Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Jim Mason:
Mike, what are some lessons homeschoolers can learn from the Mississippi homeschool case?

Mike Farris:
The lessons we can learn here are the importance of being tuned in to the grassroots of homeschooling. When we learn of things quickly, we can do things quickly in court. And, I think it also tells people you never can take your rights and your freedoms for granted. We’ve got to be able to be alert and do some things at a moment’s notice. And even though I was incredibly busy, I had all kinds of other things on my agenda, I cleared it all off because there was nothing more important than doing this, and I was the one in the best position to write the pleadings in this particular case.

And so, HSLDA’s ability to respond instantaneously like this is made possible because people are members of HSLDA, that fund an operation of this size and sophistication. And we were able to go in and it was just a few days where the court issued an order stopping the judge temporarily, told him to respond, and eventually they ruled—just as they’d ruled in the football case—that the judge didn’t have the authority to do this and ordered him to dismiss his order. So we saw a victory, but it was victory because people were working together, and we were alert.

Jim:
Thanks Mike, for telling us about the Mississippi homeschool case. For Home School Heartbeat, I’m Jim Mason.