Life Nurturing Education

Ashpenaz blazed through town snatching young men from their homes. The policeman searched for the handsome, strong, and intelligent. When he found such youth, he carted them off to the king’s palace.

The King’s Answer by Briton Riviere

One of my biggest fears is that my children will be taken away from me. It is completely irrational, but, nonetheless, it is a fear. Can this sneaking trepidation be overcome? It is so stealth an issue I haven’t given it much concentrated thought. The anxiety surfaces when a sheriff pulls up to our house, or the headlines falsely proclaim, “Homeschooling is unconstitutional.” Maybe standing face to face with this fear will put things into perspective.

What if homeschooling was illegal? Imaginary scenarios are difficult for me, especially this one. We have laws that protect the intrinsic rights of parents in the land of the free. My hope is they will not be encroached upon, but what if they are? Laws could have any number of restrictions, culminating in the removal of children from parents and placing them in government schools. Would that happen? It’s doubtful, but that did happen to a child named Daniel.

Daniel was one of the young men taken away from his home by Ashpenaz. The king wanted the brightest and best. King Nebuchadnezzar began their training by giving them a superior Babylonian education. Completely surrounded by the culture, Daniel still refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar. Gazing at the rich table set before him,

Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself…Daniel 1:8

Daniel resolved. He determined in his heart to remain a Jew. Daniel followed the king’s orders until they went against his conscious. Then he chose lions’ mouths to preserve his most precious possession; his faith in God.

A wise preacher told me,

You have to choose which hill you will die on.

I pass many hills not worth climbing. For the sake of my children, I will traverse any mountain. I’m just not sure public education resides on a mountain. Public schools do not force children to worship the state. If the law said my children had to attend public school, I would appeal repeatedly. I would try escaping. But in the end, we all have to trust in something greater than our ability. Even if our children receive an education founded on biblical principles, the choice to embrace it is up to them.

Numerous headlines about the California judge who ruled against homeschooling flood the internet. Thankfully, there is good news. (pdf)

Freedom from Fear by Norman Rockwell

Released March 11, 2008

SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has completed a legal review of the February 28 California Court of Appeal ruling regarding home schooling. O’Connell issued the following statement:

‘I have reviewed this case, and I want to assure parents that chose to home school that California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to home school in our state.

‘Every child in our state has a legal right to get an education, and I want every child to get an education that will prepare them for success in college and the world of work in the challenging global economy.

‘As the head of California’s public school system, I hope that every parent would want to send their children to public school. However, traditional public schools may not be the best fit for every student. Within the public school system there are a range of options available. Students can take independent study classes, attend a charter school, or participate in non-classroom-based programs. But some parents choose to send their children to private schools or to home school, and I respect that right.

‘I admire the dedication of parents who commit to oversee their children’s education through home schooling. But, no matter what educational program a student participates in, it is critical that the program prepares them for future success in the global economy. I urge any parent who is considering or involved in home schooling their children to take advantage of resources and support available through their county or district offices of education.’

Liberty triumphs as parental rights are upheld!

What if it didn’t work out this way? What if our biggest fears came true? Mandi asked me what would I do if homeschooling was illegal? I’ll address that question tomorrow.

Via Principled Discovery, via Just Enough, Nothing More

The Heart of the Matter

The March edition of the online homeschool magazine, The Heart of the Matter, has just been published. From my brief glance at the titles, this appears to be the best edition yet.

Carnival of Homeschooling

The Carnival of Homeschooling is full of great articles about homeschooling. Palm Tree Pundit scattered facts about the marvelous month of March throughout the blog entries.

Also, the founders of the Carnival of Homeschooling request your vote. Which images best represent the carnival? Vote for a medium image here and a large image here. This is a simple way to thank the Cates for all their work to make the carnival happen every week.

Headlines from Homeschoolers

Another great source of homeschool happenings is the new Homeschool Community at BlogNetNews.com. This is the place to see the latest headlines from across the blogsphere. Kudos to Dana of Principled Discovery for setting it up.

My daughter received a doll house for Christmas complete with family and furniture. I wish she received a time machine instead, so the hours this toy has scattered across the house could be retrieved. Grandpa hides in a vase. Grandma faints under the couch. Sister peeks from the bookshelf. Mommy and Daddy search for Baby in the laundry basket. And lamps roll around the bathroom.

I didn’t get into this pick-up game completely clueless. While inserting screws for hours, I glimpsed a hint of the minutes this house would consume. It was worth it though. The finished product was perfect, the highlight of all the toys.

Two months later, the abandoned house sits in a corner. The furniture constantly gathered to make “soup” or “presents.” Will this nemesis of housekeeping be missed? Can I sneak it out during the night?

Maybe it’s an issue of perspective. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines perspective as “a glass through which objects are viewed.” Sometimes, the glass needs a good cleaning.

Gazing through the mist of life, requires imagination and hope. I clearly see the tasks of the day, but there is an unseen picture, of utmost importance, easier to forget. Sally Clarkson, author of Educating the Wholehearted Child, encourages me to continue overcoming my myopia.

Often, I find that in the absence of a clear enough vision for their children and homes, mothers replace conviction and vision with lots of activities and distractions for their children. This hyper-activity and rushing around to an endless list of expensive lessons and experiences and the buying of the newest expensive curriculum and technological options make moms feel like they are accomplishing something. However, when the home-life of children is rich with excellent, classic literature, passionate Biblical devotions, rousing dinner-table discussions around sumptuous, tasty meals, lots of love and affection given and household chores attended to—a child will become committed to all that is good and excellent and develop a moral and compassionate soul for all the divinely important values.

Moving the classic toy on top of the dresser brings everything into focus. My girls are now eye-level with the miniature world. Complaints turn into delight as Polly Pocket visits Sister Laura. Grandmother uses the stove to cook soup, instead of the kitchen table and chairs being stirred in a pan. The family and furniture often stay home now. Peace to us all.

While skimming homeschool news, two assaults on liberty distressed me.

• A California Judge declared homeschooling unconstitutional.

The Second Appellate Court judges held Mrs. Long unfit to teach her children at home because she lacks a state credential.

An important discussion of the definition of religious exemption followed.

• Nebraska legislatures attempt to remove local control of education.

Parents, teachers and local school officials know more about the individual needs of our state’s students than the Nebraska legislature or officials in Washington.

The sword civil government carries has a purpose. It is to protect life and preserve safety, not slash parental rights. Children do not belong to the government. The state may rescue if a life is in danger. However, prosecuting a family so their children develop emotionally and interact with others does not fit that criteria. (reason cited by attorney in CA case)

Liberty is written in our law. We don’t have to fire cannons to keep it, but freedom does have a price. Liberty needs our faithful prayers; legislators need our constant voice.

Chatting with a neighbor befuddled me. As our children climbed on the swing set, this capable lady remarked,

“I don’t have the patience to homeschool.”

I whispered, “I don’t either.”

She chuckled, “Really? Well, I think you are Supermom.“

Thoughts crashed in my head. How should I respond to such a statement? I know that Supermom doesn’t exist. She is an imaginary hero, an idol contrived in our own mind. This idol was discussed at Principled Discovery, and I’ve written about it, too. Dana confessed a desire to expose all her shortcomings to combat the lie. I relate. I wanted to reveal my faults one by one.

I am not perfect because I homeschool. Rather, being surrounded by constant commotion and disaster sometimes awakens the Mommy Monster in me. We try to laugh her away, but when green eyes flare, I long for Supermom to swoop down with scissors, glue, and confetti for a crafting extravaganza melting bad attitudes with a flash of wit. Supermom has yet to appear. External weapons will not conquer Mommy Monster anyway. She is an internal beast who can only be won by sharp stabs of truth.

The truth is there is no Supermom; just me praying for wisdom, hoping for a good day.

Bug’s bottle birder feeder idea has been published again!

In case you missed it last time, you can find detailed instructions for this simple project in the February edition of The Heart of the Matter. Be sure to check out the other great articles while you’re there.