Free Republic

Weekdays in the Perry household start like those in any other. The kids brush their teeth, dress, grab a quick breakfast. Then, they make their way to school — at the dining room table. *snip* The Perrys are part of a growing home-school movement. In 1999, according to federal statistics, there were 850,000 home-schooled children in the United States. In 2003, that number rose to 1.1 million. Some estimates put the figure today as high as 2.4 million. *snip* Education authorities say they worry that, because home-schooled students aren't required to take statewide achievement tests in many states, including Missouri...

A Missouri mom who was facing an investigation after school officials complained she was homeschooling two of her children has been cleared for now, but lawyers say they will be watching the situation there closely. WND earlier reported on the case against Anita Nicoli, which was closed as a result of a meeting she and her lawyer had with a representative of the government's social services agency in Moberly, officials said, but statements the juvenile officer made during the meeting are triggering additional concern. "We are concerned, based on statements during that meeting, that officials may be arbitrarily launching investigations...

Once again, homeschoolers across the country are facing the threat of daytime curfews. Within the last year, city councils in California, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas have considered such curfews. Daytime curfews are unnecessary for good order. They are often touted as a way to reduce truancy and juvenile crime, but there is little or no evidence to support this. The impact on law-abiding youth, however, is undisputed: restricting a young person’s freedom to move about during the day creates an atmosphere of fear reminiscent of totalitarian states, and often leads to harassment of homeschoolers. Daytime curfews can be...

A three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal has determined parents in that state have no legal right to home school. A Christian attorney in Sacramento says unless the ruling is reversed, literally thousands of students in the Golden State will be subject to criminal sanctions. (click here for special webcast starting at 2 p.m. CST) California Justice H. Walter Croskey has stated in an opinion that "parents who fail to [comply with school enrollment laws] may be subject to a criminal complaint against them, found guilty of an infraction, and subject to imposition of fines or an order...

LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Thousands of homeschoolers in California are left in legal limbo by an appeals court ruling that homeschooling is not a legal option in the state and that a family who has homeschooled all their children for years must enrol their two youngest in state or private schools. Justice H. Walter Croskey in a written opinion said, "California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children."The sweeping February 29th ruling says that California law requires "persons between the ages of...

As many of you know, the Second Appellate District Court of Los Angeles handed down a very bad decision regarding a case involving a homeschool family. Home School Legal Defense Association was not involved with this case, and the family are not members, which is why we only heard about this case when the opinion was released on February 28, 2008. Since legal cases have many facets, and we are starting from scratch, it takes time to investigate and fully absorb all the facts which led up to a particular decision. We are in the middle of that process, but...

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: How would you like to save up to $2,000 on your state income taxes each year for your homeschool expenses? Or, how would you like to have scholarships available to homeschoolers for their educational costs? If either of these sounds like a good idea, take a moment to put a call or email in January 24 or early January 25 to the members of Virginia House Finance Subcommittee 3. The subcommittee will meet tomorrow, January 25 at 7:30 a.m. We urge you to call and email to support House Bill 1164 and HouseBill 420. House...

Huckabee Not the Best for Homeschoolers This is something new for me. For the last 22 years, my family has served the homeschooling movement without ever uttering a single word (in print OR behind the scenes) regarding national or state politics. But now that one particular candidate-former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee-is experiencing a surge in popularity that the mainstream press attributes to the homeschool movement, I feel the need to say a few words. Acccording to a December 17 Washington Post story, "It was the endorsement by prominent national home-school advocate Michael Farris that helped propel Huckabee to a surprising...

Home Schoolers Lose Ground with New Law The enactment of House Bill 1724 on April 5, 1999, gives Arkansas the unique distinction of becoming the first state in the nation to add restrictions to its existing home school law. Sponsored by Representative Jim Magnus (R-55), a home schooling father from Little Rock, the new law, among other things, establishes notification deadlines and imposes a 14-day waiting period before parents are allowed to withdraw their children from public school to begin home schooling mid-semester. Why Was H.B. 1724 Introduced? The public school lobby had been working overtime to convince the...

The Home School Legal Defense Association and evangelical leader Michael Farris have endorsed Mike Huckabee. I believe this to be a mistake. I cannot support Mike Huckabee for the reasons listed below. I implore you to weigh the facts objectively and come to a conclusion besides one fueled by popular opinion. Please try to take on the mentality of objectivity and at the very least, do it so you know what you are supporting. This election is too important to make uninformed decisions. - Huckabee supported the SCHIP bill that Bush vetoed twice. This bill was the Democrat’s attempt at...

A homeschooling mom who fled her Carbon County, Utah, home because of a judge's threat to take away her children if they were not enrolled in the local public school district is preparing to answer the counts that accuse her of failing to submit last year's homeschool paperwork. Officials with the Home School Legal Defense Association have confirmed they will work on the case involving homeschooling mom Denise Mafi. The Home School Legal Defense Association, in association with prominent Utah attorney, Frank Mylar, has agreed to represent homeschooling mom, Denise Mafi, in her upcoming truancy prosecution in Utah's Carbon County...

Dear HSLDA, I told you so.

OPEN LETTER TO DR. MICHAEL FARRIS AND THE HOME SCHOOL LEGAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION Dear Dr. Farris, Michael Smith, and the HSLDA, My name is **** ******* and I am an 18 year old home educated student from *************. I have been home schooled my entire educational career, and am preparing to graduate this coming May. During my time as a home schooler I have been impressed with your organization and its tireless work to defend home schooling. I know your organization to be a true friend to families who want to have the ability to raise their children in their...

Please pass along. OPEN LETTER TO DR. MICHAEL FARRIS AND THE HOME SCHOOL LEGAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION Dear Dr. Farris, Michael Smith, and the HSLDA, My name is *SK Johnson and I am an 18 year old home educated student from *************. I have been home schooled my entire educational career, and am preparing to graduate this coming May. During my time as a home schooler I have been impressed with your organization and its tireless work to defend home schooling. I know your organization to be a true friend to families who want to have the ability to raise their...

CLICK HERE....FOR PDF of this letter. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PRESIDENTIAL RACE 2008 & HSLDA PAC RE: (Home School Legal Defense Association Political Action Committee) By: FReeper David C. Osborne 25 October 2007 Greetings ! The purpose of this open letter is to respond to the recent news that HSLDA has come out early this primary season and has publicly endorsed Gov. Mike Huckabee. As a home schooling parent I am asking HSLDA to reconsider this decision at endorse Duncan Hunter instead, or maybe even consider a DUAL endorsement. I admire Gov. Huckabee for his Christian values, and I acknowledge his...

A Missouri public school is taking a mother to court for withdrawing her son and daughter from the school and teaching them at home, after an apparent threat to the daughter's life at the school. The case involves Moberly, Mo., mother Anita Nicoli, who withdrew her daughter and a son from Moberly Middle School recently after what she has described as a two-year campaign of intimidation by other students. The breaking point came when another student, who allegedly had harassed and assaulted her daughter, drew a picture of herself holding a gun and pointing it directly at Nicoli's daughter. The...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 POLICE STATE, GERMANY American missionaries targeted for deportation Government says such Christians don't give children to state schools Posted: September 26, 2007 1:00 a.m. Eastern By Bob Unruh © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com The German government is targeting an American family of Baptist missionaries for deportation because they belong to a group that refuses "to give their children over to the state school system," according to an international homeschool support organization. The Home School Legal Defense Association works worldwide for the benefit of those who wish to teach their own children themselves. Officials there, and at several other...

“Every child should experience a bloody nose in the school yard. This is simply part of growing up and part of the socialization process.” This statement was made in a legal brief many years ago by an attorney representing the State of North Dakota. He was arguing that education is more than academics. Ignoring the fact that North Dakota’s homeschooled children were doing very well academically, the state took the position that children need to be “properly socialized”—and that proper socialization can only take place in a traditional school setting. The universal need for a bloody nose experience claim would...

Everyone knows that social conservatives will come out in droves on the night of the Iowa caucuses. But a growing group of overlooked foot soldiers in this movement will also shape its outcome without even casting a vote. They can’t—they’re teenagers. But they are being trained to wage the political battles of the future for the Christian right. And it all starts in the classroom, which is also their home. Generation Joshua, a division of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), provides Christian youth (those 11 to 19 years old) various opportunities to become active in the political arena....

====================================================================== >From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Florida: Legislature Poses Danger for Homeschoolers Dear HSLDA members and friends: March 6, 2007, begins this year's legislative session. Many bills have been pre-filed over the past few months, some of which pose a danger to homeschoolers. The purpose of this email is to inform you that these bills exist and to prepare you to respond if a future call to action is needed. We are hoping to stop some of these bills or amend them, but if they are scheduled for a hearing, we will immediately send you an e-lert. > >...