They say it takes a village to raise a child, and in this case the village’s will overrides the parents’. A family in the Boston is home-schooling their kids, but refuses to allow the city to administer standardized tests. The law allows parents to home-school—despite the grumbling of the teachers’ unions—but requires evaluation of their educational progress.
Charles,
I did say that I think the parents are obstinate and just being pigheaded and that I think that reasonable oversight of the children’s education is fine, but it’s the hardball tactics by the DSS and school that surprise me. And the lack of any acknowledgement that the parents do have the right to raise and educate their children, a right that supercedes the duties of the state in the same areas, all things being equal.
Contrary to what teaching colleges and teachers’ unions would have you believe, teaching is not an arcane art or profession, akin to neurosurgery or the law. I would dispute your contention and say that the vast majority of parents would actually be good educators—after all they do a pretty decent job up to age 6 teaching their children to walk, talk, eat like a civilized person, behave in public, and the like.
But they have been sold a bill of goods that makes them think that only state-sanctioned “educators” are capable of forming their children.
No one doubts that some parents would be bad teachers, but many of them are bad parents as well. And for those can’t do it or don’t want to, there are plenty of public and private schools. But for those who have the will and desire to educate their own children, they have that right.
But the question remains: Where do the state’s compelling interests end and my rights begin when it comes to parenting?
Common sense says the parents should have filed an education plan, but it’s the government reaction that’s over the top.
But it depends on what is deemed an appropriate action for enforcing the law. SWAT is not called out when you are pulled over for speeding. Were the actions of DSS and the school system a measured response?
As for formal certification, there are millions of children educated through homeschooling every year. There are plenty of ways of certifying their educational achievement that don’t require Big Brother’s signature.
By the way, I did think that the family’s defenses sounded a bit nutty. It sounds a little new-agey. Other articles I’ve read quote them as talking about self-esteem and self-measurement of goals attained and the like. But it doesn’t disqualify the concerns about an over-reaching government bureaucracy.