According to a new ruling by the CA Court of Appeals:
“Parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children.”
The California State Constitution says the following:
A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people, the legislature shall encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement.
The question answered in this case should be the meaning of “all suitable means,” not the constitutionality of home schooling.
Even though home schooling laws are weak the legislature has encouraged it. So, it would seem to me that home schooling is a suitable means for education.
Another side note, the decision claims that parents who home school need teaching credentials, which is garbage. Nevertheless, if that’s the case, then all Teach for America teachers should not be allowed to teach because they don’t have credentials.
The LA Times coverage is online here.
Thanks for this story. It is amazing how the courts continue to erode our rights.
Liberty,
Is there an appeal to this decision on standby? I just can’t believe that Cali citizens will stand for this. Great post and great blog.
Re-dic!
I guess they never read Separating School and State (http://www.fff.org/books/0964044714.asp), eh? It’d be great if folks just continued to educate their kids as they see fit without regard to State mandates — not like they could lock everyone up…
http://www.constitution.org/hs/ignore_state.htm
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The decision will be appealed to the California State Supreme Court.