Your understanding of CA law is how it has worked in the past but please check the letter from HSLDA further up the thread because they believe that this case could threaten the ability of homeschoolers to register as private schools. I know that the facts of this case are distinguishable by the language that the appellate court used seemed to apply equally to setting up a homeschool as a private school. Basically, I trust HSLDA and if they are worried then there is reason to be worried.
Correction - but the language used by the appellate court seems to apply equally to a situation where a non-certified parent sets their homeschool up as a private school under CA law.
Oh, I am worried all right. I just know in my personal position that next year we could have our daughter tested for CHSPE, which by California law, the state must recognize as being equivalent to a high school diploma. I might have her do it just to feel safe, even if this case goes homeschoolers way. She will be 15 by then and I thought she might pass it this year. My hubby wanted to wait a year.
But that does not apply to everyone. It would be very sad to have California become the most hostile state for homeschooling in the nation. I believe that is what they are aiming for. This is not a coincidence.
Mission of HLDSA:
1. Write paychecks to the hardworking HLDSA staff and attorneys, and try to hire more people each year and gain influence, so that they can
2. Advocate for the rights of parents to homeschool.
There is nothing wrong with this mission. But like all such groups, they tend to go spin things to raise money and create PR buzz for themselves. And if they resolve the homsechool situation, they lose their jobs. Again, this is not to say that HLDSA or other groups are bad or even dishonest, but it is a reminder that they spin things to make it look dire for their issue in order to raise money and PR buzz.
CA homeschoolers have been doing fine for decades under current laws. This one family did not abide by the laws. The court issued a questionable ruling, but it did not outlaw homeschooling.