California Homeschool Ruling Dangerous for All Americans
By: Mimi Rothschild
The California Ruling that effectively renders it illegal to homeschool without teaching credentials has multiple ways in which it violates parental rights, limits education choices and marginalizes the religious convictions of American citizens. All of which makes the ruling dangerous for every American.
Firstly, the three judges in the California case, Justices Croskey, Klein and Kitching, unanimously determined that it is unconstitutional for Californians to homeschool, which significantly sets back the clock on parental rights. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all parents are guaranteed the freedom of choice regarding education, the freedom of religion and the freedom to raise their child; not the government’s role to decide how, what and where a parent’s child is educated. My children belong to me, not to the state. The government is meant to serve me, not the other way around. Limiting any of these fundamental freedoms to dictate the course of my child’s upbringing is not only an egregious injustice, but a serious violation of our alienable rights as Americans that millions have given their lives to preserve.
Secondly, the judges’ ruling attempts to limit our educational choices to the one government option. While there is a provision for children to attend private schools as the education code stands now, private tuitions are usually financially prohibitive for most families. How great it is for one arm of the government to issue a ruling that supports the monopoly that another arm of the government has over education? One of the reasons that the educational system is considered broken by many, many people is because it is functioning as a monopoly in which people have no other choices. Many schools lack accountability, or the desire to improve their services, because they are the only game in town. With educational choices, comes more competition to do a better job, at a cheaper cost. This fundamental economic principal known as capitalism is being disregarded by the Judges who insist that all children attend government schools or have government credentialed teachers. Choice in education causes everyone in the education field to do it better, and more cost effectively.
Last, but certainly not least, this ruling marginalizes the religious convictions of every American citizen. The judges stated that “sincerely held religious beliefs” are “not the quality of evidence that permits us to say that application of California’s compulsory public school education law to them violates their First Amendment rights. Such sparse representations are too easily asserted by any parent who wishes to homeschool his or her child.” The judges have insulted every American who’s deeply held religious beliefs dictate their choices. They have singlehandedly questioned the integrity of all people of faith.
The California homeschool ruling states that parents can only homeschool if one of the parents has a teaching credential. The vast majority of those who homeschool do not have a teaching credentials, yet this vast majority are dedicated and committed parents who earnestly want what’s best for their children, oftentimes sacrificing a second income to better provide for their children. To label these folks as criminals because they don’t possess teaching credentials and want the best for their children is sheer lunacy and it must be reversed.
We have set up http://www.reversetheruling.com/ to provide Americans with the forum to stand up and be counted on this issue. Please check it out today. I look forward to your comments.
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