Why the California Ruling Affects ALL Parents

I’m almost afraid to write about the recent California court decision that has freaked out many homeschoolers in that state as well as everywhere else, because most of the things being said about it can be found all over the blogosphere by now.

But columnist Ken Blackwell has makes an important point about this landmark ruling that we parents (not just homeschooling parents but ALL parents) need to be aware of:

It has been nearly 20 years since the United Nations first agreed to codify the Convention of the Rights of the Child into international law and since that time, America has been only one of two member states of the United Nations to have not ratified the Convention.

The California case is a perfect example of why America has not ratified the treaty……..

But, as Blackwell goes on to emphasize in his column, the NEA is a supporter of that U.N. Convention and would love to see us ratify it. If you don’t know what it’s all about, you need to read up on it. The short version is that the “rights” it grants to children are built on the removal of parental rights. And that’s what the California appellate ruling is all about, taking away the right of parents to teach their children.

I’m glad Blackwell is bringing up this aspect of the story, and I hope it gains some legs. I find it even more important than other angles of this story, though they’re certainly not minor issues. Besides the homeschooling aspect, they include:

1) Requiring homeschooling parents to be certified teachers could ultimately hurt private schools, which do not always insist on that requirement for their own teachers.

2) Requiring teachers to be certified could also be applied to substitute teachers. The NEA does not state that California requires substitute teachers to be certified, but they must have a bachelor’s degree at a minimum. This site comes right out and states that CA substitutes don’t have to be certified. If, as this article mentions, the California teacher’s union's members think all students should be taught by certified teachers, shouldn’t CA substitutes be certified before they go after homeschool parents?

3) To become certified in California, you must take the CBEST exam. I’ve written about this before: that test is a joke. See for yourself.