social outlet if they are not in a school, is very important. i am pregnant and would love to homeschool our new addition. i hope the California law doesnt get any more stringent by that time so it is no longer an option.
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Jackie Nichols 3-09-2008 @ 12:26AM
Let's make one thing clear. The state of California DOES NOT think that homeschooling is illegal. Three judges on the appeals court who obviously know little about homeschooling thinks it is illegal. And they are wrong! California law only requires that persons be "capable of teaching", it says nothing about having a teaching credential. If you think just having a teaching credential makes a person "capable of teaching", then you haven't had much contact with the public schools lately.
What makes this ruling even more ridiculous is that private schools in California are NOT required to hire credentialed teachers. This means that I, with no teaching credential, can go teach other people's children in any private school in the state, but I can't teach my own children at home! What sense does that make?
Hopefully, wiser minds in either the legislature or the California Supreme Court will step in and undo this mess that these three judges have created.
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Sandyone 3-09-2008 @ 8:21AM
Let's think about this...who teaches kids crawling, walking, colors, ABCs, animal names and myriad other tasks and abilities? Their parents.
When a child is advanced at school, who is doing the bulk of the learning? The child.
If a child is lagging in reading, who gets called in to help? His mother...oftentimes she is scolded for not working with him enough. Um, hello? The school has the kid for 6+ hours per day and *Mom* is supposed to teach him to read?
Parents have some pretty amazing abilities and children aren't so shabby, either.
Institutionalized schooling is an option, but it is, by no means, the only or even the best way to educate a child. It's a pretty acceptable way to give everyone the chance at a basic education. It's definitely not the best thing for individuals. A govt's "one size fits all because it's easier for us to regulate it" is contrary to common sense and effective education.
California is a notoriously difficult state in which to home school, but there are plenty of other states that are not far behind.
It used to be that "lack of socialization" was the big reason that people (who knew precious little) were against homeschooling. Now that that myth has been soundly discredited, people (the ones who still know precious little) move on to "one must be schooled and an expert in order to teach basic skills". Puh-lease. Let's leave the excuses behind and just be honest about why you don't think parents should be allowed to educate their own children. Perhaps *you* would not be able to teach your child a particular skill, but please don't paint all parents as incapable just because you are. Let's quit taking a couple of fringe cases, pretending that they're the norm and making blind decrees.
You think kids belong in school or under government oversight? Great...put *your* kids there. I don't know any home educators who insist that all children must be home educated. I know plenty who believe that most kids would be better off in home education, but home educators don't go running around, trying to force it on everyone with a penalty of jail or loss of custody for non-compliance.
This is one court's (faulty) decision, but unless it is corrected, plenty more will follow.
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KKC 3-12-2008 @ 8:07AM
As a Homeschool mom who has a BS and an MS in education, I do not BELIEVE that having a teaching certificate has made me a better homeschool teacher. That is a crock! My MS program consisted of listening to a bunch of "blow hard" professors give their opinion about what should and should not be done in education. Then I had to write a thesis that "complied" with the University's perspective of education. There was no room for my opinion! It was a waste of my money and time for a piece of paper that "said" I was more qualified now than someone with a BS. My MS is BS!!!!!!!
This CA law is very irritating! There are so many homeschool curriculums out there now that ANYONE can homeschool IF you have the desire. Many of the homeschool moms that I have met are intelligent, creative and wonderful teachers without degrees. A piece of paper does not mean diddly!!!! Trust me... mine doesn't!!!!
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