|
Tidbits & Trivia
More mountains reaching 14,000 feet or more than any other state.
|
Colorado
Public School Courts Home Schoolers
Colorado Springs District 11 is trying to woo home schoolers back into the public school system with a letter inviting them to participate in its Home Education Support Program. The district touts the benefits of a public school teacher instructing a class of home schooled children, either on public school premises or at another location.
This sounds very tempting. However, there are issues that every parent should consider before participating. Some of these are as follows:
(1) Public school teachers are mandatory reporters of child abuse. If a child has a bruise that the teacher suspects was caused by abuse, the teacher is obligated by law to report the bruise to the department of social services. The child’s family could find themselves the object of a full-blown social services investigation.
(2) Social workers sometimes take children out of classrooms to interview them. If a home schooled child is on public school property, he may be interviewed without the parents’ knowledge or consent. No parent or neutral third party would be present to protect the constitutional rights of the child and the parents.
(3) When parents turn to the home school community for help, they strengthen the home school movement. In the long run, home schooling will be stronger and better if home school parents develop their own solutions rather than relinquishing portions of their home education program to the public schools.
(4) The textbooks used will probably not honor God. All knowledge and wisdom comes from the Lord. Any subject taught without this truth clearly in sight will affect the developing worldview of their children.
HSLDA does not accept into membership (or continue the membership of) any student in a public school program where the public school directs or supervises the child’s education.or where the child is considered to have the status of a full-time public school student. Additionally, the parents must provide at least 51 percent of the student’s entire course of instruction.
Therefore, HSLDA membership is open to families who participate in the outreach program of District 11 or similar programs in other Colorado districts as part-time students, if they otherwise fit within our guidelines. Nonetheless, we recommend that home schooling families avoid public school programs altogether whenever possible. Sometimes “free” education can be very costly.
