The recent Konrad decision by the European Court of Human Rights has caused a printed brouhaha among American organizations who support Christian homeschooling. In some quarters, the decision is being used to frame the plight of the German homeschooling families as an American problem in that American judges will start using European rulings to decide American cases. This ‘it’s all about me’ drama queen point of view takes the focus away from understanding the cultural differences between some, but not all, homeschooling families in Germany, and the indigenous German culture, laws and bureaucracy.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. "
—Dr. Martin Luther King
Groups and writings concerned with, or monitoring and protecting homeschooling freedoms
An international advocacy organization for independent homeschool families.
The Coalition of Independent Homeschoolers is a nonhierarchical, grassroots network of independent homeschoolers, present, past, and future, dedicated to reclaiming homeschooling as the unique province of children and their parents, unshackled by the Divine Right of Experts.
The American Homeschool Association has many lists but the AHA-PoliticalAction list is for discussion of issues that impact homeschooling freedoms.
"You may come across ideas you have never heard before - or yo may come across ideas you believed you were alone in thinking. If you have arrived here and your mind is open and your heart is seeking - if you are ready and willing to face the task of letting go of the assumptions and ideas you have been taught about both education and freedom, we guarantee you will not leave here without thinking and re-thinking the concepts of educational freedom and parental rights."
Because of its length, Homeschooling Freedoms At Risk has been uploaded in four parts labelled Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Please read this file in its entirety.
Homeschool Activism
Washington Home Educators Network
Chance that an American adult believes that 'politics and government are too complicated to understand': 1 in 3
Chance that an American who was home-schooled feels this way: 1 in 25
~~ Harper's Magazine, May 2004 issue
One of the big red herrings many in homeschooling community often hear is that we are opposed to educational choice. In reality I place a high value on choice. I have repeatedly argued we must know and explain the differences to families in order that they may choose the best for their children.
Valerie Bonham Moon has a great blog addressing this issue and more. You will need to go down about 1/4 of the page to find
Responding to ‘A Look at Homeschooling & Education Choice
And talk about choice, more schools and courts are REQUIRING families to homeschool! Same link as above. Valerie talks of families in Texas, Indiana and Illinois. I've answered many questions in our state about this. I remind parents there is no law that allows schools to push kids out. Most likely kids are harrassed and parents are intimidated but the law is on the side of the parents to keep their kids in public school if they so wish.
So many great articles and blogs on the California situation.
Emmett Comer's April 2008 article in the Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) newsletter has made wonderfully clear reasons why Washington homeschoolers have nothing to fear.
"What this case does do, however, is point out the value of having a very strong homeschooling law, such as our law in Washington State. There are some stark contrasts with the California homeschool model."
Home Education Magazine's Blog by Valerie is a great timeline of the events. About half way down the page, under Articles and Resources you will find Mary Nix's wonderful interview with Debbie Schwarzer, homeschool mom, attorney and HSC Legal Team Co-chair.
Mary has a great blog on Parental Rights. In particular I enjoyed her discussion of what I call "situational" parental rights. She looks at Michael Farris' definition, or lack of. Go to her blog, under Archives, click on February 2008 - Whose Parental Rights?
I put together some information on K12. I do not mean to single out K12. I have simply had the time to gather material. Many for profit companies (EMOs) work the same way but on a smaller scale.
We can't forget news about Insight, the for profit company in the Quillayute Valley School District (QVSD)
My favorite tid bit of information comes from the Forks Forum Editor who must have done his homework. Both this article and the Tacoma Times article linked above are basically the same but the following quote caught my eye:
"Frank Walter, who proceeded Reaume as QVSD Superintendent, left the school district for an administrative position with Insight in the summer of 2007. Walter was QVSD Superintendent for the 2006-2007 school year, and is now principal of Insight’s online high school."
Then there's the part about state matching construction funds due to high enrollment in QVSD - from Insight students, many from across the state and NOT in the district.......
Yep, it pays WELL to go into the private sector.
California case - update
On March 25th, the ruling was vacated and the California Court of Appeal granted a rehearing, scheduled for June 23, 2008.
Listen to an interview with Debbie Schwarzer, homeschool Mom, attorney and HSC Legal Team Co-chair.
Other groups, such as Washington Homeschool Organization's comments.
