Finding a School: March 2008 Archives

Homeschooling parents in California got a pleasant surprise this week when an appeals court said it would rehear a case that ruled homeschoolers must be credentialed.

On Feb. 28, the 2nd District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles decided that children ages 6 to 18 must be taught by licensed teachers. The decision stemmed from child abuse allegations against a home-schooling family in Lynwood. (see my story from last week)

The move set off a wider debate over home schooling, with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger and California schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell throwing their support behind home-schooling families even as United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy has supported the court decision.

The case will be reheard in June.

won a surprise rhearing of a temporary reprieve from having to show they are credenfiornia won

I spoke to a bunch of parents last week about the $460 million (or more) budget cuts the LAUSD is looking at for next year. But I was only able to speak to a fraction of the people who wrote in, so if you want to vent, this is a good place to do that. Be sure to leave your comment for other parents to see.

If you missed the story, here's a link:
http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_8579454

Here's my story from today's paper on the latest in the homeschool debate.

Anne Leyden has been home schooling her three sons - now 8, 12 and 15 - since they were old enough to start learning.

Leyden chose home schooling not because she thinks the public schools are terrible - in fact, her husband, Bill, teaches at Pacoima Middle School - but simply because she can.

But under a recent California court ruling requiring home-schoolers to have teaching credentials, that right could become more complicated.

The ruling came Feb. 28, when the 2nd District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles decided that children ages 6 to 18 must be taught by licensed teachers. The decision stemmed from child abuse allegations against a home-schooling family in Lynwood.

But the move has set off a wider debate over home schooling, with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger and California schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell throwing their support behind home-schooling families even as United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy has supported the court decision.

It's not known exactly how many parents in California are home schooling their children. But according to the California Homeschool Network, parents can legally home-school by either establishing a home-based private school, enrolling in a private school independent study program or using a credentialed tutor.

The Pacific Justice Institute, a nonprofit based in Sacramento, said it will appeal the recent court decision to the California Supreme Court, which is expected to decide by this summer whether to review the case.

The nonprofit is filing the appeal on behalf of Sunland Christian School, a private school in Sylmar that offers independent study and correspondence home schooling.

Theoretically, the current ruling would become binding by March 28, and school districts could cite home-schooling families for truancy.

That scenario is highly unlikely, however, and many families in the home-school community say they aren't overly concerned.

"I seriously doubt that this will be upheld, especially with the support of Jack O'Connell and Schwarzenegger," said Tammy Takahashi, a Burbank mom who teaches her three children at home.

"I think the government should stay out of the educational part; they're not doing that great a job now," she said.

Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, said the debate may work in the favor of home-schoolers by dispelling negative stereotypes and clarifying ambiguities about the legality of teaching children at home.

"In the end, it's going to be a positive because this could get rid of any cloud of fear," he said.

Loren Mavromati, a Torrance home-school mother who is on the board of the California Homeschool Network, said that while she is happy about support from the governor and superintendent, most home-schoolers would prefer that the issue never came up.

"Any time we bring something like this into the public eye, there's more regulation," Mavromati said. "The current law allows us to fall under private school law, and our home-schoolers are thriving."

barbara.correa@dailynews.com

Here's my story from today's paper on the latest in the homeschool debate.

Anne Leyden has been home schooling her three sons - now 8, 12 and 15 - since they were old enough to start learning.

Leyden chose home schooling not because she thinks the public schools are terrible - in fact, her husband, Bill, teaches at Pacoima Middle School - but simply because she can.

But under a recent California court ruling requiring home-schoolers to have teaching credentials, that right could become more complicated.

The ruling came Feb. 28, when the 2nd District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles decided that children ages 6 to 18 must be taught by licensed teachers. The decision stemmed from child abuse allegations against a home-schooling family in Lynwood.

But the move has set off a wider debate over home schooling, with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger and California schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell throwing their support behind home-schooling families even as United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy has supported the court decision.

It's not known exactly how many parents in California are home schooling their children. But according to the California Homeschool Network, parents can legally home-school by either establishing a home-based private school, enrolling in a private school independent study program or using a credentialed tutor.

The Pacific Justice Institute, a nonprofit based in Sacramento, said it will appeal the recent court decision to the California Supreme Court, which is expected to decide by this summer whether to review the case.

The nonprofit is filing the appeal on behalf of Sunland Christian School, a private school in Sylmar that offers independent study and correspondence home schooling.

Theoretically, the current ruling would become binding by March 28, and school districts could cite home-schooling families for truancy.

That scenario is highly unlikely, however, and many families in the home-school community say they aren't overly concerned.

"I seriously doubt that this will be upheld, especially with the support of Jack O'Connell and Schwarzenegger," said Tammy Takahashi, a Burbank mom who teaches her three children at home.

"I think the government should stay out of the educational part; they're not doing that great a job now," she said.

Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, said the debate may work in the favor of home-schoolers by dispelling negative stereotypes and clarifying ambiguities about the legality of teaching children at home.

"In the end, it's going to be a positive because this could get rid of any cloud of fear," he said.

Loren Mavromati, a Torrance home-school mother who is on the board of the California Homeschool Network, said that while she is happy about support from the governor and superintendent, most home-schoolers would prefer that the issue never came up.

"Any time we bring something like this into the public eye, there's more regulation," Mavromati said. "The current law allows us to fall under private school law, and our home-schoolers are thriving."

barbara.correa@dailynews.com

A reader sent this and I thought it was highly entertaining, insightful, and more than a little scary.

SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007

Scenario : Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking
lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car
and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and
never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for
traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario : Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up
buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge
them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario : Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal.
Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for
ADD:. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario : Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives
him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college,
and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster
care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she
remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's
mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario : Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school .
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car
searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario : Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear
nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation
is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and
Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given
diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a
living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario : Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts
them in a model airplane paint bottle, and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic
terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers
confiscated; Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed
to fly again.

Scenario : Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee.
He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She
faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy --