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Feature Articles - 2008

I am Ann Zeise, your guide to the best and most interesting and useful sites and articles about home education on the web.

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In re Rachel L. Contents

In Re Rachel L. Decision
Amicus Brief Accepted
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CA Decision Vacated
CA Homeschoolers Win!
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Talking Points

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Talking Points

Homeschoolers Urge to Talk to Their Democrat Assembly Members

Dateline: 3/24/08

By Debbie Schwarzer, HSC , legal co-chair

These talking points are far from perfect, but I needed to get something down for you to use.

I think the push really needs to be on Democrats. The Republicans are mostly inclined to support this, but it's the Democrats who are not convinced. They need to hear from their constituents that it's important.

Here are some resources to help you find your California Assembly member:

The Assembly district map
If you want to call outside your own district, you can print out the maps, including the sub-maps.

The list of Democrats
Sort by Democrat and you'll have it to print.

The talking points are as follows. Feel free to improve.

When people call, they should ask to speak with the Assembly member's education policy person.

  1. When someone calls, they should identify why they are calling (they are Democrats who homeschool, live in the district and voted for the Assembly member, they live in the district and homeschool, they have been leaders of the non-sectarian homeschooling movement, whatever). We need to impress upon the Democrats that homeschooling is not only done by conservative people, it is also chosen by a wide spectrum of the California public, including liberal and non-religious people.

  2. ACR 115 asks the legislature to recognize that homeschooling is one option for children in the state and that the recent court decision was overbroad, both of which are true. If they could support it with changes, the author is willing to consider them. He currently understands that the call for "reversal" is problematic since "reversal" could mean one of several things, and he may agree to amend to just make it clearer that the decision needs to be greatly limited or depublished.

  3. Homeschooling is not a new, unproven thing. It is growing. Whether or not the decision in this case is upheld, it is not going to stop overnight. The parents who choose this option have strong reasons for doing so, and they will not be putting their children into a school. Opposing ACR 115 will not stop homeschooling, and the Assembly member has constituents who homeschool and will continue to do so.

  4. Every child deserves to receive the best education for his or her specific needs. For many children, learning at home provides the best chance at receiving a quality education, and parents are in the best position to make that determination.

  5. Supporting ACR 115 and homeschooling does not hurt the teachers' unions.

  • First, it is a fallacy to think that these children are going to be forced to return to school. That will not be the final result of this case, as families in every other state have a right to teach at home and there would be constitutional issues with California attempting to claim that children can only learn in institutional school. Supporting ACR 115 will NOT cause new teachers NOT to be hired.

  • Second, even if families choose to put their formerly homeschooled children into school, they still have the right to choose private school. Supporting ACR 115 does not impact teacher hiring.

  • Third, every dollar spent on educating a formerly homeschooled child takes that same dollar away from existing pupils. Every family homeschooling their children would rather have that money spent on helping the children who are already in public school. Supporting ACR 115 is consistent with supporting quality public education and the teachers who are in those schools.

I would really appreciate it you would report back to Ann Zeise about the reaction you get. Ann will forward the emails on to me. We really need to have a concerted effort to reach the California Democratic Assembly Members.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Debbie

The "In re Rachel L." Decision

Note that at this time, early March 2008, we do not yet know the effect of the "In re Rachel L." decision. Expert homeschool legal advisors are looking into this decision to see what repercussions it might have.

Legal Brief: In re Rachel L.
In this dependency case, we consider the question whether parents can legally "home school" their children. The attorney for two of the three minor children in the case has petitioned this court for extraordinary writ relief, asking us to direct the juvenile court to order that the children be enrolled in a public or private school, and actually attend such a school.

Anderson's Resolution Supported by Homeschool Associations in California - 3/10/08
Assembly member Joel Anderson, a conservative Republican whose children are taught at home, has introduced a concurrent resolution ACR 115 in the California Assembly. If it passes, it will go to the state Senate for their vote. Act now! Call your California Assembly Person!

Getting Involved
CHN's Legislative Action Guide is a mini-course in civics.

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