California Homeschool Organizations Unite

Los Angeles, CA, March 28, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The major homeschooling organizations in California along with the Virginia based HSLDA announce today that they are working together in a united effort to preserve independent homeschooling in California as it has been practiced for decades. Representatives from the California based organizations are meeting in Sacramento today to discuss homeschooling and distribute their joint statement.

Joint Statement Regarding Homeschooling In California:

The following organizations, California Homeschool Network, Christian Home Educators Association of California, Private and Home Educators of California and HomeSchool Association of California, represent the major California-based organizations working on a statewide basis to support private homeschooling. They, together with the Home School Legal Defense Association, which also works in California to support private homeschooling and which has members in California, jointly issue the following statement:

1. We are united in the goal of protecting the right of parents to teach their children privately at home without additional governmental interference.

2. We believe that children deserve to learn in the environment that best meets their individual needs. We support the right of parents to direct their children's education including, if they desire, teaching their children privately at home apart from any public school program and without a teaching credential.

3. We believe that the opinion rendered by the Second District Court of Appeals in the case titled "In re Rachel L." on February 28, 2008 is excessively broad in its scope and incorrectly states the law as applied to home education in California.

4. We believe that the interpretation of California law, as understood by our organizations and by the California Department of Education prior to the issuance of this decision, is correct, that the interests of both the State of California in ensuring that children are educated adequately and of parents in directing their children's education are well met by this prior interpretation of law, and that no change in California law regarding the teaching of children privately at home is needed.

For further information, please contact these organizations as follows:

California Homeschool Network

P.O. Box 55485
Hayward, CA 94545
1-800-327-5339

http://californiahomeschool.net

Loren Mavromati, President
loren.mavromati@californiahomeschool.net
Christian Home Educators Association of California
P.O. Box 2009
Norwalk, CA 90651-2009
1-562-864-2432
http://www.cheaofca.org

Mary Schofield, Esq., Vice President
maryschofield@cheaofca.org
Private and Home Educators of California
P.O. Box 730
Lincoln, CA 95648-0730
1-916-786-3523
http://www.pheofca.org

Roy Hanson, Director
Jim Davis, Legislative Liaison and Dir
contact@pheofca.org
HomeSchool Association of California
P.O. Box 77873
Corona, CA 92877
1-888-472-4440
http://www.hsc.org

Debbie Schwarzer, Esq., Legislative Chair
hsc-legislative@hsc.org
Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, VA 20134-9000
1-540-338-5600
http://www.hslda.org

J. Michael Smith, Esq.
media@hslda.org

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Contact: Loren Mavromati
loren.mavromati@californiahomeschool.net
www.californiahomeschool.net
310-214-4833
866-381-8239 fax