Certainly the U.S. Supreme Court could overrule a decision of a state supreme court, if there is something like a U.S. Constitutional law question involved.

You may recall, that's what the US Supreme Court did to the Florida State Supreme Court in the Bush v. Gore case during the 2000 election!

So we need the State to try to enforce the ruling, then a test case is born. I wonder if CA will try to enforce the ruling?

Then an appeal to the Supreme Court on the Constitutionality of the lower ruling.

The article mentions one Mom is anxious for the truant officers to show up at her house.

Should be interesting to see what happens.

Best,

Kurt

Of course, that's a long way to go. The California Supreme Court would have to first agree to hear an appeal of the lower appellate court. If it declines to hear the appeal, it's over. I don't know the stats, but I'd guess they decline to hear 99%+ of the cases sent to them.

Assuming that happens, you'd have the same issue with the U.S. Supreme Court. Again, just a guess, but they probably also decline to hear 99%+ of the cases presented to them.

(Plus, there could be issues involved in this specific case which makes an appeal to the US Supreme Court not possible, i.e., this could be a different type of issue than the Bush v. Gore case).

I know 3 families that home school. All 3 are deeply religious.

George

I hear you, the.

This will be a very hot issue for many parents and will create a firestorm if strict enforcement begins, IMO.

It would be nice if some type of compromise could be reached, i.e. allow homeschooling even by parents that may not be officially certified or qualified if their kids can pass the same mandatory tests as conventionally schooled kids.

Best,

Kurt

I agree with Legion, keep the gubmint outa it.

My wife and I couldn't possibly do this, we don't have the patience; but all 5 of my kids went to/are in private schools. NO WAY would I put my kids into the public school system. You say you love your kids, well put your money where your mouth is imo!

Arnold might have to make more commercials begging people to relocate to California to replace the home schoolers that fled to less oppressive states. ;)

As far as private vs public, I wouldn't say all public schools are bad. In fact, some are quite excellent, having more (tax) money to spend than some private schools. Here in Wisconsin, the typical public school teacher makes quite a bit more $$ than their private school counterparts. As a result, the better teachers go to the public schools in general. Milwaukee has two language immersion schools and a number of special emphasis schools that are as hard to get into as a high end private school, but cost free to locals. As stated in my prior post, we moved to our area because of the school's quality, which is, in a manner of speaking, putting our money where our mouth is.

Bob, you're a winner in my books buddy!
Good for you. Best thing I ever did was pay attention to my kids education and peer system.

You make a good point, I stand corrected; but you are the exception to the rule ;)

That's the way it is in many areas. The private school teachers are public school rejects - teachers who could not get a job in a public school.

+1

Interesting. Nearly everyone I know that home schooled their kids over the years did so so that their kids could receive their education in a religious context. None did so for academic reasons. As a counter example (of one), my kid went through the public school system, where he worked hard and did great. He earned a full ride scholarship to college, where he also did great He went on to med school, and is now a doctor. I'm glad I spent a little time with him in the evenings looking at his home work and answering questions so many years ago, instead of wasting money on private schools, or worse, having me or my wife stay at home to school him. YMMV

Great advice Charles and I totally agree!

I believe that is the current system.

Apparently not in CA.

Many here have short memories. "Education" used to be considered a state/local issue only. Then, LBJ, a teacher's union member, created the federal "department of education", paying off a campaign debt. Once an uneeded cabinet is created? You'll play hell getting rid of it...

The NEA, the teacher union? Currently the most powerfull, in terms of $ spent,
"special interest group" in the country.

More so in the smaller schools and much more so in smaller church based schools. Quote some scripture and you get the job.

GREAT example (mainly 'cause it affirms my beliefs!). Here's what i see to be the truth behind it. A-home schooling tends to be religion based and B-spend time with your kids to get the best results possible.

Add Jim's comments to Bob's comment about making schools a top priority when choosing where to live and you get responsible parenting at its best.

I agree with all the above. The family across the street from me are religious zealots [real nice people, however- don't get me wrong] who home school their two children. Why? They don't feel that the local Catholic school, about a mile away, is religious enough. They apparently feel there is too much secular influence among the teachers and the students.

-Their son is just plain weird! He's probably 14 years old, has no friends at all, and plays with GI Joe-type dolls in the front yard. I caught him last week with a piece of fishing line tied to one of his dolls, and he had it looped over the power line in front of my house! No common sense whatsoever.

Many of the persons I fly planes with home school their kids. I always ask if they feel like they are qualified to teach a child, and it turns out that almost all of their wives are former teachers or are teacher certified. This ought to be what that law in California specifies- that parents who are home schooling their children have some sort of training themselves on a regular basis. It also makes sense to me that the children should be required to pass some sort of test each school year, just to make sure they are making normal educational progress.

I have to say I can see the point of home schooling. Public schools in Florida are a bad joke!

N

Funny thing, in my personal example a few posts above, this was in the FL public school system. :) We did move once, after elementary school, to make sure he went to the best jr. & sr. high school in our county. Otherwise, it was only a little parent involvement added to the education he received in the public school system. I think he turned out great.

We live in Los Angeles, I worked for LAUSD for a little while. Seeing what I saw I would be hard pressed to allow my kid to attend a school in that district.

That is one huge reason we don't live in a city served by it. El Segundo has its own school district and something like 4 schools in it. Two elementary schools, one middle and one high school. I think there may be an adult ed campus as well but I'm not sure it is open anymore.

Anyway - that was a big part of our decision to move into this neighborhood.

There is no way I could home school my kid (well), I can teach him but I don't think I could give him a good 'formal' education. I'm not going to kid myself about it.

So, knowing that the schools in our neighborhood are quite good it really makes me wonder why the kid across the street is home schooled.

His parents are both teachers, Dad is a prof at a local high end university. Mom used to be a school teacher and now she stays home with the boy. You can tell he is hungry to be around kids his own age. It makes him a little bit irritating to be honest, maybe that's just me. So far as I am aware he's a good honest kid, his parents are religious but I don't believe that is their primary motivation in keeping him home. They have this boy's life planned out until he's 30 or so as far as education and employment are concerned to some extent. Their plans are to make him completely self sufficient and independent. Dad is an independent contractor where he works and never wants his son to have to work for anyone but himself.

I doubt this ruling will impact them since they are both teachers...

Public schools should be given back to the locals. LAUSD should be broken up.