Another way you can support homeschooling in California

California State Assemblyman Joel Anderson has introduced Resolution 115 supporting homeschooling. Here is the current text of the bill:

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 115 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Anderson
MARCH 10, 2008
Relative to home schooling.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 115, as introduced, Anderson. Home schooling.
This measure would acknowledge the long and rich history of private home schooling in California and call upon the California Supreme Court to reverse the opinion of the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles in the case of In re Rachel L. that home schooling without a teaching credential is not legal.
Fiscal committee: no.
WHEREAS, Some 30 years of experience with the modern home schooling movement in California demonstrates that home-school graduates take up responsible positions as parents, as students in and graduates of colleges and universities, in the workplace, and as citizens in society at large; and
WHEREAS, Home schooling by California families with diverse backgrounds has historically given children a quality education through proven, independent approaches that nurture valuable family bonds and support successful pupil development; and
WHEREAS, Private home schooling has a long and rich history in the State of California, and is currently estimated as involving 200,000 pupils in the state and 2,000,000 pupils nationwide; and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has ruled that parents have a fundamental constitutional right to direct the education and upbringing of their children (Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) 406 U.S. 205, Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) 268 U.S. 510, and Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) 262 U.S. 390); and
WHEREAS, On February 28, 2008, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles issued an opinion in the case of In re Rachel L., 2008 Cal.App. Lexis 292 (Cal.App.2d Dist.
Feb. 28, 2008) holding that home schooling without a teaching credential is not legal; and
WHEREAS, This misguided interpretation denies California parents their primary responsibility and right to determine the best place and manner of their own children's education; and
WHEREAS, The fair opportunity of California families to educate their children should not be undermined; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby calls upon the California Supreme Court to reverse the opinion of the California Court of Appeal for the second Appellate District in the case of In re Rachel L., that home schooling without a teaching credential is not legal; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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Many of the major California Homeschooling organizations support this resolution. The HomeSchool Association of California, the California Homeschool Network, and the Christian Home Educators Association of California all support it.

I encourage you to support it. If you live in California you can find your Assemblyman and State Senator by going here. If you live outside of California there is probably little benefit, but it may not hurt, to call a few assemblymen and state senators.

Please call them, fax them and/or send a letter asking them to support Assembly Concurrent Resolution 115 sponsored by Joel Anderson.

I like Debbie Schwarzer's summary (she also explains the difference between a resolution and a bill) of what to do:

"Calls are fine, but letters faxed to the office are even better, as they then retain tangible evidence of their constituents' positions. Emails are often ignored, so please call or fax if possible. It is best to give your name, the city and/or Assembly District you live in and the name of the resolution (ACR 115), to state that you educate your children at home (or support those who do) and wish the right of California families to continue to have that option with minimal government intervention, and to state your desire that Assemblymember ______ vote in favor of ACR 115 by Joel Anderson."


After you do all this, please forward a link to this post to your neighbors and friends; ask them to also contact their state representatives requesting that they support this resolution.

Thank you.


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