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California requires a credentialed teacher -- for homeschoolers
Filed under: In The News, Day Care & Education
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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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
3-09-2008 @ 9:01PM
Sandyone said...Ha, ha...maybe there's a loophole. All of the homeschooling parents can go that route, as if they were going to teach in a California public school. Then they can change their minds and just teach their own children.
*sigh*
The whole thing is just ridiculous and such a waste of time. Maybe schools should spend more time and energy worrying about the kids who are entrusted to them and leave those who aren't alone.
3-12-2008 @ 8:07AM
KKC said...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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