Something Interesting
Dawn Falbe
I belong to the California Homeschooling List and I've been following this
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
Here is today's ACTION ITEM:
ISSUE: Today's item is a little long, but we hope you'll
see why the detail was necessary. Conservatives across
America are needed right NOW to stand up for educational
choice. According to WorldNetDaily.com and the California
Homeschool Network(www.californiahomeschool.net), the right
of parents in California to direct the education of their
own children is being called into question by school
officials acting above the law. It's time for us to take
action.
Facing a possible jail sentence for "contributing to the
delinquency of a minor," California homeschooling mom Sandra
Sorensen claims the San Juan Unified School District and
Carmichael Elementary School have been harassing her and
her family since they withdrew their son from the "unhealthy
environment" of the government-run school system. According
to Sorensen, Carmichael principal Deborah Kraus made numerous
threats in person and over the telephone to her since the
January decision.
After discovering that their son's teacher was allowing
students to write suspension notices for other students,
the Sorensen family of Sacramento decided to homeschool
their 10-year-old son. They researched the California laws
regarding homeschooling, and followed them to the letter.
Then the phone calls from the school started. School
officials that should know better told the Sorensens that
homeschooling is illegal, that one must have a credential
to homeschool, and that proposed coursework must be
submitted for approval. They began demanding tons of
documentation of their home school -- requests for
documentation that are not supported by California education
code. Officials accused Sorensen of neglect, reporting her
to California child welfare authorities, and began plans to
prosecute her in the Sacramento County courts. By this time
the Sorensens were in touch with CHN and were well aware of
the requirements of the California Education Code. They knew
they had complied with the letter of the law -- could school
officials really require more than the law requires?
Now school officials have taken the law into their own hands
and accused the Sorensen child of truancy. They are citing
"unexcused absences", which were in fact after his parents
had officially notified them under the law that they had
withdrawn him from public school. The Education Code does not
grant the local school any authority over private (home)
schools or their students. But this has not prevented Joseph
Tucker, of the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), from
calling a SARB hearing.
ACTION ITEM: Mr. Tucker, apparently with the blessing of
Principal Deborah Kraus, has made it known to the family that
this would all "go away" if they would just enroll their son
in the government-run school system. In other words, he is
abusing the power of his position to intimidate this mom and
dad into following HIS choice for their child's education
instead of their own. Conservatives and limited-government
advocates across the country need to stand with this family and
say to these educational bureaucrats: "Enough!" CLICK BELOW to
quickly contact Tucker, Kraus, and the entire School Board and
demand that they stop this assault on parental rights:
http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm
AOL: <a href="http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm"> CLICK HERE </a>
NOTE: The California Homeschool Network Legal Defense Fund
will be paying for this fight on behalf of the Sorensens and
others. If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, call
800-327-5339. And please forward this email to everyone you
know that wants to help put a stop to infringements on
parental rights everywhere. Thank you!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
Here is today's ACTION ITEM:
ISSUE: Today's item is a little long, but we hope you'll
see why the detail was necessary. Conservatives across
America are needed right NOW to stand up for educational
choice. According to WorldNetDaily.com and the California
Homeschool Network(www.californiahomeschool.net), the right
of parents in California to direct the education of their
own children is being called into question by school
officials acting above the law. It's time for us to take
action.
Facing a possible jail sentence for "contributing to the
delinquency of a minor," California homeschooling mom Sandra
Sorensen claims the San Juan Unified School District and
Carmichael Elementary School have been harassing her and
her family since they withdrew their son from the "unhealthy
environment" of the government-run school system. According
to Sorensen, Carmichael principal Deborah Kraus made numerous
threats in person and over the telephone to her since the
January decision.
After discovering that their son's teacher was allowing
students to write suspension notices for other students,
the Sorensen family of Sacramento decided to homeschool
their 10-year-old son. They researched the California laws
regarding homeschooling, and followed them to the letter.
Then the phone calls from the school started. School
officials that should know better told the Sorensens that
homeschooling is illegal, that one must have a credential
to homeschool, and that proposed coursework must be
submitted for approval. They began demanding tons of
documentation of their home school -- requests for
documentation that are not supported by California education
code. Officials accused Sorensen of neglect, reporting her
to California child welfare authorities, and began plans to
prosecute her in the Sacramento County courts. By this time
the Sorensens were in touch with CHN and were well aware of
the requirements of the California Education Code. They knew
they had complied with the letter of the law -- could school
officials really require more than the law requires?
Now school officials have taken the law into their own hands
and accused the Sorensen child of truancy. They are citing
"unexcused absences", which were in fact after his parents
had officially notified them under the law that they had
withdrawn him from public school. The Education Code does not
grant the local school any authority over private (home)
schools or their students. But this has not prevented Joseph
Tucker, of the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), from
calling a SARB hearing.
ACTION ITEM: Mr. Tucker, apparently with the blessing of
Principal Deborah Kraus, has made it known to the family that
this would all "go away" if they would just enroll their son
in the government-run school system. In other words, he is
abusing the power of his position to intimidate this mom and
dad into following HIS choice for their child's education
instead of their own. Conservatives and limited-government
advocates across the country need to stand with this family and
say to these educational bureaucrats: "Enough!" CLICK BELOW to
quickly contact Tucker, Kraus, and the entire School Board and
demand that they stop this assault on parental rights:
http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm
AOL: <a href="http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm"> CLICK HERE </a>
NOTE: The California Homeschool Network Legal Defense Fund
will be paying for this fight on behalf of the Sorensens and
others. If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, call
800-327-5339. And please forward this email to everyone you
know that wants to help put a stop to infringements on
parental rights everywhere. Thank you!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/26/02 7:53:08 AM, curtkar@... writes:
<< This is an outrage and makes me so thankful that we are not subjected to
hs'ing laws in AZ. >>
They're not in California either. That's part of the problem. Except for a
little thing that says parents educating only their own children at home
don't have to be fingerprinted, there isn't homeschooling there.
In New Mexico, homeschooling is defined and there's a letter of intent, which
you have 30 days to file. So the first 30 days are free if you then send in
your letter of "intent to establish a homeschool" (which is a form to fill
out). During the 30 days you can say "We are going to homeschool," and the
school can't say "truant." The letter doesn't go to the school, it goes to
the state. (Used to go to the district, which in Albuquerque is such a big
entity that the school might never be notified anyway.)
So legally we're better off here than Californians are.
I'm not saying the school personnel aren't being butts; they are. And ha
rrassment is illegal even if the kid were enrolled.
But as to "legally homeschooling," that itself might be hard to prove.
They'll win, but win what? It puts the spotlight on laws and lack thereof
which some Californians would rather have left alone, maybe.
Sandra
<< This is an outrage and makes me so thankful that we are not subjected to
hs'ing laws in AZ. >>
They're not in California either. That's part of the problem. Except for a
little thing that says parents educating only their own children at home
don't have to be fingerprinted, there isn't homeschooling there.
In New Mexico, homeschooling is defined and there's a letter of intent, which
you have 30 days to file. So the first 30 days are free if you then send in
your letter of "intent to establish a homeschool" (which is a form to fill
out). During the 30 days you can say "We are going to homeschool," and the
school can't say "truant." The letter doesn't go to the school, it goes to
the state. (Used to go to the district, which in Albuquerque is such a big
entity that the school might never be notified anyway.)
So legally we're better off here than Californians are.
I'm not saying the school personnel aren't being butts; they are. And ha
rrassment is illegal even if the kid were enrolled.
But as to "legally homeschooling," that itself might be hard to prove.
They'll win, but win what? It puts the spotlight on laws and lack thereof
which some Californians would rather have left alone, maybe.
Sandra
Karin
This is an outrage and makes me so thankful that we are not subjected to hs'ing laws in AZ. We don't really have any yet, except filing with the county stating you are hs'ing your kids (shhh - haven't done that yet!) But there is a bill in the legislature right now (HB 2440) trying to make hs'ers have regular testing. I sure hope it fails. :-/
Karin
Dawn Falbe wrote:
I belong to the California Homeschooling List and I've been following this
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
Here is today's ACTION ITEM:
ISSUE: Today's item is a little long, but we hope you'll
see why the detail was necessary. Conservatives across
America are needed right NOW to stand up for educational
choice. According to WorldNetDaily.com and the California
Homeschool Network(www.californiahomeschool.net), the right
of parents in California to direct the education of their
own children is being called into question by school
officials acting above the law. It's time for us to take
action.
Facing a possible jail sentence for "contributing to the
delinquency of a minor," California homeschooling mom Sandra
Sorensen claims the San Juan Unified School District and
Carmichael Elementary School have been harassing her and
her family since they withdrew their son from the "unhealthy
environment" of the government-run school system. According
to Sorensen, Carmichael principal Deborah Kraus made numerous
threats in person and over the telephone to her since the
January decision.
After discovering that their son's teacher was allowing
students to write suspension notices for other students,
the Sorensen family of Sacramento decided to homeschool
their 10-year-old son. They researched the California laws
regarding homeschooling, and followed them to the letter.
Then the phone calls from the school started. School
officials that should know better told the Sorensens that
homeschooling is illegal, that one must have a credential
to homeschool, and that proposed coursework must be
submitted for approval. They began demanding tons of
documentation of their home school -- requests for
documentation that are not supported by California education
code. Officials accused Sorensen of neglect, reporting her
to California child welfare authorities, and began plans to
prosecute her in the Sacramento County courts. By this time
the Sorensens were in touch with CHN and were well aware of
the requirements of the California Education Code. They knew
they had complied with the letter of the law -- could school
officials really require more than the law requires?
Now school officials have taken the law into their own hands
and accused the Sorensen child of truancy. They are citing
"unexcused absences", which were in fact after his parents
had officially notified them under the law that they had
withdrawn him from public school. The Education Code does not
grant the local school any authority over private (home)
schools or their students. But this has not prevented Joseph
Tucker, of the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), from
calling a SARB hearing.
ACTION ITEM: Mr. Tucker, apparently with the blessing of
Principal Deborah Kraus, has made it known to the family that
this would all "go away" if they would just enroll their son
in the government-run school system. In other words, he is
abusing the power of his position to intimidate this mom and
dad into following HIS choice for their child's education
instead of their own. Conservatives and limited-government
advocates across the country need to stand with this family and
say to these educational bureaucrats: "Enough!" CLICK BELOW to
quickly contact Tucker, Kraus, and the entire School Board and
demand that they stop this assault on parental rights:
http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm
AOL: <a href="http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm"> CLICK HERE </a>
NOTE: The California Homeschool Network Legal Defense Fund
will be paying for this fight on behalf of the Sorensens and
others. If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, call
800-327-5339. And please forward this email to everyone you
know that wants to help put a stop to infringements on
parental rights everywhere. Thank you!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Karin
Dawn Falbe wrote:
I belong to the California Homeschooling List and I've been following this
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
Here is today's ACTION ITEM:
ISSUE: Today's item is a little long, but we hope you'll
see why the detail was necessary. Conservatives across
America are needed right NOW to stand up for educational
choice. According to WorldNetDaily.com and the California
Homeschool Network(www.californiahomeschool.net), the right
of parents in California to direct the education of their
own children is being called into question by school
officials acting above the law. It's time for us to take
action.
Facing a possible jail sentence for "contributing to the
delinquency of a minor," California homeschooling mom Sandra
Sorensen claims the San Juan Unified School District and
Carmichael Elementary School have been harassing her and
her family since they withdrew their son from the "unhealthy
environment" of the government-run school system. According
to Sorensen, Carmichael principal Deborah Kraus made numerous
threats in person and over the telephone to her since the
January decision.
After discovering that their son's teacher was allowing
students to write suspension notices for other students,
the Sorensen family of Sacramento decided to homeschool
their 10-year-old son. They researched the California laws
regarding homeschooling, and followed them to the letter.
Then the phone calls from the school started. School
officials that should know better told the Sorensens that
homeschooling is illegal, that one must have a credential
to homeschool, and that proposed coursework must be
submitted for approval. They began demanding tons of
documentation of their home school -- requests for
documentation that are not supported by California education
code. Officials accused Sorensen of neglect, reporting her
to California child welfare authorities, and began plans to
prosecute her in the Sacramento County courts. By this time
the Sorensens were in touch with CHN and were well aware of
the requirements of the California Education Code. They knew
they had complied with the letter of the law -- could school
officials really require more than the law requires?
Now school officials have taken the law into their own hands
and accused the Sorensen child of truancy. They are citing
"unexcused absences", which were in fact after his parents
had officially notified them under the law that they had
withdrawn him from public school. The Education Code does not
grant the local school any authority over private (home)
schools or their students. But this has not prevented Joseph
Tucker, of the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), from
calling a SARB hearing.
ACTION ITEM: Mr. Tucker, apparently with the blessing of
Principal Deborah Kraus, has made it known to the family that
this would all "go away" if they would just enroll their son
in the government-run school system. In other words, he is
abusing the power of his position to intimidate this mom and
dad into following HIS choice for their child's education
instead of their own. Conservatives and limited-government
advocates across the country need to stand with this family and
say to these educational bureaucrats: "Enough!" CLICK BELOW to
quickly contact Tucker, Kraus, and the entire School Board and
demand that they stop this assault on parental rights:
http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm
AOL: <a href="http://www.conservativehq.com/032502.htm"> CLICK HERE </a>
NOTE: The California Homeschool Network Legal Defense Fund
will be paying for this fight on behalf of the Sorensens and
others. If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, call
800-327-5339. And please forward this email to everyone you
know that wants to help put a stop to infringements on
parental rights everywhere. Thank you!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pam Hartley
This is a fairly unusual problem in California -- we have the occasional
school official or DA (usually filing charges in response to a custody
problem) getting hysterical. The inclusive California group, HSC (CHN is a
Christian group, as you might guess from the HSLDA reference later in the
article) and their legal folks are working with the family's attorney (who
is experienced in working on homeschooling cases) on this case and
recommends NOT sending letters to the school officials, etc., as it tends to
muddy rather than help (and as I understand it, the request below is old,
and CHN has also at this point stopped asking for letters to be sent).
I expect we'll see an update sometime soon that the matter has been settled,
as happened in three cases in Alameda county last year once HSC got involved
and the DAs were all brought to their senses.
Usually, California is a simple place to homeschool, though we have no
"homeschooling law". I would hate to see what a homeschooling law here might
look like. :/
Pam
----------
From: "Karin" <curtkar@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Something Interesting
Date: Tue, Mar 26, 2002, 8:42 AM
I belong to the California Homeschooling List and I've been following this
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
school official or DA (usually filing charges in response to a custody
problem) getting hysterical. The inclusive California group, HSC (CHN is a
Christian group, as you might guess from the HSLDA reference later in the
article) and their legal folks are working with the family's attorney (who
is experienced in working on homeschooling cases) on this case and
recommends NOT sending letters to the school officials, etc., as it tends to
muddy rather than help (and as I understand it, the request below is old,
and CHN has also at this point stopped asking for letters to be sent).
I expect we'll see an update sometime soon that the matter has been settled,
as happened in three cases in Alameda county last year once HSC got involved
and the DAs were all brought to their senses.
Usually, California is a simple place to homeschool, though we have no
"homeschooling law". I would hate to see what a homeschooling law here might
look like. :/
Pam
----------
From: "Karin" <curtkar@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Something Interesting
Date: Tue, Mar 26, 2002, 8:42 AM
I belong to the California Homeschooling List and I've been following this
article with interest. For those that don't live in CA I thought you might
like to read about something that's happening there to a homeschooling
family. For those of us currently living in Arizona, we could feel grateful
we are not subjected to the same laws.....Dawn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Nancy Wooton
on 3/26/02 10:06 AM, Pam Hartley at pamhartley@... wrote:
CHEA is the Christian Home Educators Association, the big exclusive group in
California.
Whatever list that was cross-posted from was writing its own introduction:
I've read there. I think CHN was lumped together with HSLDA by them.
Far too often, homeschool parents are frightened by groups with their own
agendas, and encouraged to send inflammatory letters or make threatening
phone calls to people who have NOTHING to do with a case.
Nancy
> The inclusive California group, HSC (CHN is aCHN is the California Homeschool Network; as far as I know, it's inclusive.
> Christian group, as you might guess from the HSLDA reference later in the
> article)
CHEA is the Christian Home Educators Association, the big exclusive group in
California.
Whatever list that was cross-posted from was writing its own introduction:
> Here is today's ACTION ITEM:... That WorldNetDaily is extremely conservative and Christian, from what
> ISSUE: Today's item is a little long, but we hope you'll
> see why the detail was necessary. Conservatives across
> America are needed right NOW to stand up for educational
> choice. According to WorldNetDaily.com and the California
> Homeschool Network(www.californiahomeschool.net), the right
> of parents in California to direct the education of their
> own children is being called into question by school
> officials acting above the law. It's time for us to take
> action.
I've read there. I think CHN was lumped together with HSLDA by them.
Far too often, homeschool parents are frightened by groups with their own
agendas, and encouraged to send inflammatory letters or make threatening
phone calls to people who have NOTHING to do with a case.
Nancy
Pam Hartley
Whoops, I'm always getting my CH's mixed up. :) Thanks, Nancy.
Pam
----------
From: Nancy Wooton <ikonstitcher@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Something Interesting
Date: Tue, Mar 26, 2002, 10:32 AM
CHEA is the Christian Home Educators Association, the big exclusive group in
California.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pam
----------
From: Nancy Wooton <ikonstitcher@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Something Interesting
Date: Tue, Mar 26, 2002, 10:32 AM
> The inclusive California group, HSC (CHN is aCHN is the California Homeschool Network; as far as I know, it's inclusive.
> Christian group, as you might guess from the HSLDA reference later in the
> article)
CHEA is the Christian Home Educators Association, the big exclusive group in
California.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Cindy
Nancy Wooton wrote:
It's also radically Libertarian. I did not find it as inclusive as
HSC which is why I am no longer a member! (I am an HSC member.) Dawn,
if you want the reality of CA homeschooling politics, I'd suggest
joining HSC's list - CHN tends to proclaim "the sky is falling" about
once a year.
Just some dirt on CA homeschooling orgs!!
--
Cindy Ferguson
crma@...
>It's inclusive but both the Karens who run the organization are Christian.
> on 3/26/02 10:06 AM, Pam Hartley at pamhartley@... wrote:
>
> > The inclusive California group, HSC (CHN is a
> > Christian group, as you might guess from the HSLDA reference later in the
> > article)
>
> CHN is the California Homeschool Network; as far as I know, it's inclusive.
>
It's also radically Libertarian. I did not find it as inclusive as
HSC which is why I am no longer a member! (I am an HSC member.) Dawn,
if you want the reality of CA homeschooling politics, I'd suggest
joining HSC's list - CHN tends to proclaim "the sky is falling" about
once a year.
Just some dirt on CA homeschooling orgs!!
--
Cindy Ferguson
crma@...
[email protected]
On Tue, 26 Mar 2002 10:06:19 -0800 Pam Hartley
<pamhartley@...> writes:>
"homeschooling" - legally, we're lumped in with all of the private
schools in the state, so if the legislature wanted to make a new law to
hassle us (like requiring testing, or portfolioes, or whatever), they'd
have to fight not only the homeschoolers but all the private schoolers.
Arizona used to require testing of homeschoolers, and I would not be at
all surprised if they did so again, especially since a lot of the
Christian homeschoolers would be for it. When we first lived in Arizona,
no one I knew even registered, because the penalty for not registering
was a $50 fine and then you had to register. Big whoopie.
Dar
<pamhartley@...> writes:>
>Usually, California is a simple place to homeschool, though we have noMe, too. There are benefits to not having a law that actually says
> "homeschooling law". I would hate to see what a homeschooling law
> here might
> look like.
"homeschooling" - legally, we're lumped in with all of the private
schools in the state, so if the legislature wanted to make a new law to
hassle us (like requiring testing, or portfolioes, or whatever), they'd
have to fight not only the homeschoolers but all the private schoolers.
Arizona used to require testing of homeschoolers, and I would not be at
all surprised if they did so again, especially since a lot of the
Christian homeschoolers would be for it. When we first lived in Arizona,
no one I knew even registered, because the penalty for not registering
was a $50 fine and then you had to register. Big whoopie.
Dar