California bans Homeschooling

[Momto4kids]

I got a call from my sil this morning in a panic telling me that she heard from someone that Cali. banned homeschooling. I can not find anything on foxnews.com about it or when I google it. Is this true or just a rumor? I know the ladies here will know this answer. TIA!

Megan

[Plaid Dad]

There have been many threads about this. California has not banned homeschooling. A court decision was handed down in an abuse case that implies that parents need to be credentialed to teach their children. Not surprisingly, this has been challenged by many people, including the governor. If you do a search on these boards for "California," you'll find all kinds of information. Likewise a Yahoo or Google news search for "California homeschooling."

[Momto4kids]

Thanks so much. I will have to search these boards. I have never been on this new message board here. I have only been on these message boards when they had the old format.
Megan

[nestof3]

Does anyone happen to know what the abuse was?

[Pamela H in Texas]

You'll be able to find a few threads a couple pages back. Enjoy the reading. It's interesting and will put you at a bit more ease also :)

[Ellie]

Does anyone happen to know what the abuse was?

No. The case was handled in juvenile court, so the records are sealed. It seems, however, that this is not the first time the parents have had problems.

[Momto4kids]

Ok Just searched it here on the boards and did some quick reading. I am up to date. Thanks.
Megan

[strider]

Does anyone happen to know what the abuse was?

When the thread was originally posted someone linked a court summary thingey that I read through. The abuse consisted of refusing to protect their children from a family friend who molested more than one of their kids (continued friendly contact and babysitting), and beating by the father. The family has had government intervention for many years--the summary was sickening.

[GothicGyrl]

When the thread was originally posted someone linked a court summary thingey that I read through. The abuse consisted of refusing to protect their children from a family friend who molested more than one of their kids (continued friendly contact and babysitting), and beating by the father. The family has had government intervention for many years--the summary was sickening.
Yep-basically sexual and physical abuse.

Sexual in that the youngest girl living at home was "given" to a family friend willingly. The mom/dad knew exactly what he was doing to her and did nothing to stop it--encouraged it at times as well.

And the physical was the father beating the kids (all of them--notice how all the older kids left home as soon as they could, either by their own volition or by the state getting involved--I think two of the oldest were once removed by the state and put in foster care) and the mother standing by watching and condoning him doing so.

Sad really. I hope they string this mom/dad up.

[nestof3]

Wow. I hate it when a few nuts make the rest of us look bad. How hypocritical to say he does not want his children to learn that homosexual parenting is right, and yet child rape is okay?

So many crazy laws are enacted because of a few -- a few just spoil the batch.

[nestof3]

And how is this a homeschool case? If the child attended a public or private school, would she have not been subject to sexual abuse?

Does this mean that children in public school are not being sexually abused? Does this mean that credentialed teachers do not sexually abuse? I've read a lot of news lately indicating exactly the opposite!

[GothicGyrl]

It's a homeschooling case because the judge overstepped his boundaries and made it so. He chose to focus on them being homeschoolers instead of them being abusers.

What really happened, though, was the judge looked at the case and asked the question "I thought homeschooling was illegal?" and while it technically is in CA, the loopholes that homeschoolers use, went ignored for 20 something years. All this judge did was bring to light the loopholes being used.

However, now the judge, et. al. have decided it isn't worth the fight and are actually focusing on the real issue again--the abuse.

The homeschooling issue has now become a non-issue again.

[Bess]

Yep-basically sexual and physical abuse.

Sexual in that the youngest girl living at home was "given" to a family friend willingly. The mom/dad knew exactly what he was doing to her and did nothing to stop it--encouraged it at times as well.

And the physical was the father beating the kids (all of them--notice how all the older kids left home as soon as they could, either by their own volition or by the state getting involved--I think two of the oldest were once removed by the state and put in foster care) and the mother standing by watching and condoning him doing so.

Sad really. I hope they string this mom/dad up.

Wow Toni, I think you need to go re-read the report. I'm not justifying the parents at all... I think they are guilty of abuse and neglect. However you are taking it further than what was actually stated in the case. The girl wasn't given to a family friend...but rather babysat by the family friend for many years and secretly molested. IShe didn't tell her parents until she was 12 at which time the parents did respond by avoiding that friend for many months. Sure, they let him back in the house after a while, but you truly are taking it to another level by your statement. Also, there was no evidence or even accusations that the father beat ALL of the children. I don't know where you got that. I think there were only two or three children involved that actually stated that they were hit or spanked. Anyway, again, I'm not on the parent's side in this...I do think they should be prosecuted harshly, but it just bugs me when people re-report something in an inaccurate manner. The original report was bad enough...no need to elaborate or exaggerate.

[GothicGyrl]

Wow Toni, I think you need to go re-read the report. I'm not justifying the parents at all... I think they are guilty of abuse and neglect. However you are taking it further than what was actually stated in the case. The girl wasn't given to a family friend...but rather babysat by the family friend for many years and secretly molested. IShe didn't tell her parents until she was 12 at which time the parents did respond by avoiding that friend for many months. Sure, they let him back in the house after a while, but you truly are taking it to another level by your statement. Also, there was no evidence or even accusations that the father beat ALL of the children. I don't know where you got that. I think there were only two or three children involved that actually stated that they were hit or spanked. Anyway, again, I'm not on the parent's side in this...I do think they should be prosecuted harshly, but it just bugs me when people re-report something in an inaccurate manner. The original report was bad enough...no need to elaborate or exaggerate.
Umm please go back and re-read ALL of the reports.. he beat ALL of the children and that girl not only babysat for the guy, but the parents encouraged him to take her out.

Here are the two rulings (there have been more than one):
http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache:Jejyh04wbVgJ:www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B192878.PDF+B192878&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

Pay close attention to the "backround of the case"
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:-gfLatRwHh8J:www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/B192601.DOC+JD00773&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

It states right up front that all but these two children were in the care of DCF and removed from the home stemming from past investigations.

So no--I'm not lying or exaggerating thankyouverymuch.

[CAMom]

However, now the judge, et. al. have decided it isn't worth the fight and are actually focusing on the real issue again--the abuse.

The homeschooling issue has now become a non-issue again.

Documented info please? I've been keeping very up to date on this case and haven't found anything indicating the above.:cool:

[Tami]

for giving the link for the case findings. It was very eye-opening! If this abuse is true, and it appears to be, then these parents have torn up their parenting card, imo!

Their arguments against sending their kids to PS are really laughable and pathetic, given the background details.

How very, very sad for these kids!

[GothicGyrl]

(in response to CAmom)
And if you've been keeping track, you'd see where the latest says they are now focusing on the abuse.. read the news... but I could say "the homeschooling has always been a non-issue" as I've said from the beginning.

The lack of newsfeed stating otherwise only proves that this issue is becoming a non-issue. The fact that google newsfeeds states your Governor is working to get this fixed, only proves it's becoming a non-issue.

If you've been keeping up with the news yourself, you would already know this, though.

[Tami]

(in response to CAmom)
And if you've been keeping track, you'd see where the latest says they are now focusing on the abuse.. read the news... but I could say "the homeschooling has always been a non-issue" as I've said from the beginning.

The lack of newsfeed stating otherwise only proves that this issue is becoming a non-issue. The fact that google newsfeeds states your Governor is working to get this fixed, only proves it's becoming a non-issue.

If you've been keeping up with the news yourself, you would already know this, though.

This probably seems like a dumb question, but can you give a mini-tutorial on how you keep up with the news? :confused: What are the best sites? I'm not familiar with Google newsfeed.

I'm heading out the door for a homeschool party, but will check later. Thanks in advance for any resources you could point me to.

[CAMom]

(in response to CAmom)
And if you've been keeping track, you'd see where the latest says they are now focusing on the abuse.. read the news... but I could say "the homeschooling has always been a non-issue" as I've said from the beginning.

The lack of newsfeed stating otherwise only proves that this issue is becoming a non-issue. The fact that google newsfeeds states your Governor is working to get this fixed, only proves it's becoming a non-issue.

If you've been keeping up with the news yourself, you would already know this, though.

I am reading the news, thanks! I guess I'm just taking all the news in its entirity and I just don't come to the same conclusion as you do but that's OK.

From someone who actually lives in CA, I can feel the climate among homeschoolers here and can say that this is still very much an issue. Not a "let's panic because we're all about to land in jail" issue but a "this court has way overstepped its bounds and infringed upon parental rights let's do something about it" issue.

It will be an issue until the case is depublished because published case=law. This case is binding on the trial courts in CA. So, although the abuse in the case at hand must be dealt with, so does the appellate court ruling.

CAMom

[GothicGyrl]

This probably seems like a dumb question, but can you give a mini-tutorial on how you keep up with the news? :confused: What are the best sites? I'm not familiar with Google newsfeed.

I'm heading out the door for a homeschool party, but will check later. Thanks in advance for any resources you could point me to.
Tami-- when you do a Google search, at the top are a few options--one of them is "news". If you click on it (like clicking on images gets you all images) you get all news.

Now scroll to the bottom of page 1(out of x pages) and at the bottom you should see "NEW! Google News Feed" (or it might say reader)..

Using IE or Opera or even Firefox, there is an option to "receive feeds". If you turn this on and point it to several sources (OR you can tell it to read only the news pertaining to certain issues), all news feeds coming out about that particular issue or from those particular sources, will now show in your "news reader" in Opera/IE/Firefox.

It's the same thing as "RSS Feed" for blogs. You basically subscribe to different blogs and any time they update, it lets you know---the news feeds work the same.

CAMom--yes, I guess we are just reading it differently. But my not living in or being from Cali has nothing to do with it. That I live in a totally homeschool friendly/supportive state, has nothing to do with it.

That this won't ever make "law" does. Your Governor (whether you like him or not) has already said as much.

[Jenstet]

Thanks to you ladies I have linked to many articles and reports so I can't tell you the one but somewhere I read 7 convictions of child abuse in 25 years by this family. I am sure they didn't just single out a few of their kids for the abuse.

[WagsWife]

It's a homeschooling case because the judge overstepped his boundaries and made it so. He chose to focus on them being homeschoolers instead of them being abusers.

What really happened, though, was the judge looked at the case and asked the question "I thought homeschooling was illegal?" and while it technically is in CA, the loopholes that homeschoolers use, went ignored for 20 something years. All this judge did was bring to light the loopholes being used.

However, now the judge, et. al. have decided it isn't worth the fight and are actually focusing on the real issue again--the abuse.

The homeschooling issue has now become a non-issue again.

It is not illegal. Nothing about homeschooling is mentioned in CA law. Just because nothing is not mentioned, does not mean it is illegal. Now, some anti-homeschoolers would like to use this to say HSing is illegal, but if you use that thought process, then picking my nose is illegal as well ;).

[GothicGyrl]

It is not illegal. Nothing about homeschooling is mentioned in CA law. Just because nothing is not mentioned, does not mean it is illegal. Now, some anti-homeschoolers would like to use this to say HSing is illegal, but if you use that thought process, then picking my nose is illegal as well ;).
I'm not going this route again. It is technically illegal, just because of how the law is worded.

however, I would never throw someone in prison for picking their nose, they'd have to share a cell with me and I'm not sure they or I want that. ;)

(you all do realize I've got a huge bonfire here, what with all these strawmen being burned lately?) ;)

[Sherri in Central CA]

Take a look at ACR 115. (link on other thread) It's new legislation addressing the court case.