Friday, March 07, 2008

Time to Fight the Fascists

It's an image straight out of the romanticized visions of the French Resistance: a family gathers around the wireless, listening to news of the downfall of everything they hold dear, and wondering when they themselves may be arrested and incarcerated. Or worse.

Such is the image projected today by numerous homeschooling families in the state of California following a disastrous ruling by an appellate court a few days ago. H. Walter Croskey, writing for the majority, dictated to a Los Angeles family that they not only had to put two of their children in public school, but further stated that "parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children."

So now the battle is engaged. On the one side are parents who wish to have control over their childrens' educations. On the other, those who do not trust parents to be able to make those decisions on behalf of their own children. If you are a parent there is no middle road. You cannot sit on the fence in this fight. You either support your own parental rights, or you abdicate them. If you abdicate, then you reap what you sow. If you somehow believe that the state of California is better equipped to judge what is best for your child's welfare, then you expect that child to be indoctrinated in the same vein as a Nancy Pelosi, a Barbara Boxer, or a Sheila Kuehl. In other words, you want the government teaching your child about every possible sexual practice and orientation that our twisted society has ever conceived, and you are willing to accept whatever consequences come from this teaching.

This travesty, tied indirectly to the topic at hand, is the result of another assault on our families in the guise of SB 777, recently signed into law by Governator Schwarzennbody. Make no mistake, this teaching will occur. California's professional educators are mostly (with a few exceptions) beside themselves with glee over being allowed to unleash this indoctrination on our impressionable children. No less a personage than A. J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles was reported to support the court's decision. According to the LA Times, Duffy said, "What's best for a child is to be taught by a credentialed teacher." Of course he believes that. I'm just wondering how he's going to incorporate transgender and homosexual discussions in his special ed classes.

There is irony in the intersection of these two issues. The Governor "worked with legislators" to create and sign SB 777, yet decries the issue of parents not having control over their childrens' education. So why create a law that will provoke the ire of countless parents who still have their moral compasses installed, then get huffy over an appellate court decision that effectively criminalizes a not insignificant portion of your population simply because they don't agree with the law you just created? It makes no sense, but this is what we've come to expect from our RINO governor.

In the meantime, homeschool families are hunkering down. I haven't quite gotten to the point where I'm ready to dig a bomb shelter in my backyard (I don't think our HOA would approve), but sandbagging is not out of the question. We're keeping a close eye on the legal ramifications of this decision. We will join ourselves to the cause because we must if we wish to stay in California and continue to educate our children properly. We will voice our opinions until the right people understand that laws must be changed, they must be clear, and they must support a parent's right to homeschool. If not, we will find that support and work to get them elected. Ballot initiatives may be required. This is a legal, political, social, and religious issue. It crosses all races and genders. It affects rich and poor alike. It matters not whether you're Republican, Democrat, or Libertarian. You could potentially fall under this ruling.

It is a fight. Parents are either for it, or against it. Those without children may not care, but it I wouldn't expect them to. Parents of school-age children have no excuses, however. Watch this issue; make informed choices; make your opinions known. Vote.

It's important.

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