Joint Statement by California Homeschooling Groups

In the interest of protecting homeschooling freedom in California, HSC
has been working with other support organizations. Together we have
issued the following statement.

JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING HOMESCHOOLING IN CALIFORNIA

The following organizations, California Homeschool Network, Christian
Home Educators Association of California, Private and Home Educators of
California and HomeSchool Association of California, represent the major
California-based organizations working on a statewide basis to support
private homeschooling. They, together with the Home School Legal
Defense Association, which also works in California to support private
homeschooling and which has members in California, jointly issue the
following statement:

1. We are united in the goal of protecting the right of parents to
teach their children privately at home without additional governmental
interference.

2. We believe that children deserve to learn in the environment that
best meets their individual needs. We support the right of parents to
direct their children's education including, if they desire, teaching
their children privately at home apart from any public school program
and without a teaching credential.

3. We believe that the opinion rendered by the Second District Court
of Appeals in the case titled "In re Rachel L." on February 28, 2008 is
excessively broad in its scope and incorrectly states the law as applied
to home education in California.

4. We believe that the interpretation of California law, as
understood by our organizations and by the California Department of
Education prior to the issuance of this decision, is correct, that the
interests of both the State of California in ensuring that children are
educated adequately and of parents in directing their children's
education are well met by this prior interpretation of law, and that no
change in California law regarding the teaching of children privately at
home is needed.


For further information, please contact these organizations as follows:

HomeSchool Association of California
P.O. Box 77873
Corona, CA 92877
1-888-472-4440
http://www.hsc.org
Debbie Schwarzer, Esq., Legislative Chair
hsc-legislative@hsc.org

California Homeschool Network
P.O. Box 55485
Hayward, CA 94545
1-800-327-5339
http://californiahomeschool.net
Loren Mavromati, President
loren.mavromati@californiahomeschool.net

Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, VA 20134-9000
1-540-338-5600
http://www.hslda.org
J. Michael Smith, Esq.
media@hslda.org

Christian Home Educators Association of California
P.O. Box 2009
Norwalk, CA 90651-2009
1-562-864-2432
http://www.cheaofca.org
Mary Schofield, Esq., Vice President
maryschofield@cheaofca.org

Private and Home Educators of California
P.O. Box 730
Lincoln, CA 95648-0730
1-916-786-3523
http://www.pheofca.org
Roy Hanson, Director
Jim Davis, Legislative Liaison
contact@pheofca.org