The Final Word

Homeschooling as an alternative

State threatens parents’ education choices

By Derek Yee

From the April 2008 Print Edition

On March 7, the California 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled that parents who educate their children at home must have a valid teaching credential. More recently, on March 27, the court agreed to rehear the case. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger promised Californians that he would protect parents’ choice to educate their children. There are approximately 166,000 children who receive education at home, and many of the parents who school these children do not have credentials and could face prosecution under the March 7 ruling. This ruling stems from a social services case in which a mother was accused of mistreatment of her children.

Statistics show that students who are schooled at home by their non-credentialed parents get higher scores on standardized testing. Appellate court Judge H. Walter Croskey was quoted as saying, “A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare.” Since when did public schools teach patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation?

I recall a time when I first entered school, in the early 1990s. We began every day with the flag salute and a patriotic song. In the fifth grade, I participated in a spring performance featuring 20 patriotic hymns. By the time I entered high school, however, we did not even say the pledge, with the exception of assemblies. Students who attend public schools no longer receive the same kind of training that the 75-year-old Croskey claims that the education system should be providing. In fact, many of the schools teach students values that are quite contrary to American beliefs.

On the other hand, those who are homeschooled are not subjected to the anti-American rants of members of the teachers’ union. I am well-acquainted with people who are homeschooled and their parents. When I am at home, I attend a small evangelical church with my family. Many of the children were educated in the home, at least through the eighth grade — some through high school. One young lady who was homeschooled is, at the age of 21, a piano instructor and has already written a novel. Many others who went through homeschooling ended up in four-year universities and have been very successful.

Many parents opt to homeschool their children because of the material that is currently being taught in public schools. For example, sex education has become more controversial in recent years. When teachers discuss abortion as an acceptable form of birth control, or encourage “safe” sex using prophylactics, the traditional, conservative parents cringe. They would prefer to discuss these things at home.

Parents can also tailor the curriculum to meet a student’s needs. Some students may have trouble in a particular subject, and parent instructors can help them hone their skills. Along those lines, some children have specific talents that parent instructors can help encourage.

Granted, there are some clear disadvantages to homeschooling. For instance, some homeschooled children can be socially isolated. When they eventually end up in a regular school, they may experience culture shock because they have not had the opportunity to interact with other students. If parents are not prudent about keeping up with lessons, children may find themselves behind in some academic subjects. There are solutions for these difficulties — homeschool instructors often affiliate themselves with a private school where students can meet with other students periodically. Some school districts offer programs in which credentialed teachers will meet with students to make sure they are up-to-date on their studies.

Homeschooling is not for everyone — it takes a lot of commitment and dedication for both the parent and child. However, the benefits outweigh the costs for those who choose to educate their children at home. Parents are able to work closely with their children, often preparing them for college better than a public school would.

The appellate court’s ruling is misguided. Simply because one homeschool parent did not do her job properly, it does not mean that all parents teach in this way. There are many parents who are excellent educators — and they do not have teaching credentials. It appears that this appeals court ruled against the conservative Christian minority. All of my friends who were homeschooled are well-rounded, successful people who are morally grounded. I’d say they turned out a lot better than some people I know who went to public schools.

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