Home education is a hot topic in the media these days, as it has been for some time, particularly due to the recent court ruling in California regarding parental rights to homeschool their children. I have been trying to stay abreast of all that has been occuring and the response to it so that I can share what I find with you here and help us all to be aware of what is going on in this important matter. My husband let me know that homeschooling was a topic today on the Diane Rehm Show, a radio program. Here is the link: http://www.wamu.org/audio/dr/08/03/r2080324-19493.asx
Topics that were discussed included the following:
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parental rights to educate their children
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homeschool regulation
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constitutional rights
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homeschool success
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reasons to homeschool
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homeschool statistics
This discussion featured guests including a mother who has homeschooled for 14 years, an HSLDA representative, and a Stanford professor. Although I would personally rather have heard from a parent who represents the more typical homeschooler at large, I was happy that they chose someone with many years of home education under their belt, and a seemingly decent understanding of what is at stake for other homeschool families.
It was a mixed bag of an interview, with many differing viewpoints. It was not as balanced as I would prefer, as it had a fairly liberal tilt, but attempts were made to represent both sides of the issues, which I appreciate. What concerned me the most was the emphasis that was placed upon regulating home education more closely. The only real dissenter to this idea was the HSLDA representative, even the interviewed homeschool mother seemed in favor of some regulation. We do not need more stipulations and requirements. We need our rights as parent’s to educate our children protected. The potential precedent and resulting controversy of the California ruling has the potential to be the spring-board upon which more regulation is forced upon us. Which is why I will continue to keep close tabs on this issue, even after the media frenzy has slowed or subsided.
