Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

This year Home School Legal Defense Association is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A lot has changed for homeschooling families in the last 20 years as Mike Smithdiscusses on today's Home School Heartbeat.

Mike Smith:


After centuries of producing impressive leaders, home education was displaced by a new public school system. In the 1980s, parents who wanted to reclaim responsibility for their children's education relaunched homeschooling. Over the last 20 years, the movement has grown in size and stature. And the number of states that recognize the legality of homeschooling has increased from just 5 to all 50.


Today's homeschooling families no longer wonder whether their educational choice is legal. However, they do have to defend that choice against various prejudices, mostly within the public school establishment. Every year, HSLDA protects our members from thousands of contacts from uninformed or even hostile government officials. Generally, there are only a small percentage of instances where we're not able to take care of the problem before it goes to court.


Scripture mandates that we subject ourselves to governing authorities. But HSLDA's lawyers know from experience that a social worker on your doorstep may overstep the bounds of his authority. Without a court order, the officer generally will not have the legal access to a homeschooled child.


The homeschoolers of the 1980's risked committing an illegal act by teaching their children at home. We remain thankful that after 20 years, HSLDA's members have the freedom to teach their children in peace and security. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.