Must be certified teacher to homeschool your children?

Question

I just heard something this weekend that one of the states (I think California) has just passed a law that you must be a certified teacher to homeschool your children. Has anyone else heard this? If it is true, how is this going to affect homeschooling laws/criteria in other parts of the US?

Answer 1

I am homeschooling my children and I am in California, they are fighting the ruling, but I am on my way to get a B.A. Degree in education. I think that parents know better than schools on what is best for their child, and I think with a good support system they do not need to be certified. after all, back in the olden days almost everybody was home schooled and we did not worry about credentials, it is just another way for them to get our money from having our children in their classrooms. So they can cram what they want down our children minds.,

Answer 2

It will never fly.  Don't worry. :)  In fact, this morning, I got this from California Homeschool Network:

California Assemblyman Joel Anderson is introducing a concurrent resolution in the Assembly.  He is calling on the California Supreme Court to reverse the recent court decision that could make homeschooling illegal.



This will happen fast, since it's a resolution and not a bill.  All California homeschoolers are encouraged to contact their legislators and ask them to support homeschoolers by voting yes on Joel Anderson's ACR supporting homeschooling.  We expect there will be a powerful response as California homeschoolers respond.

As information develops, it will be placed on CHN's legal updates page, http://californiaho meschool. net/howTo/ updates.htm



California Homeschool Network

www.CaliforniaHomes chool.net

800-327-5339



The resolution reads as follows:



Assembly Concurrent Resolution



WHEREAS, Some thirty years of experience with the modern homeschooling movement in California demonstrates that home school graduates take up responsible positions as parents, as students in and graduates of Colleges and Universities, in the workplace, and as citizens in society at large; and



WHEREAS, Homeschooling by California families with diverse backgrounds has historically given children a quality education through proven, independent approaches that nurture valuable family bonds and support successful student development; and



WHEREAS, private homeschooling has a long and rich history in the State of California, currently estimated as involving 200,000 students in the State of California, and 2,000,000 students nationwide; and



WHEREAS the United States Supreme Court has ruled that parents have a fundamental constitutional right to direct the education and upbringing of their children (Wisconsin v. Yoder, Pierce v. Society of Sisters, Meyer v. Nebraska); and



WHEREAS, On February 28, 2008, the Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles issued an opinion in the case of In Re: Rachel L. holding that homeschooling without a teaching credential is not legal; and



WHEREAS, This misguided interpretation denies California parents' primary responsibility and right to determine the best place and manner of their own children's education; and



WHEREAS, The fair opportunity of California families to educate their children should not be undermined; now, therefore, be it



RESOLVED, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, that the Legislature hereby calls upon the California Supreme Court to reverse the opinion.



RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

Answer 3

There are quite a few open questions about this very same thing.

It is true that a panel of 3 judges ruled that a family in LA is not allowed to home-school their youngest children. It is not a law -- it is a poor interpretation of an old law.  It's all over the news.  You can find plenty of articles about it by using an internet search engine.

It may or may not affect home-schooling laws.  We will see what happens next.

Home-schooling has proven to be an excellent method of education for many years.  There is no reasonable foundation for anyone to purport abolishing home-schools.

Many people make unfounded claims about students that have been homeschooled.  They are typical lies and should not be retold.  These lies say that the children have no capability to think for themselves.  The lies also say that parents do not have the intelligence to teach anything to their children.  

I feel so sorry for the people that think like this.  They may have been raised by very bad parents and don't realize that everyone else is NOT like them.

Some people tend to think that parents have had no training in education.  I wonder what our own 12+ years of study were all about?  A person doesn't lose all of the knowledge they gained in 12 years by merely becoming an adult.   It doesn't take a skydiver to teach reading.  And it doesn't take a dentist to teach math.  All it takes is someone that knows how to use their mind.

Answer 4

It should be required everywhere.

Answer 5

No, there was no law passed.  It was a ruling, a very narrow interpretation of the law - by an appeals court judge.

The ruling will be depublished or overturned.

No worries.  :)

Answer 6

For all of you people who think Home schooling is horrible, I hope you know that Thomas Edison got kicked out of public school, and then his mother home schooled him. Many genius  were. I'm home schooled, and I'm 14 and in grade 10 already. My mom is not the smartest person in the world, and certainly not a teacher, but I still managed. :)

Answer 7

good idea... would you want a dentist drilling your teeth who has no training?  Or a skydiving instructor teaching you who has no idea what he is doing?

Answer 8

makes sense, you should have to be as qualified as anyone else for the education of your kids

hopefully it'll prevent unqualified people from pulling their kids out of school and creating narrow-minded, self-interested "citizens"

Answer 9

While each State has it's own requirements (yes some do require certification or Teaching Degree), not everyone has such little faith in parents.

You must remember that most of the laws and rules that have been placed in the books (particuraly when it comes to education) have been or are made by people who have NO children, have never set foot in a classroom other than for political reasons (going to school themselves doesn't count), and truly have NO CLUE what is in the best interest of  the children.

If parents are no longer allowed to do any teaching at home, then we had best start looking now for a CREDENTIALED person to potty train Jr, show the kids how to clean their rooms or wash their hands, not to mention dress themselves, tie their shoes, etc.

While we are at it why not tell people that they can only do things that they have a degree in and make it against the law to do things if they don't...ie...

Cooking requires a Culinary Degree, Cleaning a Housekeeping Degree, Driving a Chaufeer(?? spelling) Lic (not just a regular Driver's Lic), Writing requires a Degree as a Journalist.

Sounds pretty farfetched right?!? But stop and think that this is where we may actually be heading. We have natural abilities to do things and teaching our children is just that NATURAL.

I'm just making a point and I'm not going to turn this into a rant. As long as you follow the homeschool laws set forth by the State you live in you should be fine and if the rules get changed they have the courtesy of INFORMING you first.