Is America really free? You may be shocked at that question. Freedom is what makes America different from all the other countries around the world. Without freedom, our rights are denied, and anger consequently resides in the hearts of the people. Think about this fact, then: This year the California Court Appeal stated that practically all forms of homeschooling in the state is against the law. Why is what happens in California important? Well, if something is passed in one state, it is very likely to spread to other states. About 2 million familes homeschool in the United States, and many want to make it a family tradition. There are many benefits to homeschooling, but for times sake, I shall only list three: kids receive tailored schooling to maximize learning, parents are dedicated teachers, and National Assessment test scores say homeschoolers are just as intelligent as public schoolers, oftentimes more so.
Homeschooling has existed for as long as parents and children have existed. It could be defined as, “the practice of teaching your own children.” It was the new idea of public schooling that made this timeless way of teaching something less well-known. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, parents started doubting the public school way, and wondered if they as parents could do a better job. Guess what? They were right. Many statistics show that homeschool students in grades 1-4 are one grade level ahead of their private and public school peers, and that by eighth grade, the student performs four grade levels higher than the national average. (Rudner) Furthermore, many parents are realizing the advantages of homeschooling, and as of 2002, “the number of families choosing to homeschool grows at an estimated annual rate of 7-15 percent. (Ray) So, why has the California Court Appeal ignored these statistics? I believe they want to take away our freedom; our freedom to train the next generation and help to prepare them being succesful in life.
One great benefit in homeschooling is that kids get tailored schooling to maximize their learning. What this means is that since each kid has specific needs, whether it be difficulty in paying attention, being an audial learner, or needing more challenge than what public school can offer, parents know their children better than anyone else. According to Behrens and Rosen, authors of the book, “Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum,” “The crucial role of parents in shaping the moral, as well as the emotional and intellectual, development of their children, and our society imposes liability, in some cases, on parents who are negligent in this area.” (811)
Another bonus in homeschooling is the fact that parents are dedicated teachers. They devote many long hours in making up a lesson plan, and the instant their child gets a bad grade on a test, they figure out what happened and try to help them so the mistake does not repeat itself. Often these caring parents make their child’s life a priority over their own. If the parent does not know the answer to his or her child’s question, the answer can easily be looked up on the internet. If that strategy fails, there are many other homeschooling parents who are knowledgeable whom the parents may call for help or advice.
There is yet another benefit to homeschooling. Look at what SAT scores show from the College Board, National Center for Education Basics; Natinoal Home Education Research Institute:
“Homeschool, critical reading—568. Homeschool, math—532.
Public school, critical reading—502. Public school, math—515.”
This is a big difference. Let me tell you a secret; I was homeschooled up to seventh grade. I am so thankful for that fact, because my parents have taught me the vital lesson being responsible and thinking for myself. They also gave me a love for learning; when I was ten-years-old I read everything and anything! When I later went to a Christian school in eighth grade, those in my class who were previously homeschooled knew how to pace themselves to complete the otherwise overwhelming homework load. Those who were not paid the price of constantly staying up late the night before it was due.
Well, if homeschooling is such a wonderful option, why then does the California State Appeal wish to outlaw it? A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles County said, “California courts have held that under provisions in the Education code, parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children. ” (Dulaney) A constitutional right? Even the pilgrims who founded America and wrote the constitution homeschooled their children. This law does not make sense; if their is indeed something wrong with homeschooling, we should leave the constitution out of it. The governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, does not agree that homeschooling should be outlawed. “This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts, and if the courts don’t protect parents’ rights, then, as elected officials, we will.” (Smith) He agrees that parents’ rights are extremely important. The government simply has no right to take them away. I am sure the government means well; however, I do not think they are considering the case thoroughly. Behrens and Rosen includes a quote by a judge of the Consistory Court of London: ” Courts of Justice do not pretend to furnish cures for all the miseries of human life. They redress or punish gross violations of duty, but they go no farther…” (772) Are these courts in California trying to provide a “cure” for kids so they all go through life the same way, learn things the say way, learn exactly the same ideas? If that is the case, then we are not being trained to think as individuals, but only as a community.
Freedom is what attracts people to our rich and beautiful land, America. We have the freedom to choose any job, live where we want, go to church if we want, speak what we think, etc. It is wonderful, and to remain wonderful, we must sustain this freedom. If we are free to think and believe what we want, then what is wrong with passing our ideas and beliefs to our children? Homeschooling is a unique way of passing down worldviews, ideas, and creativity; and it is a blessing for parents who love to teach their kids everything they know. It builds a beautiful relationship between parent and child.
If American families no longer have influence over raising their kids, then American familes no longer have freedom. As long as homeschoolers do just as well as or oftentimes much better than public schoolers, why not keep it a tradition? Let’s show those judges in California that they would be making a huge mistake to pass this law. If it is passed, then it is opening a door for other controversial ideas to be accepted or denied. Let us preserve our free American spirit. Let freedom ring!
