Michael P. Farris
Chairman of the Board
Chancellor of Patrick Henry College
Michael Farris is the chancellor of Patrick Henry College and chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He was the founding president of each organization.
Farris is a constitutional appellate litigator who has served as lead counsel in the United States Supreme Court, eight federal circuit courts, and the appellate courts of 13 states.
He has been a leader on Capitol Hill for over 30 years and is widely known for his leadership on homeschooling, religious freedom, and the preservation of American sovereignty.
At Patrick Henry College, Farris teaches constitutional law, public international law, and coaches PHC’s Moot Court team which has won six national championships.
A prolific author, Farris has been recognized with a number of awards including the Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship by the Heritage Foundation and as one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education for the 20th Century” by Education Week magazine.
Mike and Vickie Farris have 10 children and 14 grandchildren.
| Title: | Parental Rights: It’s Now Or Never | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | General Session | | Topic: | Legal, Political | | Audience: | All | | Description: | Hear how the Supreme Court and our nation’s lower courts are failing to hold parental rights to the same legal standard as fundamental rights like speech and press, and how European court decisions on children’s rights are influencing our U.S. judicial system. Michael Farris describes threats to parental rights that involve the political right, political left, and international law, and proposes a solution that will be the battle of the century for homeschoolers and other pro—family forces. |
| Title: | Constitutional Literacy: It’s For You and Your Children | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | General Session, Workshop | | Topic: | Education | | Audience: | All, Parents | | Description: | Michael Farris discusses the importance of knowing the content and purpose of the founding documents of our country, and how that can impact our interpretation of issues today. |
| Title: | The Coming Attack on Homeschooling from the Legal Elites (An updated version of "Homeschooling Freedom: Past, Present, Future") | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | General Session | | Topic: | Legal, Political | | Audience: | All, New Homeschoolers, Support Group Leaders, Veteran Homeschoolers | | Description: | The first and second wave of attacks on homeschooling were essentially based on lies. You won’t succeed academically. We proved them wrong. Your kids won’t be socialized. We proved them wrong. The third wave is fundamentally different. It accuses: you will teach your kids that Christianity is the only true religion. This attack is true. Michael Farris examines the newest anti—homeschooling strategy of the legal elites, explains how it will impact us today and tomorrow, and outlines a plan of action. |
| Title: | From Tyndale to Madison: The Battle for the Bible and the Foundation of American Liberty | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | General Session, Workshop | | Topic: | History, Political, Spiritual | | Audience: | All | | Description: | How the battle in England to publish God’s Word in the English language began a struggle for freedom that would impact the U.S. Bill of Rights. |
| Title: | Real-Life Courtship | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | Workshop | | Topic: | Marriage, Parenting, Spiritual | | Audience: | Fathers, Mothers, Parents, Teens | | Description: | Michael Farris shares the biblical vision for courtship and its value over traditional dating, plus what he has learned through the experience of his five oldest daughters’ courtships and marriages. |
| Title: | The Homeschooling Father | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | Workshop | | Topic: | Marriage, Parenting, Spiritual | | Audience: | Fathers | | Description: | Even busy executives with 10 children like Michael Farris can and should take part in homeschooling—not just in teaching, but in supporting their wives. |
| Title: | The Spiritual Impact of Educational Choices | | Length: | 30–60 minutes | | Type: | General Session | | Topic: | Parenting, Political, Spiritual | | Audience: | All, Fathers, Mothers, Parents | | Description: | The best and most effective opportunity to win large numbers of Americans to Christ is found in our children. Based on the research of George Barna, Michael Farris presents homeschooling as the very best method to accomplish this. Church leaders are challenged to wake up to the spiritual damage occurring in their church’s children via public education. Parents are encouraged to make sure that the spiritual opportunity presented by homeschooling is not squandered. |
| Title: | The Spiritual Power of a Mother | | Length: | 30—60 minutes | | Type: | General Session, Workshop | | Topic: | Parenting, Spiritual | | Audience: | Mothers, Parents | | Description: | Have you ever wondered how Samuel could remember the prayer of his mother when she sent him off to be trained by Eli? Hannah is just one example of a mother who dramatically impacted the life of her child by her prayer, her protection, her instruction, and her overcoming spirit. These uplifting stories should encourage all parents—but especially mothers—as we sacrifice to homeschool our children. |
If you would like to schedule Michael Farris as a speaker for your upcoming event, contact his assistant, Michele Musto at Michele@hslda.org. Michael asks for at least one general session to be chosen from his political/legal speech category. Additional talks may be chosen from any of the categories. Michael is willing to speak five or more times over the course of two days, but no more than three times in one day. 
He requires the host to pay for his travel and hotel expenses, but his speaking fees are negotiable. Contact Michele Musto for information. |
