166,000 sets of parents in the state of California
may be considered lawbreakers shortly in California. An appeals court has overturned lower court findings that empower parents to educate their children according to their sets of values, choices, and faith. Now literally hundreds of thousands of families could be subject to criminal sanctions:
A "breathtaking" ruling from a California appeals court that could subject the parents of 166,000 students in the state to criminal sanctions will be taken to the state Supreme Court.The announcement comes today from the Pacific Justice Institute, whose president, Brad Dacus, described the impact of the decision as "stunning."
"The scope of this decision by the appellate court is breathtaking," he said. "It not only attacks traditional homeschooling, but also calls into question homeschooling through charter schools and teaching children at home via independent study through public and private school."
"If not reversed, the parents of the more than 166,000 students currently receiving an education at home will be subject to criminal sanctions," he said.
The judge in this case is likely to be a very sympathetic public education advocate, perhaps a former teacher or married to one. But good old fashioned "truancy" laws have not been even thought about being put back into place in recent years - and for good reason.
Line up twelve home-school kids, and twelve publicly educated kids - same age as the home-schoolers. (randomly selected)
Survey after survey has demonstrated that the same aged child in a homeschooling program will realize higher reading levels (usually by more than one grade), far better math and science skills, and in terms of testing - such as the SAT - will score dozens if not hundreds of points higher.