After a friend sent me an article about a recent California decision that could make homeschooling in CA illegal, I stumbled up on this. The second link, to me, on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is scarier. Based on what was stated by Farris, just the fact that many nations have ratified the Convention means, for certain judges, it applies in the U.S. under a relatively new standard they’re calling “Customary International Law”. Such examples serve to undermine much of what family means in America. Oh, progress!
And thanks be to God that there’s an organization like HSLDA that’s standing up to the California appellate decision. They also have a couple of articles, for starters, on the UNCRC.
If I did not trust in the living God, and His risen son, this might just drive me to despair.
Solo Deo Gloria,
jason
March 25, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I ahve some problems with homeschooling, mostly on the consistency and quality of education. A qualified parent (with at least some grad work in education) would probably make me feel better. Many of the products and systems out their sacrafice solid academics for idealogical agendas. The first I ever heard of homeschooling was a nazi organization in the 70’s. I ahve also met some amazingly braod minded and well educated homeschooled children. I really encourage homeschoolers to have thier kids do a year in europe or another part of the world that has played a pivitol role in history.
Don’t forget that our public school system was based on the vision of an exemplary christian, who rebeled agains his wealthy family, the “nobility”, and the church establishment. St Jeane Batististe De La Salle felt that every child should have a free education. That worked its way into our society at the time of the revolution.
Peace-
March 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I think I need homeschooling in typing!
March 25, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Seorsa,
I appreciate your comments and taking a moment to stop by. I’m sorry your experience with HomeSchoolers started with a radical and disturbing group. Consulting wikipedia on de La Salle, I find his ideals much closer to that of Homeschoolers than that of Public Education in America as it stands today. Particularly, there is this quote:
To touch the hearts of your pupils is the greatest miracle you can perform”.
The Modern Educational system has become obsessed with test scores in order to justify its own existence. The continually failing standards draws the prospect of a radical reform of education more closer to the realm of reality.
There are educational materials of questionable caliber, just as there are in public schools. But to dismiss all homeschoolers due to that is a gross injustice. How many public schools can boast the teaching of Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, etc? The facility of learning math, into the earliest stages of the more complex ideas (fractions) is all the more easy when education is practical, a part of life, in the style of Charlotte Mason. I know my children have an easier time with such things now.
Finally, returning to an issue of schools. When parents loose all rights over their children once they enter a schoolhouse, it’s time for change, what ever it may be. For my family, it’s Homeschool.
Best wishes to you, and thanks again.