Dealing With Unsupportive Relatives Regarding Your Homeschooling?

This week I experienced, yet again, the lack of support from extended family regarding our homeschooling journey. While it's true that it may have been unintentional that the comment would be seen by me on Facebook, it still gives me a true idea of this person's opinion.

Yes, you would think that after 17 1/2 years on this homeschool journey, I'd have learned to ignore and let go of the barbs and zingers. The truth of the matter is, they still hurt.

What on earth made me choose to homeschool my children in the first place, you may ask? After all, my parents are retired Christian church school teachers! Wouldn't it be more prudent to send my children to school? Perhaps, but...

Because my parents were teachers in schools within our denomination, I knew that public school would never be an option for any of my children. Then a couple years before my oldest was born, one of my close friends began homeschooling her children. Thus that "seed" was planted in my mind, and kind of "simmered" there for a few years.

As time grew nearer for my firstborn to begin school, I became well acquainted with the local church school teachers, and began planning and preparing for the day for my oldest to attend that small church school. But then the summer before he was to begin first grade, the church shut down that school! Now the nearest church school was 60 miles away! We lived in Montana, where winters can be brutal. Homeschool became the only choice open to my family.

As my mom was nearing retirement, she began passing on more and more of her resources to me, and became my mentor. I've always appreciated being able to go to her with questions or concerns, and receiving her feedback.

Coming back to the present situation, and what caught my attention this time, was a comment a relative of mine made in response to the article entitled: Did You Know That There Are 14 States That Don’t Require English And Math For Homeschooled Kids? (beware, if you click through to read that article, of the grotesque photos posted on that website) Now, if that title isn't misleading enough, you will soon realize by the content of the "article" itself that the author is very uninformed about homeschooling in general!

Skimming through some of the comments left in response to the article, one quickly realizes there are many, many who are equally uninformed or misinformed as the author. 

One of my friends did a quick "google search" for me, and found these resources, which she shared with me: Research Facts on Homeschooling, by Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., dated January 6, 2015, and New Nationwide Study Confirms Homeschool Academic Achievement, by Ian Slatter, Director of Media Relations, dated August 10, 2009.

Okay, so I'm sure you're thinking, "Yeah, but those are skewed in favor of homeschooling, because they are by organizations which support and promote homeschooling!" Check this one out: Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschooled Students, by Michael F. Cogan, the director of institutional research and analysis at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN, and is published in the Journal of College Admission, from National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Or maybe you're more interested in this one: Homeschooled Students Well-prepared for College, Study Finds, at the Huffington Post, dated June 1, 2012.

By the way, if you want to know what laws and regulations homeschoolers actually do face, you can find those homeschool laws listed here by state. As one of my friends pointed out, "We, as homeschoolers, learn and explore all of our educational options. Ways of delivery, resources, online/dvd/private/public - We're the ones with an open mind and, especially as reviewers, a tolerance and a professional experience with all things curriculum based. The average parent - the majority of parents, sign 20 pieces of paper and hand over their kid, even letting the school pick them up on their street and deliver them at the end of the day. Who knows more about education than a homeschool parent?" (Yes, she is on the Schoolhouse Review Crew with me)

Now about my children specifically; perhaps they did not have the highest test scores. So what? They're average, just like the majority of the rest of the population.

Two of my main goals in homeschooling my children has always been:

1. To teach them to love learning, and know where and how to find the answers to their questions--to be self-learners, independent thinkers.
2. Even more importantly, to prepare them for a life of service on this earth, and to prepare them for eternal life with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

True education means more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come. ~Education, by E.G. White.

True education is the preparation of the physical, mental, and moral powers for the performance of every duty; it is the training of body, mind, and soul for divine service. This is the education that will endure unto eternal life. ~Christ's Object Lessons, by E.G. White.


Do my children feel like their education has/had been "shortchanged?" When I asked the three older ones, they each emphatically said, "NO!"

Then when I asked each of my children what they liked/like about homeschooling, their responses were:

• Oldest: "Being able to work on it throughout the day and not having to get up early every morning."
• Second: "Being able to stay home and study. I always hated the thought of having to go to public school."
• Third: "Everything!"
• Fourth: "Being able to be at home and work on schoolwork with you, Mom!"

My favorite advantages to homeschooling are the fact that I can tailor each child's education to his/her strengths, interests, passions, abilities; we can focus on character training when necessary; each child can go at his/her own pace; my special needs child doesn't have to deal with being teased/tormented/ostracized, just because he's "different."

I came in to this journey, because God called me to it. We will continue on this path until God calls us a different direction...or until all of my children have graduated, whichever.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

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Something to seriously ponder

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National Database of School Children Launched

I find this very concerning!

So far, at least 9 states are using or planning to use the system: Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, and North Carolina.

Data being stored includes identifying information such as name, address, and social security number, along with school grades, attendance, and even information on hobbies, interests, and attitudes toward school.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.parentalrights.org/index.asp?SEC={26385D06-166F-43EE-B2F8-A170E6926CED}&Type=B_BASIC&persistdesign=none

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Different Sugars Have Different Effects on Brain - ABC News

Different Sugars Have Different Effects on Brain - ABC News Pin It Now!

Christmas Day Tornado, 2012

The day after Christmas, Hubby and I were up rather early, and so was Little Bit, since he'd gone to bed early the night before...and was the only one who didn't know out tiny town had been hit by a tornado on Christmas Day.

After Hubby and I had showered and dressed, and it was still a little while before he had to head for work, we decided to drive around town, to take photos. I'd hoped to get some before the work crews started working.

We were totally amazed, and awestruck, by what we observed.

The work crew

Tire shop

Head Start

Tire shop

Where Tim works

Behind where Tim works

There used to be a "Welcome to our town" sign here

Later, after Hubby had gone to work, and the kids and I had eaten breakfast, we drove around again, so the kids could see the damage in daylight. We even drove to the neighboring town, where Jen works; no damage there. Then we stopped at the grocery store, to pick up something to prepare for lunch.

When we got back home, as soon as the kids opened the door, they discovered our power was back on! Oh! Praise the Lord! Other parts of town didn't have theirs back on until late afternoon.

And, frankly, I haven't done much (any) driving around town since then....because Tim and Jen have run the errands for me! ;-)

We are certainly praising the Lord that no one was killed, or even injured much. But we did have some heavy rain again today, and some thunder.

Please remember these are my photos, my own artwork. Thank you.
COPYRIGHT 2005-2012.
All rights reserved. All text (including my poetry), photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author.
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Our Tornado, in the News

What a way to make national news! Have a tornado (one of many!) that hits on Christmas Day!

In this article by NBC News, our town is mentioned by name! Suspected tornadoes also damaged homes and other structures Tuesday in or near Centreville, McNeill, Maxie and Janice in Mississippi; and in or near Luverne, Wilmer and Riderwood in Alabama, according to The Weather Channel.

A state of emergency was declared in Mississippi late Tuesday by governor Phil Bryant, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency told NBC News in a statement. Homes, roads and businesses were damaged in at least nine counties.

Last night (12/27), if you watched ABC World News, they mentioned "our" tornado, and our town by name....right up there with the tornado that hit Mobile!

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA) and the National Weather Service posted a report about our tornado, too.

And here is a video, from a storm chaser. The location of our tornado is at about 2:23 in to the video.

I wish I had videoed our local news broadcast report of the tornado, too, but alas! I didn't "plan ahead." Ha!


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Urgent Action Must Be Taken!!

Do we want the United States to develop a police-state environment? Urgent action must be taken, now!

S. 1877—Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act

Action Requested:
Urgent calls are needed to senators on the Subcommittee on Children and Families to oppose S. 1877. If either of your two U.S. senators are on the subcommittee, HSLDA urges you to call with some or all of the following message (there is no need to identify yourself as a homeschooler):

    “I am concerned that S. 1877, which is scheduled for a committee hearing this Tuesday, will lead to privacy violations and allegations of abuse and neglect against innocent families because of the mandatory reporting requirement for all adults. Additionally, S. 1877 will greatly increase the federal government’s role in social services investigations, cluttering the system, and making it hard to find children who are truly at risk.”

Senators on the Subcommittee on Children and Families:
Barbara Mikulski (MD)   202-224-4654
Patty Murray (WA)      202-224-2621
Bernard Sanders (VT)     202-224-5141
Robert Casey (PA)      202-224-6324
Kay Hagan (NC)       202-224-6342
Jeff Merkley (OR)   202-224-3753
Al Franken (MN)      202-224-5641
Michael Bennet (CO)     202-224-5852
Richard Blumenthal (CT)   202-224-2823
Tom Harkin (IA)       202-224-3254
Richard Burr (NC)   202-224-3154
Lamar Alexander (TN)   202-224-4944
Johnny Isakson (GA)   202-224-3643
Rand Paul (KY)     202-224-4343
John McCain (AZ)   202-224-2235
Pat Roberts (KS)  202-224-4774
Mark Kirk (IL)    202-224-2854
Michael Enzi (WY)  202-224-3424  

You may identify and contact your two U.S. senators using HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox.

Please note that it is not necessary to call your senators if they are not on the list above; however, it will not hurt to send them an email or letter sharing your concerns about S. 1877.

Summary:
S. 1877 will require new federal reporting mandates of child abuse or neglect to social services, including requiring every adult to be a mandatory reporter of child abuse or neglect.

Sponsor: Senator Bob Casey (PA) and Senator Barbara Boxer (CA)

Bill Summary— S. 1877

HSLDA’s Position:
Oppose

Background:
S. 1877 will amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to require—for the first time ever—every single state that receives federal funding under CAPTA to force every single adult to be a mandatory reporter of child abuse or neglect. Currently, most states only require certain people (e.g., doctors and teachers) to be mandatory reporters. HSLDA opposes this for the following reasons:

    The federal government should not force the states to make every single adult a mandatory reporter of child abuse and neglect as a condition for receiving certain federal money. This is a violation of the principle of federalism. The federal government has no constitutional authority to force the states to make every adult a mandatory reporter.
    
Forcing the states to make every single adult a mandatory reporter with no exceptions will lead to a police-state environment, where every adult is forced to act as an informer against friends, family, and neighbors, or face possible charges. There are grave threats to liberty and personal privacy that could result from this.
    
Forcing every adult to be a mandatory reporter will likely lead to a massive increase in child abuse and neglect accusations and subsequent investigations. Individuals will likely report suspected child abuse and neglect out of an abundance of caution so they do not face possible charges. Instead of protecting children, this will (1) harm innocent families as they face baseless investigations, and (2) waste the time of social workers on baseless investigations, instead of protecting children who are actually being abused or neglected.

S. 1877 also creates a massive federally funded educational campaign and training program to inform citizens about the new mandatory reporting of child abuse laws in the states. HSLDA opposes this for the following reasons:

    In a time of federal budget deficits, the federal government should not be spending $5 million to $10 million per year on a program that should be left to the states.
    
Although the program is established in S. 1877 as a federal grant program to the states, the secretary of Health and Human Services is given the authority to “develop and disseminate guidance and information on best practices for” the entire educational campaign and training program. This could easily lead to the federal government mandating to the states the entire reporting campaign.

In conclusion, S. 1877 will lead to a massive increase in child abuse and neglect investigations upon families. The stated purpose of S. 1877’s mandatory reporting expansion, along with the education campaign and training program is to “improve reporting” of child abuse and neglect. The bill will give states new federal grants to set up “experimental, model, and demonstration programs for testing innovative approaches and techniques that may improve reporting of and response to suspected and known incidents of child abuse or neglect by adults to the State child protective service agencies or to law enforcement agencies.”

Not only will S. 1877 require every single adult to be a mandatory reporter, S. 1877 will incentivize states to create untested, “experimental” programs that will increase the number of child abuse and neglect reports to CPS agencies.

HSLDA has seen firsthand how malicious or ignorant child abuse and neglect allegations have destroyed innocent families. A family has few protections against the power of CPS agencies. And even if a CPS investigation is closed as unfounded, the trauma to a young child, to an innocent family as a stranger (albeit maybe a well-intentioned stranger) enters the home and threatens to remove the children, is lasting and profound.

S. 1877 is unnecessary. The states—using federal money under the existing CAPTA statute—are fully capable of protecting children from legitimate abuse and neglect. S. 1877 will create a massive police state of reporting and will lead to unnecessary abuse and neglect investigations.

(read more at the HSLDA website) Pin It Now!

Flooding in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

[youtube]kYUpkPTcqPY[/youtube]

As you watch this video clip, be sure to keep the people of Queensland, Australia, in your prayers! They are now evacuating Brisbane!

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Home-school ban in Sweden forces families to mull leaving

The Washington Times
By Michal Elseth
3:58 p.m., Sunday, July 18, 2010

A small change in Sweden's schooling law is about to make a big difference for Swedish home-schooling families, potentially causing them to flee to other countries or bring cases to international courts to protect religious and parental rights in the socialist country.

The Swedish Liberal Party pushed a new 1,500-page schooling law through last month one paragraph of which will make home schooling as an expression of religion or philosophy effectively impossible for Swedish families, other than in "exceptional circumstances" such as health issues or distance from a public school. The law also severely restricts religious practice in Sweden's "confessional" schools.

Sweden's officials defend the home-school ban, which takes effect next July, saying home schooling is unnecessary since the state provides a "comprehensive and objective" education.

This is exactly the problem, said Christopher Barnekov, director of Scandinavia House in Fort Wayne, Ind., an assistance program for Swedish Lutheran pastors studying in the U.S.

"The thrust of the law was to make schools across Sweden more uniform," Mr. Barnekov said, adding that the law also requires Sweden's religious schools to follow the same curriculum as its secular schools and restricts their prayer and chapel services.

Some families are even considering leaving the country, such as Nicklas and Jenny Lantz, who home-school their three sons, Lukas, Beppe and Frode. The whole family helps run a small theater they built in the Swedish countryside near their home; on play nights, they go together and help prepare for shows.

The Lantzes say they are planning a move to the United Kingdom so they can keep home schooling when the new schooling law takes effect July 1.

"For us, it feels like less of a burden to move there, than to stay and maybe have to go to court for our sake," Mrs. Lantz said. "But it is a big decision we're making. We don't have a lot of friends in U.K., nor do we have any other connections there. But the thought of sending the kids to school only because of some politicians that don't understand what home schooling really is, is not an alternative for us."

Unlike in the U.S., Sweden's home-schoolers do not fit a particular religious profile and are about as secular as the rest of the country but favor an educational style different from what Sweden's state schools deliver.

The Lantzes said the quality of the schools in their area had little to do with their choice to nurture their kids' "hunger to learn" at home.

"It is a totally different kind of education, and even if we could send our kids to the absolutely best school in the world, we wouldn't do it," she said.

The family decided to home-school when Lukas, now almost 10, was five years old. He had been learning everything from reading to counting on his own from a young age, Mrs. Lantz said in a phone interview, and his parents were delighted by his eagerness.

"We didn't want him to lose the wonderful freedom in learning that he had, and the 'hunger to learn' -- a common Swedish saying," said Mrs. Lantz. "At that time, our second son was about three years old and we saw the same wonderful love of learning within him and we felt strongly that this was something we wanted to preserve and nurture."

Anna Neuman, press secretary for Education Minister Jan Bjorklund, said home schooling is unnecessary in her country.

"Since all teaching in Swedish schools is both comprehensive and objective, there is no need for home schooling with reference to religious or philosophical reasons, and this is why this is not an option in the new Education Act," she said.

She also added that "all schools follow the same curricula," according to the longtime "fundamental principle in Swedish schools" of "comprehensive and objective teaching."

The new law also has the potential to sharply limit the freedom of confessional schools, which will be required to follow the same curriculum as public schools and make optional all religious activities, including prayer and church services.

Sweden has general elections in September, which may affect how strictly the law is implemented. Despite its name, the Liberal Party is part of a coalition government that leans to the right in the context of Swedish politics.

However, more left-wing groups, such as the Social Democratic and Left parties, may win in September. "If those parties regain power, you can expect to take those powers a lot further," Mr. Barnekov said.

A more left-leaning government, he said, likely would enforce adherence to the government's curriculum much more strictly and reduce the extent to which religion could be implemented into the life of the confessional schools.

"The law is potentially very dangerous for them; it remains to be seen how it will be applied," he said.

Confessional schools represent a range of denominations; many are associated with the official state Church of Sweden, a historically Lutheran body to which three-quarters of Sweden's population belongs, although only an estimated 1 percent of its members actually attend church. Others represent non-established Lutheran churches, evangelical and nondenominational groups, and the Roman Catholic Church.

The Lantzes said that they have always had a good relationship with the local authorities, who currently grant permission to home-school on a case-by-case basis, though they will have much less leeway and legal grounds to approve home schooling when the law takes effect on July 1.

But not every home-schooling family in Sweden has been so lucky even up to this point. One family who spoke to The Washington Times but asked to remain anonymous said they have been fighting opposition from local authorities for the past five years, and "This year, the hell started."

Though the school office acknowledges that the two boys are extremely well-educated and well-socialized, the local authorities have been increasingly insistent that they attend public school, citing concern over curriculum and socialization.

When their application to home-school was denied, each parent was fined 10,000 kroner, or about $1,250. Their case is currently in court, and the mother said as hard as home schooling is now, the new law will likely force them to move to a neighboring country where home schooling is easier.

European home-schooling refugees already have won one asylum case in the U.S., claiming that Germany's effective ban constituted religious persecution.

Jonas Himmelstrand, president of the Swedish home-schooling organization Rohus, said his family is currently fighting in court for the right to home-school their own children. He said that Sweden's government is not based on a constitution and inalienable rights, but has always been quite socialist.

The Swedish government, he said, fears anything they perceive as "different," and they particularly fear parents teaching their kids something different than public schools.

"There's not even a tradition of traditional human rights. There is a tradition of the state having rights," said Mr. Himmelstrand.

Sweden's laws, according to Mike Donnelly, a lawyer with the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, are even contrary to the European Convention, which states that families have the right to school within their own religious and philosophical convictions.

Mr. Donnelly said the Swedish government, which claims a child's right to education, is suppressing individual rights, and HSLDA will aid individual families until they are granted the right to school their children.

But Mr. Himmelstrand said many families will stay and fight in court, whether in Sweden or in European Union venues, citing the convention's guarantee of parental rights.

"They feel they have found something very good, and they will not easily give up," he said.

© Copyright 2010 The Washington Times, LLC

The article can be found here. Pin It Now!

New Hampshire Court orders Christian homeschooled girl to attend public school

Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 8/26/2009

A Christian homeschool girl in New Hampshire has been ordered into government-run public school for having "sincerely held" religious beliefs -- and the Alliance Defense Fund is troubled by the ruling.

The case involves divorced couple Martin Kurowski and Brenda Voydatch and their 10-year-old daughter, Amanda. The couple split in 1999 when they were living in Massachusetts, and the proceedings moved to New Hampshire after Voydatch relocated to that state with her daughter in 2002.
 
Although Voydatch has primary custody over Amanda, both parents agreed to a parenting plan that included joint decision-making responsibility. A court-appointed guardian served as a mediator.
 
A source of contention between the parents has been the mother's decision to home school Amanda since first grade. Amanda's father believes she should be sent to public school, while the mother is adamant about home schooling. Since both parents have failed to reach common ground, the issue moved to the court.
 
The situation was then analyzed by the court-appointed guardian, who made a recommendation to the court. During the evaluation process it was determined that Amanda was excelling in her schooling and used curriculum that was approved by her school district. The curriculum used in her home schooling was created by certified teachers, and Amanda routinely took standardized tests.
 
Furthermore, Amanda attended her local public school to take art, Spanish, and P.E. classes. Her public school instructors also commented on the fact that Amanda was well-rounded in her social skills. But a sticking point arose concerning Voydatch's Christian faith.
 
The court order stated: "According to the guardian ad litem's further report and testimony, the counselor found Amanda to lack some youthful characteristics. She appeard to reflect her mother's rigidity on questions of faith." The guardian noted that during a counseling session, Amanda tried to witness to the counselor and appeared "visibly upset" when the counselor purposefully did not pay attention.
 
The guardian also noted that Amanda's relationship with her father suffered because she did not think he loved her as much as he said he did due to the fact that he refused to "adopt her religious beliefs."
 
According to the court order, the guardian concluded that Amanda's "interests, and particularly her intellectual and emotional development, would be best served by exposure to a public school setting in which she would be challenged to solve problems presented by a group learning situation and...Amanda would be best served by exposure to different points of view at a time in her life when she must begin to critically evaluate multiple systems of belief and behavior."

Furthermore the court order states that despite Amanda's mother insisting that her daughter's religious beliefs were her own, "it would be remarkable if a ten-year-old child who spends her school time with her mother and the vast majority of all her other time with her mother would seriously consider adopting any other religious point of view."
 
Although the court noted that it "is extremely reluctant to impose on parents a decision about a child's education," it ruled that Amanda must attend public school.
 
Alliance Defense Fund-allied attorney John Anthony Simmons has filed a motion to reconsider. He says this ruling is dangerous to home schoolers because it will set a precedent for other cases.
 
"Every time you have a court order that uses a wrong standard or misapplies constitutional law, everyone's rights are eventually at stake," the attorney explains. "Because what happens with precedent is it gets expanded -- it gets cited in other cases."
 
Simmons believes this case goes beyond the initial divorce and custody battle with this ruling because the standard used in the decision contained in the court order is troubling. He contends that the child's religion should not have played a role in the decision, and that the court should have focused solely on the academic merits of Amanda's education which proved to be excellent.

 

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This is soooo worth watching......

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Begin Early for College Prep

According to this article, I have begun way too late to help my oldest prepare for college....probably even my second oldest! Maybe I will be better prepared to help my younger two!

College Professor Critiques Homeschoolers
copyright 2009 by Greg Landry, M.S.

I teach sophomore through senior level college
students - most of them are "pre-professional"
students. They are preparing to go to medical
school, dental school, physical therapy school,
etc.

As a generalization, I've noticed certain
characteristics common in my students who were
homeschooled. Some of these are desirable,
some not.

Desirable characteristics:

1. They are independent learners and do a great
job of taking initiative and being responsible
for learning. They don't have to be "spoon fed"
as many students do. This gives them an advantage
at two specific points in their education;
early in college and in graduate education.

2. They handle classroom social situations
(interactions with their peers and professors)
very well. In general, my homeschooled students
are a pleasure to have in class. They greet me
when the enter the class, initiate conversations
when appropriate, and they don't hesitate to
ask good questions. Most of my students do
none of these.

3. They are serious about their education and
that's very obvious in their attitude, preparedness,
and grades.

Areas where homeschooled students can improve:

1. They come to college less prepared in the
sciences than their schooled counterparts -
sometimes far less prepared. This can be
especially troublesome for pre-professional
students who need to maintain a high grade
point average from the very beginning.

2. They come to college without sufficient
test-taking experience, particularly with
timed tests. Many homeschooled students have a
high level of anxiety when it comes to taking
timed tests.

3. Many homeschooled students have problems
meeting deadlines and have to adjust to that in
college. That adjustment time in their freshman
year can be costly in terms of the way it affects
their grades.

My advice to homeschooling parents:

1. If your child is even possibly college
bound and interested in the sciences, make
sure that they have a solid foundation of
science in the high school years.

2. Begin giving timed tests by 7th or 8th grade.
I'm referring to all tests that students take, not
just national, standardized tests.

I think it is a disservice to not give students
timed tests. They tend to focus better and score
higher on timed tests, and, they are far better
prepared for college and graduate education if
they've taken timed tests throughout the high
school years.

In the earlier years the timed tests should allow
ample time to complete the test as long as the
student is working steadily. The objective is for
them to know it's timed yet not to feel a time
pressure. This helps students to be comfortable
taking timed tests and develops confidence in
their test-taking abilities.

3. Give your students real deadlines to meet in
the high school years. If it's difficult for students
to meet these deadlines because they're
coming from mom or dad, have them take
"outside" classes; online, co-op, or community
college.
_______________________________

Greg Landry is a 14 year veteran homeschool dad
and college professor. He also teaches one and
two semester online science classes, and offers
free 45 minute online seminars..
http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com

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UN Treaty Jeopardizes Homeschool Freedom in Britain

Report from Homeschool Legal Defense

J. Michael Smith, Esq.
President

Michael P. Farris, Esq.
Chairman

June 16, 2009

Ever since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and opened to nations across the world for ratification in 1989, HSLDA has been deeply concerned about the implications of this treaty for U.S. homeschoolers, if the U.S. were to ratify the treaty.

We have consistently warned that this treaty could be the vehicle opponents of home education could use to effectively ban or severely regulate homeschooling. On February 16, 1995, when Secretary of State Madeline Albright signed the UNCRC, the United States took a major step along the path to ratification which would make the UNCRC, as stated in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, the supreme law of the land.

For the UNCRC to be ratified it must gain a two-thirds vote in the U.S. Senate. If this happens then the UNCRC will automatically supersede all state laws and U.S. judges will be obligated to follow the provisions of the treaty. Currently, family and education laws are state-based; however, ratification of the UNCRC would transfer the jurisdiction for making family and education law to the U.S. Congress. Congress would, in turn, be obligated to follow the UN mandates contained in the CRC.

While HSLDA has been sounding the alarm about this treaty for years, proponents of the UNCRC maintain that our concerns are invalid.

One such claim relating to homeschooling is from the Children’s Rights Campaign website, a group of 300 organizations arguing that we have nothing to fear from the UNCRC.

They say: “There is no language in the CRC that dictates the manner in which parents are to raise and instruct their children. Ratification of the Convention would not prevent parents from homeschooling their children.”

Sadly, HSLDA’s position has been proven to be correct. Contrary to what proponents like the Children’s Rights Campaign claim, UNCRC will be used to significantly restrict the freedom to homeschool in England.

On June 11, 2009 a report on home education in England by Graham Badman, a former Managing Director of Children, Families and Education in the County of Kent, was accepted in full by the British Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The report makes the case that homeschooling should be extensively regulated in England.

Aside from registering with the state and mandating reports by homeschoolers, the Badman report makes references to balancing the rights of parents with the rights of children. This idea is expressed in the UNCRC.

As Mr. Badman says:

I am not persuaded that under the current regulatory regime that there is a correct balance between the rights of parents and the rights of the child either to an appropriate education or to be safe from harm.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) gives children and young people over forty substantive rights which include the right to express their views freely, the right to be heard in any legal or administrative matters that affect them and the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. Article 12 makes clear the responsibility of signatories to give children a voice:

“Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”

Yet under the current legislation and guidance, local authorities have no right of access to the child to determine or ascertain such views.

Mr. Badman has a solution for the lack of access of the state to homeschooled children in order to fulfill this provision of the UNCRC.

He proposed the following:

That designated local authority officers should:



• have the right of access to the home


• have the right to speak with each child alone

And:

That a requirement is placed upon local authorities to secure the monitoring of the effectiveness of elective home education.

Mr. Badman’s rationale for placing the state in charge of determining the effectiveness of a home education (i.e. deciding which curriculum is used) is based on Article 29 of the UNCRC. He asserts:

Such is the demand and complexity of 21st Century society and employment that further thought should be given to what constitutes an appropriate curriculum within the context of elective home education. Such a curriculum must be sufficiently broad and balanced and relevant to enable young people to make suitable choices about their life and likely future employment. Article 29 of the UNCRC states that:

1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:

1. The development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;


2. The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;


3. The development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;


4. The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin;


5. The development of respect for the natural environment.

In short, the Badman report recommends that the state should have the authority to choose the curriculum for homeschoolers and he used Britain’s treaty obligations under the UNCRC to justify this intrusion.

Remember, the Badman report has already been accepted by the British government. It is now only a question of time before the legislation is introduced and a vote occurs in the British Parliament. Not surprisingly, the estimated 80,000 British homeschooling families are outraged at the Badman report. The Badman report is a stark reminder of how government officials in an English-speaking democracy have interpreted the UNCRC. It’s clear that the right to homeschool in America will be negatively impacted if the U.S. Senate ever ratifies the UNCRC.

Ultimately, the answer to completely defeating the UNCRC is to amend the U.S. Constitution. This is the purpose of the Parental Rights Amendment being advanced by HSLDA and ParentalRights.org. The PRA would uphold the current U.S. legal framework which only allows the state to intervene where there is credible evidence of abuse or neglect. Otherwise parents are free to raise their children, which includes the right to home educate. Amending the Constitution will permanently protect the right of parents and homeschoolers. It's a right we cannot surrender to any U.S. government present or future and certainly a right we must not surrender to the United Nations.

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Home-Schooling: Zero to Five Plan doesn't add up....

From The Washington Times, March 15, 2009

Michael Smith

To no one's surprise, President Obama plans to ask Congress to spend billions of dollars on public education. As he stated in his presidential agenda on education, the country cannot afford four more years of neglect and indifference. This neglect and indifference, according to the president, occurred despite the fact that in the last four years, the federal government and the states have spent more money on public education than at any other time in the history of our nation.

What is surprising about Mr. Obama's education initiative is his priority on early childhood education. His "Zero to Five Plan" targets early care, beginning with infants. States will be given grants to begin moving toward universal preschool.

The presumption by Mr. Obama is that the earlier children start formal education, the better chance they have of being successful in life and being competitive in the global market. Sounds good, but is this policy backed by evidence that government involvement in child rearing from birth actually works?
The answer is "No!" In a 2005 Stanford University/University of California study that focused on children attending preschool, it was confirmed that attendance in preschool centers, even for short periods of time each week, hindered the rate at which young children developed social skills. These findings refuted the assertion by many that for children to develop socially, they must be involved in a classroom setting at a very early age.

The Southwest Policy Institute concluded: "Contrary to common belief, early institutional schooling can harm children emotionally, intellectually and socially, and may later lead to greater peer dependency."
Child psychologist and author David Elkind, who has researched early childhood education, wrote: "When we instruct children in academic subjects … at too early an age, we miseducate them; we put them at risk for a short-term stress and long-term personality damage. … There is no evidence that such early instruction has lasting benefits, and considerable evidence that it can do lasting harm."
If the government schools can't successfully educate children in 10 years (some states' compulsory attendance laws end at 16, although many states require attendance until age 17), then why do we believe they would be any more successful if we add four or five years?

One group that has seen the benefits of spending more time together as a family is home-schoolers. Most home-school families have firsthand experience that the research studies are right. The Zero to Five Plan will encourage less parental involvement and much more government involvement, especially if states provide a free preschool experience for every child.

Some may say, "But it is not mandatory. Parents that don't want their children attending preschool don't have to." Unfortunately, when the government becomes involved in a voluntary program, too many times it ends up being mandatory.

The proper place for this issue to be discussed and decided is within the state legislatures. When Congress became involved in funding public education, the assumption was that the states were not competent to figure out how to provide an education system for the people in their states. However, since Congress became involved in funding public schools, the quality of education has declined.
Focusing the federal government on its constitutional responsibilities and removing it from education policymaking would do two things. First, it would save taxpayers billions by eliminating the federal education bureaucracy. Second, it would help Congress and the president focus on their constitutionally mandated responsibilities.

Funding the Zero to Five Plan is simply more wasteful spending the country can ill afford.

 Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at 540/338-5600 or send e-mail to media@hslda.org. Pin It Now!

Today, we remember.......

What were you doing seven years ago today? Each year, we remember. May we continue to remember in the years to come.

This morning my oldest put out our flag, at half mast, to show we do remember.

While I was gone with my youngest for his therapy, my teens watched a video documentary with my 8 year old of the events of that day. He wasn't even two years old yet when these events occurred. He doesn't remember them at all. He was telling me how sad it made him feel, to see the events of that day, and that all those people died. My youngest, well, he wasn't even conceived, much less born yet! What a different world they live, than the one I grew up in.

One of my favorite DJs on our favorite radio station, TheJoyFM, shared his thoughts on his weblog, called Seven Lessons of September Eleventh.

As we ponder these things again this year, may God truly impress upon our hearts just how near His coming really is. While we are remembering, we see that Baton Rouge/most of Louisiana is still struggling to recover from Gustav, and the Gulf Coast of Texas is preparing for Ike. We are also facing a historical election in a couple months.

Our nation needs our prayers. This world needs our prayers. He is coming soon; will you be ready?
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The Storms of life, part 2

The other day, while watching Gustav approach Louisiana (with the knowledge that it would be going right over Baton Rouge, where my beloved and his daughter live), I wrote down my thoughts, and posted them earlier.

This morning, I was reading The Advocate online, seeing the damage caused to Louisiana's capitol city. I can't help but weep. I haven't heard from my beloved since Sunday night, so my heart aches to hear from him, to hear how he and his daughter are. But I also weep at the destruction that has taken place in the area. The nation's eyes have been focused on New Orleans, holding our breaths while this storm approached an area still recovering from Katrina three years ago almost to the day. But will we hear much about what has taken place just 75-80 miles away?  What about other nearby areas, like Mississippi or even Alabama? Sorry, New Orleans, it isn't all about you this time!

I ask that you will pray for all those affected by this storm. Thank you. And, please, let me know you are praying; sometimes I feel like no one even reads my blog!  LOL
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History was made today........

Today, two hurricanes hit land--on the same day.

Felix walloped Central America's remote Miskito coastline and Henriette slammed into resorts on the tip of Baja California as a record-setting hurricane season got even wilder Tuesday with twin storms making landfall on the same day.

Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes making landfall on the same day is unprecedented, according to National Hurricane Center records dating back to 1949. (from the Weather.com site)

 

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The Homeschool Community Has Lost Another Pioneer..........

Dr. Raymond S. Moore passed away Friday, July 13, 2007, at the age of 91 after having suffered a massive stroke on Father’s Day. He is survived by his wife Bernice Reid Moore; brother Charles and two sisters Loraine Webster and Helena Reid; son Dennis Moore; and daughter Kathie Moore Kordenbrock, her husband and three sons.

Over the past several decades Dr. Raymond & Dorothy Moore (deceased) were known and loved as homeschooling pioneers. Together they authored numerous books on homeschooling. Raymond was a missionary, a world traveler, lecturer, author, educator, and a consummate gentleman. His highest goal was to serve God as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. His family and friends knew him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend.

Two memorial services are planned in celebration of his life:

August 11, 2007, 4:00 p.m. Tentative
Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church
Portland, OR

August 18, 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Central Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sacramento, CA

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Raymond S. & Dorothy N. Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund at Weimar Institute, Weimar, CA

“…for them that honor Me I will honor…” I Samuel 2:30

It is at times like these that our hope of heaven is so sweet.

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A nation pays its respect

Former President Gerald Ford passed away two days ago. I remember him being president, but I was young then, the age my daughter is now until I was the age my oldest son is now. It is interesting to remember how he became, first, vice-president, then president--without ever running for either of those offices.

I remember seeing his motorcade drive by once, when we lived in Mobile, Alabama. I think he was the only President I have ever seen in person like that!

Well, now as we look about us, we see flags flying half-staff, as the nation pays its respects, and mourns the loss of another former president.

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One tribute to Steve

I know many people are saddened by the unexpected death of Steve Irwin. I know my kids enjoyed watching him. What makes me sad, is the family he left behind: Terri and two young children. And to think, he was the same age I am!

 

Someone shared this link on the FIAR boards, and I thought I'd share it on my blog. To go there, click here. And remember to say a prayer for Terri and the children.

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