Christian Heritage/CHN UPDATE: Crisis in California
As many of you have
heard by now, on February 28th the California 2nd District Court of Appeals handed down a
decision in which Justice H. Walter Croskey wrote the unanimous opinion that homeschooling
in California by non-credentialed teachers is illegal.
This has understandably
created quite a stir within the homeschool community across the nation. Many home education supporters have risen to speak
out against this ruling and have rallied to our defense—for which we are grateful and deeply blessed.
So why is this of
concern to homeschoolers in Washington State?
Many of us know by now that what happens in one state can eventually affect us all. But could this happen here?
To answer this question,
CHN Directors Scott & DiAnna Brannan went to Olympia on
March 10th to meet with a state senator and a staff member—both of whom were in the legislature when our
homeschool law was passed. After discussing the known facts of this case, we concluded that it could happen here. Nothing
in our laws would stop a court from overstepping its bounds, such as happened in California.
Like California, currently Washington State has laws to protect home education and families. So what do we do to protect ourselves
from this happening here? First, it is important to note that this crisis is
being addressed by the state homeschool organizations and Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) working together,
not by individual families. The California court’s
ruling may possibly, by God’s grace, be overturned. However, it is crucial that the task of challenging the ruling be
taken on only by nationally proven, homeschool advocacy attorneys like those at HSLDA who have the experience and expertise
to do so. God has called many of these leaders for such a time as this.
ACTION ITEMS FOR WASHINGTON
HOMESCHOOLERS:
- Join HSLDA!
Countering the California ruling
will require tremendous financial resources. These must be provided, in large
part, by the thousands of homeschooling families across the nation who are willing to stand together in the general fight
for protecting our homeschool freedoms by joining HSLDA. Not only will this pooling
of resources supply the reserves necessary to tackle such enormous endeavors as dealing with the California ruling, but joining will also assure member families of HSLDA support should
they ever experience legal challenges to their own homeschooling efforts. And,
quite frankly, there being a large & growing membership in a visible, national organization such as HSLDA will, in itself,
send a message too.
The recommendation to join HSLDA is also made by California CHEA and
by Roy Hanson of Family Protection Ministry and of Private & Home Educators of California.
At the HSLDA Homeschool National conference in 2003, CHN Directors were blessed by the wise counsel Mr. Hanson gave
us regarding our ministry. So we are pleased to pass on to you here his suggestions for what homeschool families can do during
this crisis. See them at: www.cheaofca.org/courtcase.jsp
- Support Your State Homeschool Organizations!
We, at Christian Heritage & CHN, would encourage you, as home educating families, to also support
your state homeschool organizations. These non-profit organizations also need your memberships and donations so that they
have the resources to support, encourage, contend for, and—if needed—defend home education in our state. Make
sure you are plugged into a state organization that not only actively supports and encourages you in your homeschooling, but
that is also active in distributing information on threats to homeschooling on a timely basis.
- Sign HSLDA’s Petition
One promising strategy for keeping California
homeschooling legal is to petition the Supreme Court of California to “depublish” the court’s opinion. If
the opinion is “depublished,” then it cannot be used as a precedent by other California
courts and, thus, this threat to homeschool freedom will be neutralized for other California
homeschoolers.
HSLDA will be formally petitioning the California Supreme Court to depublish
the opinion. By signing this petition, we can show that many other people, both in California
and across the country, care deeply about homeschool freedom in California.
Please show your support for
this effort by signing the petition today: www.HSLDA.org
- Pray!
Pray fervently and pray
continually for God to protect our freedoms to disciple our children in His way for His glory. Pray privately. Pray as a family. Pray collectively whenever you are gathered together with others of like mind. (James
5:16-18)
And consider joining in the following corporate call to prayer:
“I am no great spokesman for homeschooling, and am not in a position to mobilize
masses of God’s people to devote a particular day to fasting and prayer. Yet it seems God uses weak people to work His
purposes through. I believe God has directed me to call those who sense a confirmation in the Spirit to join together, wherever
you are, in a day of humbling ourselves before the Lord, fasting & prayer, and
repentance, on Sunday, March 23, 2008.” (Jonathan Lindvall, www.BoldChristianLiving.com )
For More Information: CA COURT RULES HOMESCHOOLING ILLEGAL! ~ Read & Listen Below!
Preserving homeschool freedoms
for today and tomorrow!
Christian Homeschool
Network
www.CHNow.org
Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington
www.ChristianHeritageOnline.org
© 2008 Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington/Christian Homeschool Network (CHN)
All rights reserved
Permission to
copy and distribute if copied in its entirety, or contact chnow@msn.com
If you support
the work of the Christian Homeschool Network, please join us at http://www.chnow.org/id14.html.
And
support Christian Heritage by joining
at http://www.christianheritageonline.org/resources/membership.
